Toggle search
Toggle menu
123
6
5
62.8K
CartoonWiki
Toggle preferences menu
Toggle personal menu
Not logged in
Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits.

Art Spiegelman: Difference between revisions

From CartoonWiki
More actions
← Older editNewer edit →
VisualWikitext
Odinknut (talk | contribs)
73 edits
Created page with "thumb|Art Spiegelman ''Art Spiegelman (born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev on February 15, 1948)'' is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel ''Maus''. His work has been instrumental in legitimizing comics as a serious art form, and his influence spans multiple genres, from underground comics to mainstream publications. Through his career, Spiegelman has explored complex t..."
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|American cartoonist (born 1948)}}
[[File:Aspieg by nadja A.jpg|thumb|Art Spiegelman]]
{{good article}}
''Art Spiegelman (born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev on February 15, 1948)'' is an American [[cartoonist]], editor, and comics advocate best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel ''[[Maus]]''. His work has been instrumental in legitimizing comics as a serious art form, and his influence spans multiple genres, from underground comics to mainstream publications. Through his career, Spiegelman has explored complex themes such as history, memory, trauma, and identity.
{{Infobox comics creator
|image        = Paris - Salon du livre 2012 - Art Spiegelman - 001.jpg
|caption      = Spiegelman in 2012
|birth_name    = Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman{{sfn|Spiegelman|2011|p=18}}<!-- someone added "Spiegelman", which is not in the source ... -->
|birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1948|02|15}}
|birth_place  = [[Stockholm]], Sweden
|nationality  = American
|cartoonist    = y
|edit          = y
|signature    =
|notable works = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Breakdowns (comics)|Breakdowns]]''
* ''[[Maus]]''
* ''[[Garbage Pail Kids]]''}}
|spouse        = [[Françoise Mouly]] (m. 1977)
|children      = {{ Plainlist |
* [[Nadja Spiegelman]]
*  Dashiell Spiegelman
}}
|module        = {{Listen|embed=yes|filename=Art_spiegelman_bbc_radio4_bookclub_05_02_2014_b01bkym0.flac|title=Art Spiegelman's voice|type=speech|description=from the BBC programme ''[[Bookclub (radio)|Bookclub]]'', February 5, 2012.{{sfn|Naughtie|2012}}}}
}}


'''Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev Spiegelman''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|p|iː|g|əl|m|ən}} {{respell|SPEE|gəl|mən}}; born February 15, 1948), professionally known as '''Art Spiegelman''', is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his graphic novel ''[[Maus]]''. His work as co-editor on the comics magazines ''[[Arcade (comics magazine)|Arcade]]'' and ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|Raw]]'' has been influential, and from 1992 he spent a decade as contributing artist for ''[[The New Yorker]]''. He is married to designer and editor [[Françoise Mouly]] and is the father of writer [[Nadja Spiegelman]].  In September 2022, the [[National Book Foundation]] announced that he would receive the [[Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaub |first=Michael |date=2022-09-09 |title=Art Spiegelman To Get Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/news-and-features/articles/art-spiegelman-to-get-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en}}</ref>
== Early Life and Education ==
Art Spiegelman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Polish Jewish parents Vladek and Anja Spiegelman, both Holocaust survivors. The family immigrated to the United States in 1951, settling in Rego Park, Queens, New York. Growing up, Spiegelman was deeply influenced by comic books, particularly ''Mad Magazine'', and began drawing at a young age.


Spiegelman began his career with [[Topps]] (a bubblegum and [[trading card]] company) in the mid-1960s, which was his main financial support for two decades; there he co-created parodic series such as ''[[Wacky Packages]]'' in the 1960s and ''[[Garbage Pail Kids]]'' in the 1980s. He gained prominence in the [[underground comix]] scene in the 1970s with short, experimental, and often autobiographical work. A selection of these strips appeared in the collection ''[[Breakdowns (comics)|Breakdowns]]'' in 1977, after which Spiegelman turned focus to the book-length ''[[Maus]]'', about his relationship with his father, a [[Holocaust]] survivor. The postmodern book depicts Germans as cats, Jews as mice, ethnic Poles as pigs, and citizens of the [[United States]] as dogs. It took 13 years to create until its completion in 1991. In 1992 it won a special [[Pulitzer Prize]] and has gained a reputation as a pivotal work.
He attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan and later enrolled at Binghamton University but left before completing his degree. During his college years, Spiegelman began to experiment with comics, contributing to underground publications.


Spiegelman and Mouly edited eleven issues of ''Raw'' from 1980 to 1991. The oversized {{not a typo|comics}} and graphics magazine helped introduce talents who became prominent in [[alternative comics]], such as [[Charles Burns (cartoonist)|Charles Burns]], [[Chris Ware]], and [[Ben Katchor]], and introduced several foreign cartoonists to the English-speaking comics world. Beginning in the 1990s, the couple worked for ''The New Yorker'', which Spiegelman left to work on ''[[In the Shadow of No Towers]]'' (2004), about his reaction to the [[September 11 attacks]] in New York in 2001.
== Career Beginnings ==
In the 1960s and 1970s, Spiegelman emerged as a key figure in the underground comics movement, contributing to publications such as ''The East Village Other'' and ''Bijou Funnies''. His early work, characterized by its irreverence and experimentation, included strips that explored taboo subjects, blending humor and social commentary.


Spiegelman advocates for greater comics literacy. As an editor, a teacher, and a lecturer, Spiegelman has promoted better understanding of comics and has mentored younger cartoonists.
During this time, he also worked as an editor and designer for ''Topps'', creating iconic trading card series like ''Wacky Packages'' and ''Garbage Pail Kids''.


==Family history==
== ''Maus'': A Landmark Achievement ==
[[File:Sosnowiec Ghetto liquidation.jpg|thumb|Liquidation at the [[Sosnowiec Ghetto]] in [[Occupation of Poland (1939–45)|occupied Poland]] during World War&nbsp;II; Spiegelman tells of his parents' survival in ''[[Maus]]''.]]
Spiegelman began working on ''Maus'' in the late 1970s. Serialized initially in the magazine ''RAW'', which he co-edited with his wife Françoise Mouly, ''Maus'' was later published as a two-volume graphic novel (''Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History'' in 1986 and ''Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began'' in 1991).


