By Krys Estes, Intern
The whimsical world of Dr. Seuss is known for its fantastical creatures, unique characters and bizarre fashion, like the cat’s famous hat. Now, a Wilmington art gallery is giving a view into the famous author’s fashion sense with its display of the original, private hat collection of author Theodor Seuss Geisel.
The Gallery of Fine Art in Mayfaire Town Center’s “Hats Off to Dr. Seuss!” touring exhibition shows a side of Dr. Seuss that has never been revealed until now. Michael Golonka, the gallery’s owner, said one of Geisel’s many passions was hat collecting, which readers started seeing in his books.
“At parties, he would grab his hats and put them on his guests and they got to become ‘this’ person,” Golonka said. “It was you morphing from one person to the other and that’s how he wrote stories, he morphed from A to B to Z and by the end of the night he wanted you to become a new person.”
The hats of Geisel’s collection are the only original belongings that have left his house. The youngest hat in the display is 70 years old while the oldest hats range from 90-100 years old. They were once housed in bulletproof cases with armed guards and eventually will go to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.
Golonka, who has owned the gallery for 20 years, said he fell in love with Geisel’s art, and his life story, when he first saw pieces in Chicago galleries. Geisel, who died in 1991, created 20,000 pieces of artwork throughout his life and all of his original art is located at his California estate. An estimated 3 million people have seen his collections in art galleries.
“Dr. Seuss’ art is so unique, so rare. It is very colorful and makes you think about life,” Golonka said. “It’s amazing to tell the world a side of him that no one knows.”
Golonka’s Gallery of Fine Art has been displaying Geisel’s artwork for the past 15 years and is the only gallery in North Carolina, and one of only 39 in the world, that features a collection. The gallery displays 120 pieces of Dr. Seuss’ artwork, one of the largest collections in the United States.
“He kept his art close to his heart the way he saw it happen, life lessons,” Golonka said. “All paintings have a tie to social and economic issues during his time; the funny thing is how unique they are and can apply to today. You would never know something that was cool 70 years ago would be cool today.”
Audrey S. Geisel, 94, Dr. Seuss’wife, works with the various art galleries to keep her husband’s art and passion alive. During his lifetime, Geisel kept his art secret because he worried it would become a distraction from his books. Golonka said that’s why Geisel is rarely depicted as an artist, as his work was “his best-kept secret.”
Because they are rare, Golonka said, the value of Geisel’s art is based on how many reproductions are left of any given particular piece. Geisel wanted limited reproductions, he said, and once they are approved to be reproduced, they are burned after a small amount of reproductions are made. If the works are not approved to be reproduced, then they are burned immediately.
In addition to giving visitors a new look at the beloved author, the exhibition also benefits the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation through donations, raffle items, and sales of art.
The “Hats Off to Dr. Seuss!” touring exhibition will be on display at the Gallery of Fine Art in Mayfaire Town Center until Oct. 10.
