Black White Grey

“Black White Grey” Reception

Join the Worlds of Words Center to experience the power of “Black White Grey,” an exhibit on loan from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany. Come for a guided tour and stay to enjoy light refreshments and participate in a public art project!

Two women study a puzzle in a corner of a room filled with black and white illustrations

Students from the Indigenous Teacher Education Program (ITEP) visiting the Worlds of Words Center complete a double-sided puzzle that is part of the ‘Black White Grey’ exhibit from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.

For the reception, the center will open our special collections to look at original illustrations and sketches we pulled from our archives to complement the new exhibit. Additionally, we have seven original illustrations from Moon Song by Ron Himler on display. These striking watercolor and gouache pieces are part of a recent donation by the artist of more than 400 illustrations.

The reception is free and open to the public. Please RSVP.

The “Black White Grey” reception is part of the College of Education Homecoming activities. We hope you can make all of them!

Ticketed parking is available in the Second St. Garage and metered parking is available on the street/surface level through the Passport Mobile Parking app. Worlds of Words Center is also located just off of the 2nd St. Modern Streetcar stop.

To request disability-related accommodations that would ensure your full participation in this event, please email wow@arizona.edu or call 520.621.9340.

Event details may change. More information to follow.

Decorative WOW News Header

Black, White and Gray Pop in New Worlds of Words Center Exhibit

Contact Rebecca Ballenger, Associate Director, Worlds of Words Center

When the average person thinks about picturebooks, black and white illustrations seldom come to mind. But they do exist. “Black White Grey,” a traveling exhibit from the International Youth Library (IYL) in Munich, Germany is on view for the first time in the U.S. in the Worlds of Words Center in the University of Arizona College of Education. The exhibit shows how illustrators use the expressive power of lines, shapes, contours and contrasts to create captivating pictures with a unique aesthetic and atmospheric mood.

A young boy holds a hanging sign from the Black White Grey Exhibit that depicts a tiger with a sloth in its mouth.

Oliver (age 6) inspects a hanging medallion that depicts a detail from an illustration in Tierenduin by Dutch author and illustrator, Geert Vervaeke, as part of the ‘Black White Grey’ exhibit on loan from the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany and on display in the Worlds of Words Center.

“Using only black, white and gray in illustrations can be surprisingly evocative, stripping away the distraction of color to reveal a depth and nuance that resonates on a profoundly emotional level. These monochromatic palettes invite readers to engage with the essence of the story in a raw and powerful way, proving that sometimes the simplest choices can yield the most profound impact,” says Kathy Short, director of Worlds of Words and Regents Professor. Continue reading →