Spiegelman's parents were [[History of the Jews in Poland|Polish Jews]] {{not a typo|Władysław}} (1906–1982) and {{not a typo|Andzia}} (1912–1968) Spiegelman. His father was born Zeev Spiegelman, with the Hebrew name Zeev ben Avraham. Władysław was his Polish name, and Władek (or Vladek in [[Anglicisation|anglicized]] form) was a diminutive of this name. He was also known as Wilhelm under [[History of Poland (1939–45)|the German occupation]], and Anglicized his name to William upon immigration to the United States. His mother was born Andzia Zylberberg, with the Hebrew name Hannah. She changed her name to Anna upon immigrating to the United States. In Spiegelman's ''[[Maus]]'', from which the couple are best known, Spiegelman used the spellings "Vladek" and "Anja", which he believed would be easier for Americans to pronounce.{{sfn|Spiegelman|2011|p=16}} The surname ''Spiegelman'' is German for "mirror man".{{sfn|Teicholz|2008}}
''Maus'' is a groundbreaking memoir that recounts his father Vladek’s experiences as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, juxtaposed with Spiegelman’s own struggles to understand his family's trauma. In the book, Jews are depicted as mice, Nazis as cats, and other groups as various animals, creating a stark allegorical framework.


In 1937, the Spiegelmans had one other son, Rysio (spelled "Richieu" in ''Maus''), who died before Art was born,{{sfn|Spiegelman|2011|p=18}} at the age of five or six.{{sfn|Hatfield|2005|p=146}} During the Holocaust, Spiegelman's parents sent Rysio to [[Zawiercie]] to stay with an aunt, Tosha, with whom they believed he would be safe. In 1943, the aunt poisoned herself, along with Rysio and two other young family members in her care, so that the [[Nazi Party|Nazis]] could not take them to the [[extermination camp]]s. After the war, the Spiegelmans, unable to accept that Rysio was dead, searched orphanages all over Europe in the hope of finding him. Spiegelman talked of having a sort of [[sibling rivalry]] with his "ghost brother"; he felt unable to compete with an "ideal" brother who "never threw tantrums or got in any kind of trouble".{{sfn|Hirsch|2011|p=37}} Of 85 Spiegelman relatives alive at the beginning of [[World War II]], only 13 are known to have survived the Holocaust.{{sfn|Kois|2011}}
The work received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative storytelling, historical depth, and emotional resonance. In 1992, ''Maus'' became the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize, cementing its place in literary and artistic history.


==Life and career==
== Themes and Impact of ''Maus'' ==
===Early life===
''Maus'' tackles themes of survival, generational trauma, memory, and the complexities of familial relationships. It has been lauded not only as a historical account of the Holocaust but also as a deeply personal exploration of identity and guilt. The use of the graphic novel format allowed Spiegelman to convey these themes in a way that was both accessible and profoundly impactful.


He began cartooning in 1960{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xvii}} and imitated the style of his favorite [[comic book]]s, such as ''[[Mad (magazine)|Mad]]''.{{sfn|Horowitz|1997|p=401}} In the early 1960s, he contributed to early [[fanzine]]s such as ''Smudge'' and [[Skip Williamson]]'s ''Squire'', and in 1962{{sfn|Gardner|2017|pp=78–79}}—while at Russell Sage Junior High School, where he was an [[honors student]]—he produced the ''Mad''-inspired fanzine ''Blasé''. He was earning money from his drawing by the time he reached high school and sold artwork to the original ''[[Long Island Press]]'' and other outlets. His talent caught the eyes of [[United Features Syndicate]], who offered him the chance to produce a [[Comic strip syndication|syndicated comic strip]].  Dedicated to the idea of art as expression, he turned down this commercial opportunity.{{sfn|Horowitz|1997|p=401}}  He attended the [[High School of Art and Design]] in Manhattan beginning in 1963. He met [[Woody Gelman]], the art director of [[Topps|Topps Chewing Gum Company]], who encouraged Spiegelman to apply to Topps after graduating from high school.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xvii}} At age 15, Spiegelman received payment for his work from a Rego Park newspaper.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=56}}
The success of ''Maus'' helped elevate the perception of comics as a medium capable of serious and sophisticated storytelling. It is now studied in schools and universities worldwide.


After he graduated in 1965, Spiegelman's parents urged him to pursue the financial security of a career such as dentistry, but he chose instead to enroll at [[Binghamton University|Harpur College]] to study art and philosophy. While there, he got a freelance art job at Topps, which provided him with an income for the next two decades.{{sfnm|1a1=Horowitz|1y=1997|p=401|2a1=D'Arcy|2y=2011}}
== Later Work ==
After the success of ''Maus'', Spiegelman continued to contribute to the cultural and artistic discourse. He worked on various projects, including:


[[File:New York State Inebriate Asylum.JPG|thumb|left|alt=Binghamton State Mental Hospital|After Spiegelman's release from [[New York State Inebriate Asylum|Binghamton State Mental Hospital]], his mother died by suicide.]]
* '''Cover Art for ''The New Yorker''''': From 1992 to 2002, Spiegelman contributed iconic covers, including the controversial ''September 24, 2001'' issue depicting a black-on-black silhouette of the Twin Towers.
* '''In the Shadow of No Towers''' (2004): A graphic memoir reflecting on the September 11 attacks and its aftermath, blending historical imagery with personal narrative.
* '''Co-Editing ''RAW''''': With Françoise Mouly, Spiegelman helped showcase experimental comics and emerging talent through the avant-garde anthology series.


Spiegelman attended Harpur College from 1965 until 1968, where he worked as staff cartoonist for the college newspaper and edited a college humor magazine.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xvii–xviii}} After a summer internship when he was 18, Topps hired him for Gelman's Product Development Department{{sfn|Jamieson|2010|p=116}} as a creative consultant making [[trading cards]] and related products in 1966, such as the ''[[Wacky Packages]]'' series of [[parody|parodic]] trading cards begun in 1967.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}}
== Artistic Style and Philosophy ==
Spiegelman’s work is characterized by its layered storytelling, visual innovation, and willingness to tackle complex, often uncomfortable subjects. He often uses comics to blur the boundaries between personal and political narratives, making his work both deeply intimate and universally relevant.


