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American Pop artist, Jim Dine (b. 1935, Cincinnati, OH) has been interested in the classic children’s story, Pinocchio for most of his life.
“Initially written by Carlo Collodi between 1881 and 1883 as a serial for an Italian newspaper, the story went on to inspire the book The Adventures of Pinocchio: Story of a Puppet in 1883 and was then adapted in 1941 to film by Walt Disney. Dine was first introduced to Pinocchio at the age of six and recognized very early on the relevance of the tale as an allegory for the capricious struggle of making art and for the unpredictable existence these works of art lead after they leave the artists studio and enter into the world beyond. Pinocchio himself endures many harrowing situations. He is eaten by a fish, transformed into a donkey, forced into hard labor, and narrowly escapes annihilation in nearly every chapter of the story. While Dine most certainly is aware of these scenarios, he has not included them in the works on display in Pinocchio as I knew him this Year. Rather, he has constructed his own translations on the novel’s subject and underlying theme, and in emphasizing the transformative nature of art (by giving Pinocchio new life on paper, canvas, and wood), has underscored the relationship between material and maker.” – John Berggruen on Pinocchio as I knew him this Year Exhibition at John Berggruen Gallery, November 2007)
Lincoln Center commissioned Jim Dine to create this signed screen print and woodcut edition of 118 to commemorate Lincoln Center Festival 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2007, printed at Watanabe Press.
