ATLANTA, GA.- Renowned worldwide for his iconic “I SPY!” and “Can You See What I See?” children’s book series, Walter Wick (American, born 1953) is one of the nation’s most famous photographic illustrators. Throughout his decades-long career, his award-winning books have captivated readers across cultures and generations, combining art, craft and technology to inspire discovery and wonder. This fall, the High Museum of Art presents “I SPY! Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders” (Aug. 28, 2026-Jan. 3, 2027), the largest survey of Wick’s work to date, which celebrates his unique approach to storytelling through beloved images, rarely seen works and three-dimensional models. The exhibition is the latest in the High’s popular series celebrating the art and authors of children’s books.
“Since we started our children’s book series in 2013, we’ve featured a wide range of artists who have inspired generations through their stories and illustrations, but this exhibition is the first to feature photography as the primary medium,” said Rand Suffolk, the High’s director. “Wick’s photographs are windows to other worlds, bringing the viewer into his wild imagination and encouraging deep and long looking, a skill that young readers can translate to all interactions with art.”
Wick’s whimsical worlds have enchanted people of all ages since 1992, when his first children’s book series, “I SPY,” found its way onto bookshelves in millions of American households. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Wick began his career in commercial photography. He became enamored with studio techniques and aspired to represent concepts such as the perception of space and time in photographs, experimenting with mirrors, time exposures, photo composites and other tricks. After moving to New York City, he began creating cover illustrations and puzzle designs for “Games” magazine. That work inspired his first photographic search-and-find book in the “I SPY” series, “A Book of Picture Riddles.” Over the past 35 years, he has published more than 26 titles.
Through Wick’s lens, everyday objects become portals to imagined landscapes and intricate, impossible worlds, inviting viewers to explore visual stories that transcend age and time. The exhibition delves into themes that have long fascinated Wick, including miniature worlds, optical illusions, “I spy” games, puzzle challenges and the wonders of science. Beloved works such as “Yikes!,” “Clouds” and “City Blocks” from “I SPY Fantasy” join rarely seen work, including his early photographs of optical illusions in nature, along with numerous three-dimensional models upon which his photographs are based. The exhibition also features reading areas where visitors can enjoy perusing Wick’s books.
“I SPY! Walter Wick’s Hidden Wonders” is organized by the New Britain Museum of American Art, which in 2015 acquired a collection of 84 of Wick’s masterful photographs from the artist and his wife and collaborator, Linda Cheverton Wick.
“Walter Wick’s photographs invite important questions: What are we looking at? How did this come to be? Is there more than meets the eye?” said Andrew Westover, exhibition curator and the High’s Eleanor McDonald Storza deputy director of learning and civic engagement.
“Through imaginative optical illusions and technical photographic skill, Wick’s images encourage people of all ages to look closely and interact with art in more meaningful ways. We hope this sparks conversation, understanding and deeper connections among our visitors.”
