Henry Darger

October 11, 2003 - February 22, 2004
Curator: Richard Julin

When Henry Darger died in Chicago in 1972, a 15,000 page manuscript was found in his home. He had spent most of his life working on the text and illustrations for his epic, The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glandeco- Angelinnian War Storm, Caused by the Child Slave Rebellion. Often shortened to The Realms of the Unreal. After writing his saga Henry Darger illustrated it. The drawings are as complex as the title. Most of the characters are children. The good fight the evil in shape of seven young girls, the heroines of the story, who fight against the evil Glandelinians.

Darger’s drawings have inspired contemporary artists working within different genres most obviously his work has an important influence on contemporary artist within the visual arts today.

The exhibition was held at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York, Nov. 19, 2000-Mar. 25, 2001; the KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin, Sept. 29, 2001-May 18, 2002; Migros Museum, Zürich, Aug. 24-Oct. 27, 2002; Watari-um, Tokyo, Nov. 29, 2002-Apr. 6, 2003; Magasin 3 Stockholm Konsthall, Oct. 11, 2003-Feb. 22, 2004.