George Herriman, Krazy Kat, and the Path to Calvin and Hobbes
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10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About this event
George Herriman (1880–1944) transformed the comic strip into a medium of artistic invention and poetic possibility. Best known as the creator of Krazy Kat, Herriman challenged conventional ideas about humor, storytelling, and visual space, creating comics that were as imaginative and emotionally resonant as they were funny.
Set against the ever-shifting mesas and desert landscapes of Coconino County, Arizona, Krazy Kat blended slapstick comedy with surreal imagery, inventive language, and an openness to ambiguity that set it apart from most newspaper comics of its era. At a time when comic strips typically aimed for straightforward jokes and tidy resolutions, Herriman embraced complexity, inviting readers into a world where meaning could be playful, layered, and unexpected. Among his most devoted admirers was Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, who cited Herriman as a foundational influence on his work.
This exhibition explores the creative connections between these two visionary cartoonists and highlights Herriman’s enduring influence on the art of comics. Through their distinctive yet deeply connected approaches to storytelling, Herriman and Watterson demonstrated that comic strips could be more than entertainment. Their work expanded the possibilities of the medium, showing how comics can serve as powerful expressions of curiosity, imagination, emotion, and artistic innovation.
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