SANTA ANA, CA.- A touring exhibition commemorating the work of the iconic American illustrator and writer Maurice Sendak begins a national tour starting at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California on February 16, 2013. Sendak’s last illustrated book is scheduled to be released posthumously on February 15, 2013. Sendak died in Danbury, Connecticut at age 83 in May of 2012.

Maurice Sendak: 50 Years ● 50 Works ● 50 Reasons - is a comprehensive memorial exhibition of 50 select works by the late artist supplemented with accompanying comments by celebrities, authors and noted personalities – celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publishing of the universally revered “Where the Wild Things Are”.

The exhibition includes works in a variety of media and offers a survey of the highlights of Sendak’s career and the diverse art forms in which he was renowned. From children’s literature to Broadway and the opera, from animated film to young adult textbooks – Sendak remained an iconic American illustrator and author, acclaimed around the world for his genius and insights.

Among the fifty contributing commentators to the exhibition are playwright and screenwriter Tony Kushner, comedian Stephan Colbert, artist Robert Crumb, Director Spike Jonze, President Barack Obama, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actor Tom Hanks. Special note is given to Sendak’s teachers and commentary is also provided by his students from his teaching years in New York.

The exhibition will tour select venues throughout the United States in 2013, and in addition to the display and commentaries, will offer lectures, panel discussions, film screenings and family events to coincide with the presentation.

Works included in the exhibition were selected from private collectors, friends of the artist and numerous media sources – offering a survey of Sendak’s range as an artist and author – and his influence on generations of readers and young adults. Photos, sketches, finished works in a variety of mediums and supplementary documentary content offering insights into the artist’s biography and evolution of content are part of this family-friendly presentation.