Frankenstein Meets Little Women | A Monster Mash

Art Exhibition and events at the South Pasadena Public Library celebrate the anniversaries of two literary classics

PHOTO: South Pasadena Public Library | SouthPasadenan.com

In conjunction with the Fall South Pasadena Arts Crawl, the South Pasadena Public Library presents an exhibition featuring the artwork of 11 accomplished artists and illustrators. The artwork—much of it created specifically for this exhibition—is inspired by two beloved literary classics that are celebrating anniversaries in 2018: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein marks its 200th anniversary and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women its 150th.

The opening reception is Saturday, October 20, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena, California, 91030. Throughout the following week the Library will host related programs, including a Louisa May Alcott living history performance, an artists’ panel discussion, a screening of Bride of Frankenstein (1935), an illustrated talk titled “Frankenstein Dissected” and a closing reception. For more information, visit the Library’s website: www.southpasadenaca.gov/library.

Frankenstein Meets Little Women: A Monster Mash is curated by performer and educator Valerie Weich. Weich founded Literary Lives, an educational performing arts outreach program for students and has performed throughout Southern California as Louisa May Alcott. Since 2012 Weich has been researching the lives of Mary and Percy Shelley and Lord Byron at The Huntington Library as an Independent Scholar in order to develop a new one-woman presentation about Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein.

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The talented and award-winning artists in the exhibition share an appreciation of classic literature combined with great humor and a love of all things pop culture. They are known for their work in science fiction and fantasy illustration, children’s literature illustration, and animation and cartooning. The featured artists are:

Patience Anders

Mike Bell

Joan Charles

Steven Corvelo

Tony Gleeson

Gris Grimly

Douglas W. Kirk

Tim Kirk

Tanya Maiboroda

Cassie Meder

Dany Paragouteva

Frankenstein Meets Little Women: A Monster Mash recognizes two brave and brilliant female authors who defied convention to write stories that became timeless classics. The two novels have more in common than might be imagined, as do the authors. Shelley wrote Frankenstein as a “ghost” story; before Alcott became a famous children’s author, she wrote popular “penny dreadfuls”—stories of romance, crime and the supernatural. The “mash up” of the March sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) and Victor Frankenstein and his Monster allows the artists to explore themes of family and belonging, scientific discovery, and the role of women in society, each in their own creative way.

 

Programs (all taking place in the Library Community Room)

Exhibition Opening Reception

Saturday, October 20, 7:00-9:00 p.m. (Arts Crawl)

“Tea with Louisa May Alcott” – A Living History Performance

Sunday, October 21, 2:00 p.m.

Artists’ Panel Discussion with Dany Paragouteva, Tim Kirk, and Tony Gleeson

Thursday, October 25, 6:30 p.m.

Film Screening: Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Friday, October 26, 7:00 p.m.

Illustrated Talk: “Frankenstein Dissected” by exhibition curator Valerie Weich

Tuesday, October 30, 7:00 p.m.

Exhibition Closing Reception and Frankenreads, an international celebration organized by the Keats-Shelley Association of America

Wednesday, October 31, 7:00 p.m.

The South Pasadena Public Library is located at 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, California, 91030, and open 7 days a week. Library hours are Sunday 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Monday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; and Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit the Library’s website: www.southpasadenaca.gov/library.

Upon request made no later than four (4) business days before the event, the City will provide a reasonable accommodation for a qualified person with a disability to have equal access to the event. Please contact ADA Coordinator and Human Resources Manager, Mariam Lee Ko, at (626) 403-7312 or fill out the City’s request form available at www.southpasadenaca.gov and email the form to Human Resources at HR@southpasadenaca.gov.