There's only one month left to enjoy Heinrich Kley: From Fantasy to Fantasia, featuring drawings by Heinrich Kley (Germany, 1863-1945)—Walt Disney’s most admired European illustrator—paired with art from Disney’s famed animated film Fantasia (1940)! This gem of an exhibition features 24 drawings and three amazing scrapbooks by Kley, alongside more than 20 Disney works, including sketches, concept art, and maquettes from the Walt Disney classic film Fantasia. The Kley artworks are from Walt Disney’s personal collection and are on view for the first time as a collection in the United States. We had a chance to sit down with Michael Labrie and Martin Salazar, the curators of this amazing exhibition, to chat about Heinrich Kley and what's on display from our collection. Read on to find out what they had to say, and mark your calendars for our August Animate Your Night, which celebrates this unexpected exhibition.
Why is Kley relevant to the WDFM?
At the WDFM we present art and ideas that influenced and ultimately inspired Walt Disney. In this case, Walt and his animators used Kley’s fantastic, dark and moody work to develop their own vocabulary. With Walt Disney’s personal collection of Kley we share an inside look at the process of imitation and innovation followed by invention.
How did you decide what objects to incorporate into the exhibition?
Walt Disney’s collection of Kley is relatively small, and we wanted to incorporate as many objects in this collection as possible. We selected artwork that clearly illustrates the direct connection between Kley’s images and their relevance to the familiar anthropomorphic characters that appear in Fantasia.
What do you hope visitors will take away from this exhibition?
Through these artworks that once inspired a generation of animators, and artists, we encourage you to continue the conversation, and create your own magical, fantasy worlds where everything is possible. This helps to expand the understanding of the art that influenced Walt Disney and his connection to the art community.
What is your favorite artifact and why?
Martín: The mouse playing the violin to an audience of snails. It represents an anthropomorphic character that inspired Walt Disney’s work. Needless to say, the reference to Mickey Mouse is clear.
Michael: For me it has always been the story telling rhinoceros! He is smiling and communicating something wonderful to a captivated audience. The illustration is done in pen and ink and is masterfully executed.
We both agree Kley’s work are real treasures in the Walt Disney Family Foundation collection.