Sendak’s search for what he calls “The Other Story” has motivated his long career. As he recently reflected, “That will be the mystery that will haunt me until the day of my death: What is this thing that comes into the work, that is not premeditated, that actually belongs there, but you don't know how it got there?” Sendak's work is haunted by shadows of the past, such as childhood anxieties, the legacy of the Holocaust, and other unresolved conflicts. This exhibition guides you in discovering the undercurrents of Sendak's art and capturing the inspiration he feels while chasing the mystery of a story—and it does so through the artist's own words and insights. As Sendak put it, “When you hide another story in a story, that's the story I am telling the children.” That is the Other Story, and it is the story that you should look for throughout this exhibition. The images to the left will guide you through the themes of the exhibition and some of the dazzling and mysterious artwork that you will find on display.

Final drawing for The Big Green Book,
written by Robert Graves
© Maurice Sendak, 1962, All rights reserved