District News
Hilary Knight's Stage Struck World at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
Oct 4, 2017
Through Saturday, October 14, works by stage-struck artist and illustrator Hilary Knight will be on display in a comprehensive exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (NYLPA), located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza with an additional entrance on 111 Amsterdam Avenue.
Hilary Knight is best known as the illustrator of the American classic Eloise and has always had an affinity for circus and stage performances, citing the performing arts as the single greatest influence on his life and career.
After studying at the Art Students' League with Reginald Marsh, and then a stint in the US Navy in World War II, Knight designed sets under the exacting eye of the legendary George Abbott at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine. Eloise became a national and international bestseller in the 1950's, and Knight's children's book career took off with titles such as Where's Wallace and The Circus is Coming! His work in the theater continued as he created iconic Broadway posters, including No, No, Nanette, Irene, Half a Sixpence, and the burlesque musical Sugar Babies.
Now for the first time, Hilary Knight's imaginative, colorful, and timeless art is on display for audiences to enjoy. The NYLPA exhibit includes original artwork for posters; theatrical illustrations for Vanity Fair magazine; three-dimensional portraits in stage-like settings; and costume and set designs for performances and revues that reveal that for Hilary Knight, all the world is indeed a stage.
The exhibit is free to visit and will be on display through Saturday, October 14. Click here to watch a video about the exhibit featuring Hilary Knight himself.