Spiegelman began selling self-published [[underground comix]] on street corners in 1966. He had cartoons published in underground publications such as the ''[[East Village Other]]'' and traveled to San Francisco for a few months in 1967, where the underground comix scene was just beginning to burgeon.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}}
== Personal Life ==
Art Spiegelman married Françoise Mouly, a French artist, designer, and editor, in 1977. The couple has two children, Nadja and Dashiell. Mouly has been a significant collaborator in Spiegelman’s career, particularly through her work on ''RAW'' and other publishing ventures.


In late winter 1968, Spiegelman suffered an intense [[Mental breakdown|nervous breakdown]],{{sfnm|1a1=Kaplan|1y=2006|1p=102|2a1=Campbell|2y=2008|2p=56}} which cut short his university studies.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}} He has said that at the time he was taking [[Lysergic acid diethylamide|LSD]] with great frequency.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaplan|1y=2006|1p=102|2a1=Campbell|2y=2008|2p=56}} He spent a month in [[New York State Inebriate Asylum|Binghamton State Mental Hospital]], and shortly after he exited it, his mother died by [[suicide]] following the death of her only surviving brother.{{sfnm|1a1=Fathers|1y=2007|1p=122|2a1=Gordon|2y=2004|3a1=Horowitz|3y=1997|3p=401}}
Spiegelman has been outspoken about freedom of expression, advocating for the artistic and intellectual potential of comics as a medium. He has also expressed concerns about censorship and the challenges faced by creators in the modern publishing landscape.


===Underground comics (1971–1977)===
== Awards and Recognition ==
In 1971, after several visits, Spiegelman moved to [[San Francisco]]{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}} and became a part of the [[Counterculture of the 1960s|countercultural]] underground comix movement that had been developing there.  Some of the {{not a typo|comix}} he produced during this period include ''The Compleat Mr. Infinity'' (1970), a ten-page booklet of explicit comic strips, and ''The Viper Vicar of Vice, Villainy and Vickedness'' (1972),{{sfn|Horowitz|1997|p=402}} a [[Transgressive art|transgressive]] work in the vein of fellow underground cartoonist [[S.&nbsp;Clay Wilson]].{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=103}} Spiegelman's work also appeared in underground magazines such as ''[[Gothic Blimp Works]]'', ''[[Bijou Funnies]]'', ''[[Young Lust (comics)|Young Lust]]'',{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}} ''Real Pulp'', and ''Bizarre Sex'',{{sfn|Epel|2007|p=144}} and were in a variety of styles and genres as Spiegelman sought his [[Writer's voice|artistic voice]].{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=103}} He also did a number of cartoons for [[Pornographic magazine|men's magazines]] such as ''[[Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'', ''[[The Dude (magazine)|The Dude]]'', and ''[[Gent (magazine)|Gent]]''.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}}


In 1972, [[Justin Green (cartoonist)|Justin Green]] asked Spiegelman to do a three-page strip for the first issue of ''Funny <!-- This spelling is correct!!! -->{{Not a typo|Aminals}}<!-- Please do not "correct" it!!! -->'' {{sic}}.{{sfn|Witek|1989|p=103}}  He wanted to do one about racism, and at first considered a story{{sfn|Kaplan|2008|p=140}} with African Americans as mice and cats taking on the role of the [[Ku Klux Klan]].{{sfn|Conan|2011}} Instead, he turned to the Holocaust that his parents had survived. He titled the strip "Maus" and depicted the Jews as mice persecuted by ''die Katzen'', which were Nazis as cats. The narrator related the story to a mouse named "[[Mickey Mouse|Mickey]]".{{sfn|Witek|1989|p=103}} With this story Spiegelman felt he had found his voice.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=56}}
* Pulitzer Prize for ''Maus'' (1992)
* Angoulême International Comics Festival Grand Prix (2011)
* Eisner Awards for his contributions to comics
* National Book Critics Circle nomination


Seeing Green's revealingly autobiographical ''[[Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary]]'' while in-progress in 1971 inspired Spiegelman to produce "Prisoner on the Hell Planet", an expressionistic work that dealt with his mother's suicide; it appeared in 1973<ref>[https://www.comics.org/issue/276083/ ''Short Order Comix'' #1 entry], Grand Comics Database. Retrieved March 4, 2020.</ref><ref>Fox, M. Steven. [http://comixjoint.com/shortordercomix1.html ''Short Order Comix'' #1], Underground ComixJoint. Retrieved March 4, 2020.</ref> in ''Short Order Comix'' {{No.}}1,{{sfn|Witek|1989|p=98}} which he edited.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xviii}}  Spiegelman's work thereafter went through a phase of increasing formal experimentation;{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=413}} the ''Apex Treasury of Underground Comics'' in 1974 quotes him: "As an art form the comic strip is barely in its infancy. So am I. Maybe we'll grow up together."<ref>Donahue, Don and Susan Goodrick, editors. ''The Apex Treasury of Underground Comics'' (Links Books/Quick Fox, 1974).</ref> The often-reprinted{{sfn|Hatfield|2012|p=138}} "Ace Hole, Midget Detective" of 1974 was a [[Cubism|Cubist]]-style [[nonlinear narrative|nonlinear]] parody of [[hardboiled|hardboiled crime fiction]] full of [[non sequitur (literary device)|non sequiturs]].{{sfnm|1a1=Hatfield|1y=2012|1p=138|2a1=Chute|2y=2012|2p=413}} "A Day at the Circuits" of 1975 is a recursive single-page strip about alcoholism and depression in which the reader follows the character through multiple never-ending pathways.{{sfn|Kuskin|2010|p=68}} "Nervous Rex: The Malpractice Suite" of 1976 is made up of cut-out panels from the soap-opera comic strip ''[[Rex Morgan, M.D.]]'' refashioned in such a way as to defy coherence.{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=413}}
== Legacy ==
Art Spiegelman’s work has had a transformative impact on the comics industry, redefining what the medium can achieve. His contributions have inspired countless artists and writers to explore challenging themes and experiment with new narrative forms. ''Maus'' remains a touchstone for discussions on memory, trauma, and the Holocaust, while Spiegelman himself is celebrated as one of the most influential cartoonists of the modern era.


