Elmhurst Art Museum Bringing the “Marvelocity” of Artist Alex Ross to Life this Summer
The Elmhurst Art Museum announces the summer blockbuster exhibition Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross, celebrating one of the most renowned artists in the field of comic books. From his home in the Chicago area, Ross has revitalized classic superheroes into works of fine art for 30-plus years, illustrating iconic characters like Spider-Man, Captain America, Iron Man, Storm from the X-Men, the Avengers, Black Panther, and many more. Appealing to families and fans alike, the dynamic and richly engaging Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross will be on view at Elmhurst Art Museum from June 3 – August 20, 2023.
One of the must-see events of the summer, the exhibition features over 50 pieces of original artwork by Alex Ross, including gouache paintings, sketches, life-sized head busts, and more from his artistic and professional career. The exhibition presents artwork from his retrospective book, Marvelocity, showing how Ross developed into a renowned illustrator, from his childhood drawings to preliminary sketches, sophisticated paintings and three-dimensional head busts of characters across the Marvel Universe.
In tandem with the exhibition, the Elmhurst Art Museum commissioned the outdoor public art installation Superheroes in Wilder Park, which will be on view in the adjacent Wilder Park from May 6 – July 31, 2023.
Superheroes in Wilder Park is currently in creation by area artists (Rafael Blanco, Nez Garza, Dave Pryor, and Charles Williams Jr.) and youth groups working at multiple workshops to create their own custom superheroes. Led by Elmhurst Art Museum teaching instructors, the workshops explore the history and evolution of superhero comics, character study, drawing and coloring techniques, and superhero character development with final work painted on life-sized, stand-alone, wooden cutouts. In addition, Superheroes in Wilder Park features works created by Robert Apolinar with Elmhurst University students, Esmeralda Bolivar with the Elmhurst Pride Collective, John Nester with Glenbard North High School students, and Gloria Rivera with B. Unity mentees.
Throughout the run of Marvelocity, the museum will host public programs for the entire community including comic book workshops, designated Family Days with hands-on activities for student and family groups, a screening at Movies in the Park with the Elmhurst Park District and Elmhurst Public Library, a costumed figure drawing class, a “dress-up like a superhero” day, and more.
Due to popular demand, Marvelocity has toured to venues around the country appearing at museums in Ohio, Florida, Montana, and Wisconsin. The Elmhurst Art Museum will carry a variety of Marvel merchandise, including posters hand-signed by Alex Ross, as well as the expanded edition of Marvelocity: The Marvel Comics of Alex Ross, which includes an original 10-page story featuring Spider-Man vs. the Sinister Six, plus contributions by Chip Kidd, Geoff Spear, and J.J. Abrams.Marvelocity: The Art of Alex Ross will be on view at Elmhurst Art Museum from June 3 – August 20, 2023. For more information, call 630.834.0202 or visit elmhurstartmuseum.org.
