English / USA
Sonia Delaunay. A life of color
Manes, Cara
(text)
Ramos, Fatinha
(illus.)
New York: The Museum of Modern Art, New York, [2017]. – [36] p.
ISBN 978-1-63345-024-0
Delaunay-Terk, Sonia | Female artist | Colour | Art | Picture book
Reading age: 5+
White Ravens issue: 2018
Like many other museums, the Museum of Modern Art in New York regularly publishes books for children, often using material from its large archival collections and the expertise of its staff to introduce children to particular artists, certain topics, or art in general. This colourful offering’s unique feature is that it does not simply sketch the life and art of Ukrainian-born artist and designer Sonia Delaunay. Instead, assistant curator Cara Manes and visual artist Fatinha Ramos create an entertaining frame story involving Sonia’s young son, Charles. It takes the boy and readers on an imaginary car ride through Europe to open their eyes to the sensuality of colours as Delaunay experienced it. The digital illustrations, rendered in a style to fit in with Delaunay’s artwork, are paired with reproductions of original works by her. The story stresses the connection Delaunay felt between art and life and makes the artist’s ideas of “Simultanism” palpable for young readers.