Ed Young’s Bright Worlds: Gesture and Feeling in 60 Years of Picture Books for Children

An exhibition of original artwork from 15 significant projects by Ed Young (1931–2023), a storyteller and illustrator of children's books, alongside his sketchbooks, family photos, and personal effects. It is the first U.S. retrospective of his 60-year career, focused on works drawn from his personal story and Chinese folktales. It traces his life from Shanghai, Hong Kong, and art school in Los Angeles to New York, where he began illustrating children's books in 1962, and highlights projects like Lon Po Po, which won the Caldecott Medal, The House Baba Built, Voices of the Heart, My Mei Mei, and Bright World. It is part of MOCA's Luminaries for America250, a yearlong celebration of Chinese American historymakers at the Semiquincentennial.