For Sendak, art is a process of self-discovery, of finding the Other Story within himself. His passion for the artists he loves brings out this Other Story as he channels artistic, musical, and literary influences into his work. As Sendak commented, “You have to find something unique in [each] book…. And that’s what you hold onto, and that’s what you add to the pictures: a whole Other Story that you believe in, that you think is there.” Illustrating a Melville novel enabled Sendak to explore themes of passion and sexuality in his art, just as he used the Grimm story Dear Mili to convey a Holocaust narrative and Outside Over There to express his adoration for the music of Mozart. In the illustrations here, you will find Sendak communicating both the magic that his influences hold for him and the mystery that they inspire.
“We Are Inseparable” (3 mins)
Tales from the Sendak family
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