Multi-sensory exhibit uses the works of one of the 20th Century’s best-loved artists to introduce young people to modern art

 

GLENVIEW, IL – Kohl Children’s Museum will bring back one of the most popular exhibits in its history when “Chagall For Children,” a multi-sensory, hands-on exploration of one of the best-known and best-loved artists of the 20th century, Marc Chagall, returns June 18 – September 2.

 

“Chagall for Children,” is a world-class exhibit that showcases 14 multi-sensory exploration stations, each incorporating a high-quality reproduction of one of Marc Chagall’s works. Developed by Kohl Children’s Museum, the exhibit features interactive components that offer hands-on activities and an audio description of each work specifically geared to children. Following its debut at Kohl in 1996, the exhibit has been on continuous tour, visiting children’s museums throughout North America.

 

“’Chagall for Children’ is one of the best-loved exhibits in our history, and we are tremendously proud of it,” said Kohl Children’s Museum President and CEO Sheridan Turner. “Chagall’s bold use of color and fantastical imagination make his works particularly compelling to children, providing an introduction to specific art principals including color, light, texture and composition. It is an exhibit that children and adults enjoy equally.”

 

The exhibit is designed to engage children in the exploration of both art and the artist through interactive, multi-sensory components. The stations include:

• America Windows: Guests explore the effect of light upon stained glass by adjusting the light levels behind the work and creating their own version of Chagall’s “America Windows” by rearranging puzzle-like pieces of the work.
• At the Circus: Utilizing role-play – a key component in the creative development of young children – children see themselves as part of a Chagall painting via a video camera and monitor. They don silk-screened capes to become part of the painting as they pose and play on a circus stage.

• The Birthday: Comparing art forms, visitors examine a reproduction of this oil painting and compare it to the tactile experience of touching the bas relief. Guests can also create a “rubbing” from a steel engraving of the bas relief.

• The Blue House: Studying form and structure, kids and parents can create their own three-dimensional house using blue Lincoln Logs™ against the backdrop of this painting.
• The Concert: Museum attendees select musical instruments represented in this painting and blend sounds the way Chagall artistically blended colors.
• Flowers: Guests create their own flower arrangements inspired by this colorful work and experiment with floral scents.
• The Flying Sleigh: In a digital activity, visitors explore the art of narrative form by manipulating main figures and details of this Chagall piece to tell a different story.
• Green Violinist: This station has two interactive activities; one encourages attendees to listen and choose music they feel best describes the piece; while an innovative computer program focuses on the impact of color as participants capture and alter the color of their face on a computer screen.
• I and the Village: Children learn about the concept of symmetry and explore the different ways people view the world by rotating this painting.
• Job Tapestry: Tapestry provided Chagall with yet another form of artistic expression. Guests cooperatively create their own tapestry by weaving a variety of materials.
• The Juggler: Children explore the role of detail in this work by using a touch screen to animate elements of the painting.
• Paris Through the Window: By experimenting with composition using magnetized pieces, visitors create their own picture of Paris.
• The Poultry Yard: In a creative approach to form and structure, children experiment with brightly-colored, three-dimensional, soft sculptural animals to create fantasy creatures and scenes.
• The Rooster: A rich tactile experience occurs when guests touch and rearrange the beautiful feathers in the tail of a soft sculpture copy of Chagall’s rooster.

 

Many stations are accompanied with audio descriptions, highlighting information about the artwork upon which the interactive is based. An extensive selection of books about Marc Chagall is provided to encourage further exploration and to stimulate literacy learning.

 

About Kohl Children’s Museum

 

In recognition for its outstanding exhibits and impact on Chicagoland families, Kohl Children’s Museum was recently named one of the country’s Ten Best Children’s Museums by Parents Magazine. The Museum was ranked sixth out of more than 300 children’s museums nationwide and was the only Chicago area museum recognized.

 

Offering 17 interactive, hands-on exhibits for children ages birth to 8, the Museum’s mission is to encourage young children to become effective learners through self-directed complex play. Kohl Children’s Museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd., in Glenview, Ill. at the corner of Patriot Blvd. and W. Lake Ave. in the newly redeveloped area known as The Glen. The Museum can be easily reached by public transportation, including Pace bus and Metra trains.

 

For more information, visit the Museum’s website at www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org or call (847) 832-6600. The Museum is open on Monday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Special members-only hours are from Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Admission prices are $9.50 for children and adults and $8.50 for senior citizens. Children under 1 year old and members are free.