In 1973, Spiegelman edited a [[Pornography|pornographic]] and [[Psychedelia|psychedelic]] book of quotations and dedicated it to his mother. Co-edited with Bob Schneider, it was called ''Whole Grains: A Book of Quotations''.{{sfnm|1a1=Rothberg|1y=2000|1p=214|2a1=Witek|2y=2007b|2p=xviii}} In 1974–1975, he taught a studio cartooning class at the [[Academy of Art University|San Francisco Academy of Art]].{{sfn|Horowitz|1997|p=402}}
== Selected Works ==


By the mid-1970s, the underground comix movement was encountering a slowdown. To give cartoonists a safe berth, Spiegelman co-edited the anthology ''[[Arcade (comics magazine)|Arcade]]'' with [[Bill Griffith]], in 1975 and 1976. ''Arcade'' was printed by [[Print Mint|The Print Mint]] and lasted seven issues, five of which had covers by [[Robert Crumb]]. It stood out from similar publications by having an editorial plan, in which Spiegelman and Griffith attempt to show how comics connect to the broader realms of artistic and literary culture. Spiegelman's own work in ''Arcade'' tended to be short and concerned with formal experimentation.{{sfn|Grishakova|Ryan|2010|pp=67–68}} ''Arcade'' also introduced art from ages past, as well as contemporary literary pieces by writers such as [[William S. Burroughs]] and [[Charles Bukowski]].{{sfn|Buhle|2004|p=252}} In 1975, Spiegelman moved back to New York City,{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xix}} which put most of the editorial work for ''Arcade'' on the shoulders of Griffith and his cartoonist wife, [[Diane Noomin]]. This, combined with distribution problems and retailer indifference, led to the magazine's 1976 demise. Spiegelman swore he would never edit another magazine.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=108}}
* ''Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History'' (1986)
* ''Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began'' (1991)
* ''In the Shadow of No Towers'' (2004)
* Contributions to ''RAW Magazine''
* Various covers and art for ''The New Yorker''


[[Françoise Mouly]], an architectural student on a hiatus from her studies at the [[École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts|Beaux-Arts]] in Paris, arrived in New York in 1974. While looking for comics from which to practice reading English, she came across ''Arcade''.  Avant-garde filmmaker friend [[Ken Jacobs]] introduced Mouly and Spiegelman, when Spiegelman was visiting, but they did not immediately develop a mutual interest.  Spiegelman moved back to New York later in the year. Occasionally the two ran across each other. After she read "Prisoner on the Hell Planet" Mouly felt the urge to contact him. An eight-hour phone call led to a deepening of their relationship. Spiegelman followed her to France when she had to return to fulfill obligations in her architecture course.{{sfn|Heer|2013|pp=26–30}}
Art Spiegelman continues to be a vocal advocate for comics and graphic novels, challenging audiences to see the medium as a legitimate and powerful form of artistic expression.
 
[[Category:American Cartoonist]]
Spiegelman introduced Mouly to the world of comics and helped her find work as a [[colorist]] for [[Marvel Comics]].{{sfn|Heller|2004|p=137}} After returning to the U.S. in 1977, Mouly ran into visa problems, which the couple solved by getting married.{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=41}}  The couple began to make yearly trips to Europe to explore the comics scene, and brought back European comics to show to their circle of friends.{{sfn|Heer|2013|pp=47–48}} Mouly assisted in putting together the lavish, oversized collection of Spiegelman's experimental strips ''[[Breakdowns (comics)|Breakdowns]]'' in 1977.{{sfn|Heer|2013|pp=45–47}}
[[Category:Cartoonist]]
 
===''Raw'' and ''Maus'' (1978–1991)===
[[File:Auschwitz entrance.JPG|thumb|Spiegelman visited the [[Auschwitz concentration camp]] in 1979 as research for ''[[Maus]]''; his parents had been imprisoned there.]]
 
''Breakdowns'' suffered poor distribution and sales, and 30% of the print run was unusable due to printing errors, an experience that motivated Mouly to gain control over the printing process.{{sfn|Heer|2013|pp=45–47}} She took courses in [[offset printing]] and bought a printing press for her loft,{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=49}} on which she was to print parts of{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|pp=111–112}} a new magazine she insisted on launching with Spiegelman.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=109}} With Mouly as publisher, Spiegelman and Mouly co-edited ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|Raw]]'' starting in July 1980.{{sfn|Reid|2007|p=225}} The first issue was subtitled "The Graphix Magazine of Postponed Suicides".{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=109}} While it included work from such established underground cartoonists as Crumb and Griffith,{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=108}} ''Raw'' focused on publishing artists who were virtually unknown, avant-garde cartoonists such as [[Charles Burns (cartoonist)|Charles Burns]], [[Lynda Barry]], [[Chris Ware]], [[Ben Katchor]], and [[Gary Panter]], and introduced English-speaking audiences to translations of foreign works by [[José Antonio Muñoz|José Muñoz]], [[Chéri Samba]], [[Joost Swarte]], [[Yoshiharu Tsuge]],{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=413}} [[Jacques Tardi]], and others.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=109}}
 
With the intention of creating a book-length work based on his father's recollections of the Holocaust{{sfn|Kaplan|2008|p=171}} Spiegelman began to interview his father again in 1978{{sfn|Fathers|2007|p=125}} and made a research visit in 1979 to the [[Auschwitz concentration camp]], where his parents had been imprisoned by the [[Nazi Party|Nazis]].{{sfn|Blau|2008}} The book, ''Maus'', appeared one chapter at a time as an insert in ''Raw'' beginning with the second issue in December 1980.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=113}} Spiegelman's father did not live to see its completion; he died on 18 August 1982.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xix}} Spiegelman learned in 1985 that [[Steven Spielberg]] was producing an animated film about Jewish mice who escape persecution in Eastern Europe by fleeing to the United States. Spiegelman was sure the film, ''[[An American Tail]]'' (1986), was inspired by ''Maus'' and became eager to have his unfinished book come out before the movie to avoid comparisons.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaplan|1y=2006|1p=118|2a1=Kaplan|2y=2008|2p=172}} He struggled to find a publisher{{sfn|Kois|2011}} until in 1986, after the publication in ''[[The New York Times]]'' of a rave review of the work-in-progress, [[Pantheon Books|Pantheon]] agreed to release a collection of the first six chapters. The volume was titled ''Maus: A Survivor's Tale'' and subtitled ''My Father Bleeds History''.{{sfnm|1a1=Kaplan|1y=2008|1p=171|2a1=Kaplan|2y=2006|2p=118}} The book found a large audience, in part because it was sold in bookstores rather than in [[direct market|direct-market]] comic shops, which by the 1980s had become the dominant outlet for comic books.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=115}}
 
[[File:Will Eisner2.jpg|thumb|left|upright|alt=Photo of an elderly man|Spiegelman and [[Will Eisner]] ''(photographed in 1982)'' taught at the [[School of Visual Arts]] from 1978 to 1987.]]
 
