Vojtěch Kubašta Exhibit – Part 3

This is a continuation of coverage of the “Pop-Ups from Prague: A Centennial Celebration of the Graphic Artistry of Vojtěch Kubašta (1914-1992)” exhibit, curated by Ellen Rubin, The Pop-Up Lady, and taking place at The Grolier Club through tomorrow, Saturday, March 15th, 2014. (For more information, please see Part 1 and Part 2 of this series of posts.)

Ellen Rubin, The Pop-Up Lady, details the background behind several Kubašta holiday designs

Ellen Rubin, The Pop-Up Lady, details the background behind several Kubašta holiday designs

Christmas

In addition to his advertising, greeting card, and book work, Kubašta created a number of Christmas-themed pieces, including beautiful pop-up Nativity scenes, some of which were designed to be table centerpieces.

Kubašta Nativity scenes

Kubašta Nativity scenes

"Silent Night" table display detail

“Silent Night” table display detail

"Silent Night" song sheet and Nativity scene

“Silent Night” song sheet and Nativity scene

Detail of Kubašta's "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" table display

Detail of Kubašta’s “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” table display

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After-Tour Fun

When the tour ended, everyone took the opportunity to wander the exhibit, discuss pieces, and ask questions. Then, Ellen surprised Robert Sabuda with a bit of birthday fun.

And, everyone gathered for a group shot before adjourning to an upstairs, private room for lunch.

Kubašta exhibit tour group, from left to right: Yevgeniya Yeretskay, Up With Paper; Yoojin Kim, Up With Paper; Brette Guilmette, Up With Paper; Monika Brandrup, Up With Paper; Ellen Rubin, The Pop-Up Lady; Robert Sabuda, legendary pop-up creator; Isabel Uria, Structural Graphics and Paper Design Paper;  Shelby Arnold, Robert Sabuda's studio; Becca Zerkin, paper engineer at Matthew Reinhart's studio;  Sam Ita, paper engineer and illustrator;  and Mi-Hee Nahm, artist

Kubašta exhibit tour group, from left to right: Yevgeniya Yeretskaya, Yoojin Kim, Brette Guilmette, and Monika Brandrup, Up With Paper; Ellen Rubin, The Pop-Up Lady; Robert Sabuda, RobertSabuda.com; Isabel Uria, Structural Graphics and Paper Design Paper; Shelby Arnold, Senior Designer, Robert Sabuda’s studio; Becca Zerkin, paper engineer at Matthew Reinhart’s studio; Sam Ita, paper engineer and illustrator; and Mi-Hee Nahm, artist

The Dutch Kitchen

Now, when I say we adjourned to “an upstairs private room for lunch,” I mean The Grolier Club’s incredible Dutch Kitchen (which, for the record, is one of several spaces available for rent for meetings, celebrations, and other events).

Evidently, this room was moved from The Grolier Club’s first location and recreated in the current space. It certainly carries the feeling of having stepped backward in time and place, and was the cherry on top of an all-around wonderful experience at The Grolier.

Windows in The Grolier Club's Dutch Kitchen

Windows in The Grolier Club’s Dutch Kitchen

Architectural and historic details in The Grolier Club's Dutch Kitchen

Architectural and historic details in The Grolier Club’s Dutch Kitchen

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So ends my coverage of the Vojtěch Kubašta exhibit at The Grolier Club. I could have filled ten more posts with all the pieces included in the exhibit, not to mention the stories behind each illustration, book, and piece of ephemera.

Again, if there is any way you can make it to the exhibit before it closes its doors, tomorrow, do so! If visiting the exhibit is not an option, however, you can do the next-best thing, and purchase a copy of the exhibit catalog—an excellent, high-quality printed companion piece. It’s full of beautiful, full-color imagery and offers lots of great info both on Kubašta and on the pieces included in the exhibit.

My thanks to everyone who assisted me with this series of posts, but particularly to Monika Brandrup for the invitation, and to Ellen Rubin for both putting together such a spectacular exhibit, and for offering her time to walk us through the remarkable work of Vojtěch Kubašta.

1 Comment

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    2014-09-14

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