Something magical is about to happen at the Museum of the Moving Image, which on the 19th will open an exhibition dedicated to the groundbreaking work of legendary animator Chuck Jones. Titled "What's Up, Doc? The Animation Art of Chuck Jones", the exhibition consists of seven sections which explore key aspects in Jones' work. We attended the press preview on July 15 to bring you exclusive images and interviews, and also to encourage you to attend what will undoubtedly be one of the cultural highlights of the year.
The press event was officially inaugurated by MOMI's executive director Carl Goodman, who called the exhibition "a dream come true to be part of" while highlighting Jones' work for having "changed moving image entertainment". Other spokespeople and guests included Ellen Harrington of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures and Miss Linda Jones Clough who acted as president and producer for Chuck Jones Film Productions - and also happens to be Chuck's daughter. She graciously explained how she called her father "Chuck", because calling him "daddy" at business meetings would have been strange. She proudly spoke about her father's "legacy of inspiration" and explained she lives her life following his idea that "all worthwhile endeavors are 90% work and 10% love and only the love should show".
The exhibition is divided in the following sections:
We asked Miss Jones about archiving her father's work and whether he ever thought his animation cells and sketches would be at the center of an exhibition, "never" she explained. "My father never took anything home, back in those days the studios would give painted cells to the animators as gifts, but daddy never took anything home unless he thought he might need it in the future". "He would tell people, write me a letter and I'll send you back a drawing", she continued, "but very few people ever did, I don't think they believed him" she added laughing.
One of the exhibition's highlights was the screening of four of Jones' animated films at the Museum's Summer M. Redstone Theater, perhaps the finest theater in New York City, which reminded us that before Looney Tunes became a television staple they had been exhibited in film theaters before feature lengths. We saw the 35 mm versions of "Bully for Bugs", "Robin Hood Daffy", the hilarious "Zoom and Bored" starring the Road Runner and the Oscar-winning "So Much for So Little", a propaganda film made by Jones for the Public Health Department. These and many other cartoon shorts will be exhibited at the museum every weekend during the course of the exhibition.
As MOMI's curator Barbara Miller explained, "the exhibition is for children of all ages", at the Museum "we deepen the experience kids have of watching moving images" she continued "and how important moving images are in their lives". "Kids are naturally drawn here but it's really important for us in terms of this exhibition specifically that this and future generations are aware of Chuck Jones' work". She highlighted Jones' team spirit and his collaborative nature. "Kids are going to love this, there are so many cartoons and art" but she clarified that the exhibition is also aimed at adults "Chuck said that his cartoons weren't for children, he made them to make him and his friends laugh and if audiences and people liked them, then great". Chuck's unique vision and stylized anarchy feel right at home in the Museum.
The exhibition opens on July 19 and will close on January 19, 2015. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Service, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity and the Museum of the Moving Image. For more information visit the Museum of Moving Image's website.