Spiegelman began teaching at the [[School of Visual Arts]] in New York in 1978, and continued until 1987,{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xix}} teaching alongside his heroes [[Harvey Kurtzman]] and [[Will Eisner]].{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=111}} "{{not a typo|Commix}}: An Idiosyncratic Historical and Aesthetic Overview", a Spiegelman essay, was published in ''[[Print (magazine)|Print]]''.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}} Another Spiegelman essay, "High Art Lowdown", was published in ''[[Artforum]]'' in 1990, critiquing the ''High/Low'' exhibition at the [[Museum of Modern Art]].{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}}
 
In the wake of the success of the [[Cabbage Patch Kids]] series of dolls, Spiegelman created the parodic trading card series ''[[Garbage Pail Kids]]'' for Topps in 1985. Similar to the ''Wacky Packages'' series, the [[Gross out|gross-out]] factor of the cards was controversial with parent groups, and its popularity started a gross-out fad among children.{{sfn|Bellomo|2010|p=154}} Spiegelman called Topps his "[[House of Medici|Medici]]" for the autonomy and financial freedom working for the company had given him. The relationship was nevertheless strained over issues of credit and ownership of the original artwork. In 1989 Topps auctioned off pieces of art Spiegelman had created rather than returning them to him, and Spiegelman broke the relation.{{sfn|Witek|2007a}} In 1990, he received a [[Guggenheim Fellowship]] for Fine Arts.<ref>{{Cite web
| url = https://www.gf.org/fellows/art-spiegelman/
| title = Art Spiegelman - John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
| website = www.gf.org
| access-date = 2024-05-31
}}</ref>
 
In 1991, ''Raw'' {{Abbr|Vol.|Volume}} 2, {{Abbr|No.|Number}} 3 was published; it was to be the last issue.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}} The closing chapter of ''Maus'' appeared not in ''Raw''{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=113}} but in the second volume of the graphic novel, which appeared later that year with the subtitle ''And Here My Troubles Began''.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}} ''Maus'' attracted an unprecedented amount of critical attention for a work of comics, including an exhibition at New York's [[Museum of Modern Art]]{{sfn|Shandler|2014|p=338}} and a [[Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards|special Pulitzer Prize]] in 1992.{{sfnm|1a1=Liss|1y=1998|1p=54|2a1=Fischer|2a2=Fischer|2y=2002|p=230|3a1=Pulitzer Prizes staff}}
 
=== ''The New Yorker'' and public legitimacy (1992–2001) ===
[[File:The New Yorker wordmark.png|thumb|alt=The New Yorker logo|Spiegelman and Mouly began working for ''[[The New Yorker]]'' in the early 1990s.]]
 
Hired by [[Tina Brown]]{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=59}} as a contributing artist in 1992, Spiegelman worked for ''[[The New Yorker]]'' for ten years. His first cover appeared on the February 15, 1993, Valentine's Day issue and showed a black [[West Indian]] woman and a [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidic]] man kissing. The cover caused turmoil at ''The New Yorker'' offices. Spiegelman intended it to reference the [[Crown Heights riot]] of 1991 in which racial tensions led to the murder of a Jewish [[yeshiva]] student.{{sfnm|1a1=Mendelsohn|1y=2003|1p=180|2a1=Campbell|2y=2008|2p=59|3a1=Witek|3y=2007b|3p=xx}} Twenty-one ''New Yorker'' covers by Spiegelman were published,{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=119}} and he also submitted some which were rejected for being too outrageous.{{sfn|Fox|2012}}<ref name=Conduit />
 
Within ''The New Yorker''{{'}}s pages, Spiegelman contributed strips such as a collaboration, "In the Dumps", with children's illustrator [[Maurice Sendak]]<ref>{{cite magazine| title= In the Dumps| magazine= The New Yorker| first1= Art| last1= Spiegelman| first2= Maurice| last2= Sendak| date= September 27, 1993}}</ref>{{sfnm|1a1=Weiss|1y=2012|2a1=Witek|2y=2007b|2pp=xx–xxi}} and an obituary to [[Charles M. Schulz]], "Abstract Thought is a Warm Puppy".{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxii}} Another of Spiegelman's essays, "Forms Stretched to their Limits", in an issue was about [[Jack Cole (artist)|Jack Cole]], the creator of [[Plastic Man]]. It formed the basis for a book about Cole, ''Jack Cole and Plastic Man: Forms Stretched to Their Limits'' (2001).{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxii}}
 
The same year, Voyager Company published ''The Complete Maus'', a CD-ROM version of ''Maus'' with extensive supplementary material, and Spiegelman illustrated a 1923 poem by [[Joseph Moncure March]] called ''[[The Wild Party (poem)|The Wild Party]]''.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxi}} Spiegelman contributed the essay "Getting in Touch With My Inner Racist" in the September 1, 1997, issue of ''[[Mother Jones (magazine)|Mother Jones]]''.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxi}}
 
Spiegelman was comics editor of the ''[[New York Press]]'' in the early 1990s.<ref name=Rall /> He was comics editor of ''[[Details (magazine)|Details]]'' magazine in the late 1990s;<ref name=Conduit>McGee, Kathleen. [https://www.conduit.org/interview/5/spiegelman "SPIEGELMAN SPEAKS: Art Spiegelman is the author of Maus for which he won a special Pulitzer in 1992. Kathleen McGee interviewed him when he visited Minneapolis in 1998,"] ''Conduit'' (1998).</ref> in 1997 he began assigning [[comics journalism]] pieces in ''Details'' to a number of his cartoonist associates,<ref>"Details Begins Cartoon Journalism Features," ''The Comics Journal'' #205 (June 1998), p. 27.</ref> including [[Joe Sacco]], [[Peter Kuper]], [[Ben Katchor]], [[Peter Bagge]], [[Charles Burns (cartoonist)|Charles Burns]], [[Kaz (cartoonist)|Kaz]], [[Kim Deitch]], and [[Jay Lynch]]. The magazine published these works of journalism in comics form throughout 1998 and 1999, helping to legitimize the form in popular perception.<ref name=Mackay>Mackay, Brad. "Behind the rise of investigative cartooning," ''THIS Magazine'' (Jan. 2008). [https://adastracomix.com/2016/04/07/comics-journalism-a-guest-post-by-brad-mackay/ Archived at Ad Astra Comix].</ref>
 
