Fantastical creatures through the eyes of children around the world come to life with Magical and Mythical Animals in Human Imagination, opening Friday, April 2, at the Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures.
The exhibit showcases extraordinary drawings by youth ages 5-16 from 13 different countries.
“The visions of non-human creatures are vivid and intense in most children,” said Seraina Gessler, a long-term Museum docent. “The children’s drawings of unicorns, griffins, and other mythical creatures are colorful, inventive, and quite striking. The fire-breathing dragons seem to be eyeing you for breakfast,” Seraina said.
Seraina is curating the exhibit along with her husband, Johannes Gessler, a retired Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University. The two collected more than 160 creative artworks from children in Australia, Austria, Bolivia, China, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Panama, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States. About 70 of the drawings will be showcased. Visitors to the exhibit will have the opportunity to draw their own magical animals.
The exhibition will also feature alebrijes, Mexican folk art of brightly-colored wood carvings of astonishing creatures. The stylized animal figures were carved by contemporary artists using copal wood in Oaxaca, Mexico. Finally, local artist Diane Findley and Denver artist Stefan Geissbühler will contribute pieces of animal artwork.
The Global Village Museum is open with free admission by appointment Wednesday through Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm. Appointments are available for up to five people in a group.
For more information regarding The Global Village Museum of Arts and Cultures, including making reservations, visit: https://globalvillagemuseum.org or call 970-221-4600