One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Green Eggs And Ham, Fox In Socks, – the list of Dr. Seuss stories is endless. Mathew Abramowitz, owner of the 4th Wall Gallery in Dallas, was able to bring a collection of Seuss’s famous and not so famous pieces to his gallery. Viewers, ranging from 50 to 150 a day, were able to see classic pieces from The Cat In the Hat, Sam I Am and Horton Hears A Who.Although the exhibit was small, it exposed attendees to some of Seuss’s obscure pieces. Viewers may be surprised by the sexual undertone (Myopic Woman) in certain pieces and the dark overtone in others (The Stag at Eve) from the Secret Art collection. This exhibit exposed visitors to other parts of Seuss’s life as well.
It contained a number of his early political cartoons and spoke of his academy award-winning films on WWII.
Reading certain Seuss stories, such as Sylvester McMonkey McBean, as an adult, one marvels at his ingenuity. If you were to poll a group of adults, almost all of them could quote you a line from their favorite Seuss story. Hearing Seuss as a child made us laugh, taught us tongue twisters and, all in all, made us feel content and like children.
While attending the exhibit, you will hear joyous comments from both adults and children. Seuss managed to tie life lessons into color comical illustrations with catchy poetry that hold true no matter what your age. Abramowitz said, “The world is so chaotic right now, Seuss made people feel safe.”
Seuss was an artist, visual revolutionary and educator to all. Perhaps one of his greatest gifts is that people can identify with and find solace and comfort in his work. He is able to work timeless magic through his pieces. This traveling exhibit is a pleasure to behold.
Posted 8/8/09