[[File:Ted Rall.jpg|thumb|left|alt=Photo of a man seated and wearing glasses|Editorial cartoonist [[Ted Rall]] begrudged Spiegelman's influence in New York cartooning circles.]]
Spiegelman's influence and connections in New York cartooning circles drew the ire of political cartoonist [[Ted Rall]] in 1999.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=58}} In "The King of Comix",<ref name=Rall>Rall, Ted. [https://web.archive.org/web/20061205030735/https://www.villagevoice.com/news/9930,rall,7298,1.html "The King of Comix: With Raw, a Pulitzer Prize For Maus, and a Strategic Job at The New Yorker, Art Spiegelman Has Become Lord of All New York Cartoonists. But His Power Is No Laughing Matter,"], ''[[The Village Voice]]'', July 27, 1999.</ref> an article in ''[[The Village Voice]]'',{{sfn|Arnold|2001}} Rall accused Spiegelman of the power to "make or break" a cartoonist's career in New York, while denigrating Spiegelman as "a guy with one great book in him".{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=58}} Cartoonist [[Danny Hellman]] responded by sending a forged email under Rall's name to 30 professionals; the prank escalated until Rall launched a defamation suit against Hellman for $1.5&nbsp;million. Hellman published a "Legal Action Comics" benefit book to cover his legal costs, to which Spiegelman contributed a back-cover cartoon in which he relieves himself on a Rall-shaped urinal.{{sfn|Arnold|2001}}
 
In 1997, Spiegelman had his first children's book published, ''Open Me...I'm a Dog'', with a narrator who tries to convince its readers that it is a dog via pop-ups and an attached leash.{{sfn|''Publishers Weekly'' staff|1995}} From 2000 to 2003, Spiegelman and Mouly edited three issues of the children's comics anthology ''[[Little Lit]]'', with contributions from ''Raw'' alumni and children's book authors and illustrators.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|pp=xxii–xxiii}}
 
===Post–September 11 (2001–present)===
Spiegelman lived close to the [[World Trade Center site]], which was known as "Ground Zero" after the [[September 11 attacks]] that destroyed the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|World Trade Center]].{{sfn|Baskind|Omer-Sherman|2010|p=xxi}} Immediately following the attacks Spiegelman and Mouly rushed to their daughter Nadja's school, where Spiegelman's anxiety served only to increase his daughter's apprehensiveness over the situation.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=119}} Spiegelman and Mouly created a cover for the September 24 issue of ''The New Yorker''{{sfn|ASME staff|2005}}<ref>[http://www.magazine.org/asme/magazine-cover-contests/9/11-magazine-covers "9/11 Magazine Covers > The New Yorker"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160910191630/http://www.magazine.org/asme/magazine-cover-contests/9/11-magazine-covers |date=2016-09-10 }}, ASME/''magazine.org''. Retrieved 2016-08-13.</ref> which at first glance appears to be totally black, but upon close examination it reveals the silhouettes of the [[World Trade Center (1973-2001)|World Trade Center]] towers in a slightly darker shade of black.  Mouly positioned the silhouettes so that the North Tower's antenna breaks into the "w" of ''The New Yorker''{{'}}s logo. The towers were printed in black on a slightly darker black field employing standard four-color printing inks with an overprinted clear varnish. In some situations, the ghost images only became visible when the magazine was tilted toward a light source.{{sfn|ASME staff|2005}} Spiegelman was critical of the Bush administration and the mass media over their handling of the September 11 attacks.{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=264}}
 
Spiegelman did not renew his ''New Yorker'' contract after 2003.{{sfn|Hays|2011}} He later quipped that he regretted leaving when he did, as he could have left in protest when the magazine ran a pro-[[2003 invasion of Iraq|invasion of Iraq]] piece later in the year.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=60}}  Spiegelman said his parting from ''The New Yorker'' was part of his general disappointment with "the widespread conformism of the mass media in the [[George W. Bush|Bush]] era".{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=263}} He said he felt like he was in "internal exile"{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=264}} following the September 11 attacks as the U.S. media had become "conservative and timid"{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=264}} and did not welcome the provocative art that he felt the need to create.{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=264}} Nevertheless, Spiegelman asserted he left not over political differences, as had been widely reported,{{sfn|Hays|2011}} but because ''The New Yorker'' was not interested in doing serialized work,{{sfn|Hays|2011}} which he wanted to do with his next project.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=60}}
 
Spiegelman responded to the September 11 attacks with ''[[In the Shadow of No Towers]]'', commissioned by German newspaper {{lang|de|[[Die Zeit]]}}, where it appeared throughout 2003. ''[[The Jewish Daily Forward]]'' was the only American periodical to serialize the feature.{{sfn|Corriere della Sera staff|2003|p=264}} The collected work appeared in September 2004 as an oversized{{efn|The book edition of ''[[In the Shadow of No Towers]]'' measures {{cvt|10|x|14.5|in|cm}}.{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=414}} }} [[board book]] of two-page spreads which had to be turned on end to read.{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=414}}
 
[[File:Honoré Daumier - Gargantua.jpg|thumb|left|"Gargantua", a cartoon critical of King [[Louis Philippe&nbsp;I]], led to the imprisonment of its author, [[Honoré Daumier]].]]
 
