Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit Makes Debut at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences
Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit Makes Debut at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences
Charleston, WV (September 19, 2024) – Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit, created by Children's Museum of Pittsburgh in partnership with Mo Willems Studio, makes its debut at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV on September 21.
This interactive exhibition invites its audience to view and play by exploring the complicated yet simple concept of opposites through hands-on experiences, art making activities, and artist-led performances. Geared to both children and former children of all ages, the exhibition will inspire every visitor to create and respond to art in their own unique ways.
Opening weekend activities for Opposites Abstract includes an exclusive member preview on Friday, September 20 from 5:30-7:30 PM for Clay Center members. Registration is recommended for the event at https://forms.gle/zRM2ENTuc3ARhthk6.
“Opposites Abstract has been a great journey for me to think about ideas in different ways. And my goal with Opposites Abstract is for you to go out and find your own opposites and create them yourself to ask these questions,” said Mo Willems, the well-known children’s book author/illustrator. “Maybe the oldest member of your family and the youngest member of your family can create their own opposites and see how their art styles mix and are different.”
Visitors explore opposites through hands-on activities, including:
Drawing with a friend side-by-side where curves you draw on one screen are translated into straight lines on their screen - and vice versa!
Moving translucent shapes on an overhead projector to create an abstract artwork, playing with light, color and shadow.
Playing a melody, then turning the crank to change the speed of the music and notice how the song changes.
Creating a small piece of art prompted by an Element of Art and an OPPOSITE, then hanging your work as part of a larger collaborative piece inspired by opposites.
Opposites Abstract: A Mo Willems Exhibit is locally sponsored by the Bernard H. & Blanche E. Jacobson Foundation, Charles & Mary Fayne Glotfelty Foundation, Daywood Foundation, Elliot Family Foundation, Fund for the Arts, and Herscher Foundation, Inc. The Clay Center’s performing and visual arts offerings are presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture, and History, and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. The exhibit will be on display at the Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV through January 19, 2025.
For more information and photos on the exhibit, please visit https://www.theclaycenter.org/ or email info@theclaycenter.org.
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About Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of WV
The Clay Center for the Arts & Sciences of West Virginia, a not-for-profit located in Charleston, WV, is a 240,000-square-foot structure that houses performing arts, visual arts, and sciences all under one roof—one of the few of its kind in the country. At the Clay Center, we’re on a mission to ignite the imaginations of all who visit, offering a multitude of experiences that captivate, educate, and entertain.
About Children's Museum of Pittsburgh
Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh is a place that provides innovative and inclusive museum experiences that inspire kindness, joy, creativity and curiosity for all learners. Our imaginative, open-ended exhibits and programs give families the opportunity to explore topics like art, making and social-emotional learning in ways that are authentic, meaningful, and most of all, fun! The museum is open every day, from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
About Mo Willems
Author, illustrator, animator, and playwright Mo Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors (Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale; Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity), and his celebrated Elephant and Piggie early reader series, which has been awarded two Theodor Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors. Mo’s artwork has been exhibited around the world, including major solo retrospectives at the High Museum (Atlanta) and the New-York Historical Society (NYC). Over the last decade, Willems has become the most produced playwright of Theater for Young Audiences in America, having written or co-written four musicals based on his books. The inaugural Kennedy Center Education Artist-in-Residence (2019-2022), Mo actively collaborates with leading artists and musicians creating classical music, opera, comedy concerts, and dance. He began his career as a writer and animator on PBS’ Sesame Street, where he garnered six Emmy Awards (writing). Other television work includes two series on Cartoon Network: Sheep in the Big City (creator/head writer) and Codename: Kids Next Door (head writer), Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! (writer/performer), and an animated rock opera special based on Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed (writer/creator). His papers reside at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.