Pop. Pop. Pop.
Pop goes the dragon. Pop goes the Emerald City. Pop goes the 12th day of Christmas. Pop goes the Statue of Liberty.
Is there anything more fun than taking something that's two-dimensional — like paper — and turning it into something that's three-dimensional — like sculpture — and then packaging it all into a book, so that every page offers a magical pop-up surprise?
Robert Sabuda doesn't think so.
Considered by many to be the premiere paper engineer and pop-up wizard in the world, the Manhattan-based artist has been delighting young and old alike with his amazing pop-up books for more than a decade.
"He creates amazing works of art," says Virginia Catherall, co-director of public programs and curator of education at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, which is hosting an exhibit of Sabuda's work this summer. "Travels in Time and Space: The Art of Robert Sabuda" runs though Sept. 9.
It's an exhibit that appeals to all ages, says Catherall. "We wanted to bring in something that would appeal to families. When we saw that this was available, we jumped for it." The exhibit is on loan from the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature in Texas and is sponsored at the museum by the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, Wells Fargo, Kennecott Utah Copper and Fidelity Investments.
The exhibit demonstrates how Sabuda takes a piece of pop-up art from the original "dummy" to the finished product. "Most people would think that making it pop up is the difficult part," he is quoted as saying, "but making it pop shut is the real challenge."
It's not like his pop-ups have only a few parts. In his "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" book, for example, a tornado pops up — and spins as it does so. There's also the entire Emerald City, and the wizard's balloon dangling on a string, looking ready to take off.
The "Wizard of Oz" book was created to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the original publication of the book and features linoleum-cut artwork in the style of original illustrator W.W. Denslow. Many connoisseurs consider it his masterpiece, but other books are also charming. He's done "Alice in Wonderland" and "Mother Goose." He's added zing to "America the Beautiful" and "The Twelve Days of Christmas." He's tackled dinosaurs and prehistoric beasts and life in a castle. He's done a Christmas alphabet and a "cookie counting" book and many more.
They are a lot of fun, says Dana Rogers, director of marketing and public relations at the museum. "Every time you open one, you feel like a kid again. You get a feeling of wonder as the pages pop up. I watch that spinning tornado, and it takes me back to my childhood every time."
As exciting as the pop-up books are, however, they are only one part of Sabuda's art. He has also illustrated a number of other children's books — both his own stories and stories by others — and some of that art is also included in the exhibit.
"He's a great paper engineer, but he's also a great artist," says Catherall. "He uses an incredible range of techniques and abilities — things he's never done before, but just wants to try."
For example, to illustrate a book called "The Blizzard's Robe," Sabuda used a batik technique — but instead of doing it on cloth, he did it on paper.
For a book called "Arthur and the Sword," Sabuda used plexiglas, dyes and liquid lead to create a stained-glass effect. For "The Paper Dragon," he painted tissue with gesso to stabilize it, then painted the other side in various colors and cut out pieces to form pictures using Chinese paper-cutting techniques and style.
For "Saint Valentine," Sabuda painted sheets of paper and then cut tiny, tiny squares to form them into mosiacs. For "Tutankhamen's Gift," he cut one sheet of black paper into a lacy outline that he then laid over pictures he had painted on handmade papyrus. They all fit exactly, of course.
He's clearly an expert with an X-Acto knife, says Catherall, with a laugh. "But he also demonstrates that there are so many ways to create art. All it takes is time and imagination."
She hopes people will enjoy coming to look, but she also hopes the show will inspire them to create. You can start small, she says. For example, the museum offers a simple do-it-yourself project as part of the exhibit. By making a few simple folds and one little snip, kids (and adults, too) can make a pop-up mouth.
And then they can use crayons or other things to put anything they want around that mouth — the only limit is the imagination, she says. The project has had tremendous response so far. "We've already gone through 5,000 of the sheets."
And that's the thing she loves most about the exhibit. "It's very, very fascinating how Sabuda can take paper — something that we've all had, we've all used — and manipulate it in so many ways to create three dimensions."
The art of Robert Sabuda
Robert Sabuda fell in love with pop-up books at, of all places, the dentist's office. His mother noticed a wire basket filled with books and suggested he get one for them to read while they waited. "I realized right away that these books were special," he writes in a pamphlet produced by the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. "They were very thick and had hard covers, which to me meant they were expensive. I opened the first one and was shocked and delighted when something leapt right off the page. It was a pop-up book! I was so excited I forgot all about the dentist."
After that, family and friends gave him pop-up books for every occasion. He eventually started creating his own pop-ups, completing the first book at age 8.
Sabuda grew up in the rural town of Pinckney, in southeastern Michigan. His father was a mason and carpenter, and from him, young Sabuda learned what goes into constructing three-dimensional structures. From his mother, he learned to love literature, and because she also had a dance studio, he learned rhythm and balance.
Sabuda talks about how he also loved art. "With the ability to hold a crayon came the discovery that I was an artist. I spent hours, days and weeks drawing, painting, cutting and gluing. My bedroom was a constant whirlwind of pencil shavings, drippy paint brushes and mounds of paper scraps."
Eventually he studied art at the Pratt Institute in New York City and today works in a studio in New York City with his partner, Matthew Reinhart, creating and illustrating children's books. His first pop-up book was published in 1994.
For more information about the artist and his work, visit www.robertsabuda.com.
Events planned for children and famalies
In connection with "Travels in Time and Space: The Art of Robert Sabuda," the Utah Museum of Fine Arts is offering some special events and activities:
Britain's leading book artist and paper engineer, Paul Johnson, will discuss "Pop-up Magic" at a free lecture, Wednesday, July 18, 6 p.m. at the museum.
A "Pop-ups and Paper Engineering Class" for kids ages 6-16 will be Tuesday-Friday, July 17-20, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The class will explore all aspects of book illustration through drawing, painting and paper construction. Cost is $100. To register, call 581-6984.
"Artful Afternoon: Turning Paper Into Art" will offer an afternoon devoted to paper arts. Activities include paper-engineering workshops, a treasure hunt through the museum, creating your own pop-ups and much more. The event will be Saturday, July 21, 1-4 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
A new addition to the backpack program focuses on this exhibit. Families can check out a free backpack filled with activities that help them learn and explore the exhibit and create their own pop-up book to take home.
If you go ...
What: "Travels in Time and Space: The Art of Robert Sabuda"
Where: Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah
When: Through Sept. 9
Cost: Adults, $5; seniors and youths, $3; children under 6, free
Phone: 581-3580
Web: www.umfa.utah.edu
E-mail: carma@desnews.com