Murdered children, lithe spirits and pornographic sofas—the world of Edward Gorey is full of dark whimsy. The Chicago native’s odd morality plays will be featured in the dual exhibit Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey and G is for Gorey—C is for Chicago: The Collection of Thomas Michalak running from February 15 to June 15, 2014, at LUMA, the Loyola University Museum of Art.
Gorey wrote and illustrated macabre books that combined the nameless dread of H.P. Lovecraft with dry wit. He began by illustrating book covers and published The Unstrung Harp in 1953. Many of his works have gone out of print, but have been collected in Amphigorey volumes. He provided the animated titles for PBS’s Mystery.
Elegant Enigmas is a travelling exhibit organized by the Brandywine Museum with the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust. G is for Gorey comes from the personal collection of works collected by retired Harvard librarian Thomas Michalak.
The Museum will be holding several events in conjunction with the exhibit.
March 11, 6pm: Meet the Artist. Kenneth Gerleve presents Summerland: A Ghost Story, a tale of a family of spiritualists. It will combine storytelling, fiber arts and a score by Ross Crean.
April 1, 6pm: From Grimm to Gorey: The Scary Character of Children’s Literature. The role of children’s literature will be examined in a larger (and spookier) scope by New York Review of Books Classics editor Edwin Frank.
April 4, 3pm: A Fanciful High Tea. Tea and a reading from the Dead Writers Theatre Collective. Public admission is $45; member admission is $40.
April 8, 6pm: An Evening in London: A Talk about How the Greatest City in the Western World Got to be That Way by Loyola professor Robert Bucholz.
April 9, 7pm: Third Annual Gregory and Rosalind Terry Lecture: Ascending Peculiarity: Edward Gorey and His Sources (an exercise in presumption). This free lecture will be held at the lake Shore Campus Crown Center Auditorium at 1001-25 W. Loyola Avenue.
April 29, 6pm: Goreyesque: A Tribute to Edward Gorey in Words and Images. Readings and artwork from the online journal.
May 10, 11am: The Hidden Truths of Lincoln Park. A walk on the darker side of the north side. Admission is $8 pre-paid and the group will meet at the North & Clark Café at 1601 N Clark Street.
May 24, 1pm.: Stories of the Nonsensical, Macabre, and Playful. Bren Ortega Murphy encourages an interactive storytelling session at the Museum.
Blair Thomas & Company will stage 30-minute performances of The Vinegar Works featuring The Gashleycrumb Tinies, The Insect God and The West Wing. They occur every Saturday February 15 to June 14 at 2pm at LUMA.
More details about the public programming can be found at http://www.luc.edu/luma/news/name,252283,en.shtml.
The Loyola University Museum of Art is at 820 North Michigan Ave, Chicago. Hours are Tuesday 11am-8pm; Wednesday to Sunday 11am-6pm. General admission is $8, $6 for seniors 65 and over. Admission is free on Tuesdays.
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