In the June 2006 edition of ''[[Harper's Magazine]]'' Spiegelman had an article published on the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy]]; some interpretations of Islamic law prohibit the [[Depictions of Muhammad|depiction of Muhammad]]. The Canadian chain of booksellers [[Indigo Books and Music|Indigo]] refused to sell the issue. Called "Drawing Blood: Outrageous Cartoons and the Art of Outrage", the article surveyed the sometimes dire effect political cartooning has for its creators, ranging from [[Honoré Daumier]], who spent time in prison for his satirical work; to [[George Grosz]], who faced exile. To Indigo the article seemed to promote the continuance of racial caricature. An internal memo advised Indigo staff to tell people: "the decision was made based on the fact that the content about to be published has been known to ignite demonstrations around the world."{{sfn|Adams|2006}} In response to the cartoons, Iranian president [[Mahmoud Ahmadinejad]] promoted an Iranian [[International Holocaust Cartoon Competition|cartoon contest]] seeking anti-Semitic cartoons. The organizers of the contest intended to highlight what they perceived as Western double standards surrounding anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Spiegelman produced a cartoon of a line of prisoners being led to the gas chambers; one stops to look at the corpses around him and says, "Ha! Ha! Ha! What's really hilarious is that none of this is actually happening!"{{sfn|Brean|2008}}
 
To promote literacy in young children, Mouly encouraged publishers to publish comics for children.{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=115}} Disappointed by publishers' lack of response, from 2008 she self-published a line of easy readers called [[Toon Books]], by artists such as Spiegelman, [[Renée French]], and [[Rutu Modan]], and promotes the books to teachers and librarians for their educational value.{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=116}} Spiegelman's ''Jack and the Box'' was one of the inaugural books in 2008.{{sfn|Publishers Weekly staff|2008}}
 
In 2008 Spiegelman reissued ''Breakdowns'' in an expanded edition including "Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!"{{sfn|Solomon|2014|p=1}} an autobiographical strip that had been serialized in the ''[[Virginia Quarterly Review]]'' from 2005.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxiii}} A volume drawn from Spiegelman's sketchbooks, ''Be A Nose'', appeared in 2009. In 2011, ''[[MetaMaus]]'' followed—a book-length analysis of ''Maus'' by Spiegelman and [[Hillary Chute]] with a DVD update of the earlier CD-ROM.{{sfn|Heater|2011}}
 
[[Library of America]] commissioned Spiegelman to edit the two-volume ''[[Lynd Ward]]: Six Novels in Woodcuts'', which appeared in 2010, collecting all of Ward's [[wordless novel]]s with an introduction and annotations by Spiegelman. The project led to a touring show in 2014 about wordless novels called ''Wordless!'' with live music by saxophonist [[Phillip Johnston]].{{sfn|Artsy|2014}} ''Art Spiegelman's Co-Mix: A Retrospective'' débuted at Angoulême in 2012 and by the end of 2014 had traveled to Paris, Cologne, Vancouver, New York, and Toronto.{{sfn|Solomon|2014|p=1}} The book ''Co-Mix: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics, and Scraps'', which complemented the show, appeared in 2013.{{sfn|Randle|2013}}
 
In 2015, after six writers refused to sit on a panel at the [[PEN American Center]] in protest of the planned "freedom of expression courage award" for the satirical French periodical ''[[Charlie Hebdo]]'' following the [[Charlie Hebdo shooting|shooting at its headquarters]] earlier in the year, Spiegelman agreed to be one of the replacement hosts,{{sfn|Chow|2015}} along with other names in comics such as writer [[Neil Gaiman]].  Spiegelman retracted a cover he had submitted to a Gaiman-edited "saying the unsayable" issue of ''[[New Statesman]]'' when the management declined to print a strip of Spiegelman's. The strip, "Notes from a First Amendment Fundamentalist", depicts Muhammad, and Spiegelman believed the rejection was censorship, though the magazine asserted it never intended to run the cartoon.{{sfnm|1a1=Krayewski|1y=2015|2a1=Heer|2y=2015}}
 
In 2021, [[Literary Hub]] announced that Spiegelman was co-creating a work ''Street Cop'' with author [[Robert Coover]].<ref>{{cite web| url= https://lithub.com/art-spiegelman-and-robert-coover-have-collaborated-over-zoom-on-a-new-illustrated-dystopian-story/ | title= Art Spiegelman and Robert Coover have collaborated (over Zoom!) on a new illustrated dystopian story| first= Emily |last= Temple| work= lithub.com| publisher= Literary Hub| date= March 9, 2021| access-date= August 17, 2021| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210623173807/https://lithub.com/art-spiegelman-and-robert-coover-have-collaborated-over-zoom-on-a-new-illustrated-dystopian-story/| archive-date= June 23, 2021| url-status= live}}</ref>
 
==Personal life==
[[File:Françoise Mouly.JPG|thumb|upright|Spiegelman married [[Françoise Mouly]] in 1977 ''(pictured in 2015)''.]]
 
Spiegelman married [[Françoise Mouly]] on July 12, 1977,{{sfn|Meyers|2011}} in a New York city hall ceremony.{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=41}} They remarried later in the year after Mouly [[Conversion to Judaism|converted to Judaism]] to please Spiegelman's father.{{sfn|Heer|2013|p=41}} Mouly and Spiegelman have two children together: a daughter, [[Nadja Spiegelman|Nadja Rachel]], born in 1987,{{sfn|Meyers|2011}} and a son, Dashiell Alan, born in 1992.{{sfn|Meyers|2011}}
 
==Style==
{{Blockquote
|text = All comic-strip drawings must function as diagrams, simplified picture-words that indicate more than they show.
|sign = Art Spiegelman{{sfn|Cates|2010|p=96}} }}
 
Spiegelman suffers from a [[Amblyopia|lazy eye]], and thus lacks [[depth perception]]. He says his art style is "really a result of [his] deficiencies". His is a style of labored simplicity, with dense visual motifs which often go unnoticed upon first viewing.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|pp=56—57}} He sees comics as "very condensed thought structures", more akin to poetry than prose, which need careful, time-consuming planning that their seeming simplicity belies.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=61}} Spiegelman's work prominently displays his concern with form, and pushing the boundaries of what is and is not comics. Early in the underground comix era, Spiegelman proclaimed to Robert Crumb, "Time is an illusion that can be shattered in comics! Showing the same scene from different angles freezes it in time by turning the page into a diagram—an [[orthographic projection]]!"{{sfn|Chute|2012|p=412}} His comics experiment with time, space, [[recursion]], and representation. He uses the word "decode" to express the action of reading comics{{sfn|Chute|2012|pp=412–413}} and sees comics as functioning best when expressed as diagrams, icons, or symbols.{{sfn|Cates|2010|p=96}}
 
Spiegelman has stated he does not see himself primarily as a visual artist, one who instinctively sketches or doodles. He has said he approaches his work as a writer as he lacks confidence in his graphic skills. He subjects his dialogue and visuals to constant revision—he reworked some dialogue balloons in ''Maus'' up to forty times.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=57}} A critic in ''[[The New Republic]]'' compared Spiegelman's dialogue writing to a young [[Philip Roth]] in his ability "to make the Jewish speech of several generations sound fresh and convincing".{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=57}}
 
Spiegelman makes use of both old- and new-fashioned tools in his work. He prefers at times to work on paper on a drafting table, while at others he draws directly onto his computer using a [[digital pen]] and electronic drawing tablet, or mixes methods, employing scanners and printers.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=61}}
 
===Influences===
[[File:Frans Masereel - Passionate Journey -- two pages.jpg|thumb|alt=Two panels from wordless novel.  On the left, a man carries a woman through the woods.  On the right, a man looks at a nude in a studio.|Wordless [[woodcut]] novels such as those by [[Frans Masereel]] were an early influence.]]
 
