BONE Exhibition setup at Wexner Center
Yesterday, Steve and I popped over to the Wexner Center to see how the gallery is coming along as they start hanging the art. The show opens May 10th, and things are starting to come together. It's called Jeff Smith: Bone and Beyond and has 75 original BONE pages as well as lots of original comics art from artists I love, like E.C. Segar, Walt Kelly (that's a POGO Sunday page I'm holding in the photo above), and George Herriman. This exhibition has been organized by the Wexner Center for the Arts and the Cartoon Research Library, The Ohio State University. The curators are David Filipi and my long time friend Lucy Shelton Caswell.
Here Lucy and I marvel at a Thimble Theatre Popeye page.
Gary Trudeau originals.
We had a heck of a time finding a Carl Barks original comics page, but there it is on the left!
We're waiting on huge vinyl versions of Bone art to cover the walls before we hang everything.
A George Herriman original Sunday. Looking at his brush strokes and scratched out white spaces is like looking at the Holy Grail.
Steve checks out the exhibit catalog which has essays by Scott McCloud and Neil Gaiman. We'll show you more of that in another post.
Here's a link to the Wexner's official web page, and on it is a short, but fancy HD film-o-mercial they made to promote the event.
Click here to see the Wexner Bone and Beyond film.
We are also moving our site to a new server, so please excuse any hiccups with Boneville for the next few days!
Looks like a great show. I’m definitely going!
Comment by Steve Weiner — May 1, 2008 @ 1:38 pm
I cannot wait to see this! I mean, I knew they would have pages from Bone, but to have all these other pages here…it’s going to be amazing. Jeff, how wonderful must it feel to have all these amazing artists showing up at the Wexner Center over the next few weeks to discuss your art?! Terry Moore, Paul Pope, Scott McCloud…The Wexner Center is going to be my favorite place on the planet this summer!
Comment by Troy Carlson — May 1, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
I’ve never visited Ohio before…
Seems like a perfect time to me!
And if I can’t find my way out of southern Florida, then ordering that exhibition book will certainly have to do.
Congrats on the ongoing success, Sai Smith. I am most happy for you and yours.
Comment by Scott — May 1, 2008 @ 11:09 pm
Hi!
My 9-year od son is a huge Bone fan and sent his Bone character with me when I left on a 2-week european vacation!
If you want to see Bone’s adventures in Europe through May 11th, you can see the pictures here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tiftyart/sets/72157604819119473/
As time and internet allows, Bone will post his notes and journal entries !!
Comment by Stephanie — May 2, 2008 @ 3:53 am
Stephanie, that’s great! We’re all loving Bone’s European adventure. Especially the shot of him in front of Van Gogh.
Comment by Jeff — May 2, 2008 @ 9:11 am
Ryan, yes Scott McCloud and I will both be there opening day, May 10 at 2pm for a presentation and a book signing afterward. Here’s link for details:
http://www.wexarts.org/ex/index.php?eventid=2923
Comment by Jeff — May 2, 2008 @ 9:13 am
Can’t wait! I plan on being there early opening day. Jeff, are you going to be there? Will there be any merchandise for sale?
Comment by Ryan KIng — May 2, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
SO COOL! I am going to drive to Ohio from Chicago this Friday with 2 of my sons to check out the exhibition… we’re all incredibly excited!
Wondering about the book-signing… would it be okay to bring “something else” along for Mr. Smith to autograph? I recently picked up the production-cel for the Madman bubblegum card that was based on Jeff’s drawing, and I would love to have him sign it. Just wondering…
Comment by Adam Vales — May 5, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Hi Adam, You can certainly bring that item for Jeff to sign. I just also wanted to make sure you knew that the exhibition starts on Saturday May 10th, not Friday the 9th. The signing will begin Saturday afternoon after his talk with Scott McCloud.
Comment by Tom — May 5, 2008 @ 1:08 pm
Thanks for the reply, Tom. I didn’t want to bring the cel all the way to Ohio for nothing.
I do know that the exhibition starts on Saturday… but I’m making a weekend out of it. I also figured that I could “beat the rush” on Saturday and check out the Comic Research Library exhibit on Friday.
Thanks again for getting back to me.
Comment by Adam Vales — May 5, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Congrats on the exhibition! It’s cool to see your hometown university support you in this endeavor. All the photos of the setup for it and the pieces displayed look like a great time. Wish I could attend the opening. But I did the next best thing and ordered the exhibit hardcover book and that new poster as well (great to still see new Bone art from time to time).
Continued success as always!
- D
Comment by Derek Fridolfs — May 8, 2008 @ 1:33 pm