Sunday, May 11, 2014

Gorey at LUMA



Of course it goes without saying that the Edward Gorey exhibition at LUMA was going to be good. After all, if you're a fan of Edward Gorey (as I most certainly am) you know you're going to enjoy seeing the artwork. So, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, fighting through the throngs of tourists littering Chicago's Gold Coast, I found my way into LUMA for the first time. The courteously quiet museum provided the perfect environment to wander through the five-room exhibit. The exhibit was extremely well designed, sparing no detail. Indeed, even the walls were painted Gorey-style.

I, of course, immediately recognized Edward Gorey's Thoughtful Alphabets and imagery from The Doubtful Guest. However, I had completely forgotten that Edward Gorey illustrated my childhood favorite, T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Additionally, I was unaware of Gorey's interest in Dracula. I learned that he was commissioned to do the costumes and set design for a theatre production of Dracula in the early 1970s, which in turn inspired a series of Dracula-themed drawings. LUMA's exhibit highlights the diversity and range of Edward Gorey's career making it a "can't miss" exhibit for anyone that enjoys his work. And if, like me, you find yourself wanting to take a piece of Gorey home with you, the gift shop features some very nice Edward Gorey mugs.

The Edward Gorey exhibit runs until June 15, 2014. Loyola University Museum of Art is located at 820 N. Michigan avenue in Chicago, Illinois.