Harvey Kurtzman has been Spiegelman's strongest influence as a cartoonist, editor, and promoter of new talent.{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=700}} Chief among his other early cartooning influences include Will Eisner,{{sfn|Frahm|2004}} [[John Stanley (cartoonist)|John Stanley]]'s version of ''[[Little Lulu]]'', [[Winsor McCay]]'s ''[[Little Nemo]]'', [[George Herriman]]'s ''[[Krazy Kat]]'',{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=700}} and [[Bernard Krigstein]]'s short strip "{{interlanguage link|Master Race (EC Comics)|lt=Master Race|display=force|fr|Master Race}}".{{sfn|Kannenberg|2001|p=28}}
 
In the 1960s Spiegelman read in comics [[fanzine]]s about graphic artists such as [[Frans Masereel]], who had made [[wordless novel]]s in [[woodcut]]. The discussions in those fanzines about making the [[Great American Novel]] in comics later acted as inspiration for him.{{sfn|Kaplan|2008|p=171}} [[Justin Green (cartoonist)|Justin Green]]'s comic book ''[[Binky Brown Meets the Holy Virgin Mary]]'' (1972) motivated Spiegelman to open up and include autobiographical elements in his comics.{{sfn|Chute|2010|p=18}}
 
Spiegelman acknowledges [[Franz Kafka]] as an early influence,{{sfn|Mulman|2010|p=86}} whom he says he has read since the age of 12,{{sfn|Kannenberg|2007|p=262}} and lists [[Vladimir Nabokov]], [[William Faulkner]], [[Gertrude Stein]] among the writers whose work "stayed with" him.{{sfn|Horowitz|1997|p=404}} He cites non-narrative avant-garde filmmakers from whom he has drawn heavily, including [[Ken Jacobs]], [[Stan Brakhage]], and [[Ernie Gehr]], and other filmmakers such as [[Charlie Chaplin]] and the makers of ''[[The Twilight Zone]]''.{{sfn|Zuk|2013|pp=699–700}}
 
==Beliefs==
Spiegelman is a prominent advocate for the comics medium and comics literacy. He believes the medium echoes the way the human brain processes information. He has toured the U.S. with a lecture called "Comix 101", examining its history and cultural importance.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=123}} He sees comics' low status in the late 20th century as having come down from where it was in the 1930s and 1940s, when comics "tended to appeal to an older audience of [[G.I. (military)|GIs]] and other adults".{{sfn|Campbell|2008|pp=58–59}} Following the advent of the censorious [[Comics Code Authority]] in the mid-1950s, Spiegelman sees comics' potential as having stagnated until the rise of underground comix in the late 1960s.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|pp=58–59}} He taught courses in the history and aesthetics of comics at schools such as the School of Visual Arts in New York.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xix}} As co-editor of ''Raw'', he helped propel the careers of younger cartoonists whom he mentored, such as Chris Ware,{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=60}} and published the work of his School of Visual Arts students, such as [[Kazimieras G. Prapuolenis|Kaz]], [[Drew Friedman (cartoonist)|Drew Friedman]], and [[Mark Newgarden]]. Some of the work published in ''Raw'' was originally turned in as class assignments.{{sfn|Kaplan|2006|p=111}}
 
Spiegelman has described himself politically as "firmly on the left side of the secular-fundamentalist divide" and a "[[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|1st Amendment]] absolutist".{{sfn|Brean|2008}} As a supporter of [[free speech]], Spiegelman is opposed to [[hate speech]] laws. He wrote a critique in ''Harper's'' on the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|controversial Muhammad cartoons in the ''Jyllands-Posten'']] in 2006; the issue was banned from [[Indigo Books and Music|Indigo]]–[[Chapters (bookstore)|Chapters]] stores in Canada. Spiegelman criticized American media for refusing to reprint the cartoons they reported on at the time of the ''Charlie Hebdo'' shooting in 2015.{{sfn|Brean|2015}}
 
Spiegelman is a non-practicing Jew and considers himself "a-Zionist"—neither pro- nor anti-[[Zionism|Zionist]]; he has called [[Israel]] "a sad, failed idea".{{sfn|Hays|2011}} He told ''[[Peanuts]]'' creator [[Charles M. Schulz|Charles Schulz]] he was not religious, but identified with the "alienated [[Jewish diaspora|diaspora]] culture of Kafka and [[Sigmund Freud|Freud]]&nbsp;... what [[Joseph Stalin|Stalin]] pejoratively called [[Rootless cosmopolitan|rootless cosmopolitanism]]".{{sfn|Mendelsohn|2003|p=180}}
 
==Legacy==
''Maus'' looms large not only over Spiegelman's body of work, but over the comics medium itself. While Spiegelman was far from the first to do autobiography in comics, critics such as [[James Campbell (author)|James Campbell]] considered ''Maus'' the work that popularized it.{{sfn|Campbell|2008|p=56}} The bestseller has been widely written about in the popular press and academia—the quantity of its critical literature far outstrips that of any other work of comics.{{sfn|Loman|2010|p=217}} It has been examined from a great variety of academic viewpoints, though most often by those with little understanding of ''Maus''{{`}} context in the history of comics. While ''Maus'' has been credited with lifting comics from popular culture into the world of high art in the public imagination, criticism has tended to ignore its deep roots in popular culture, roots that Spiegelman has intimate familiarity with and has devoted considerable time to promote.{{sfn|Loman|2010|p=212}}
 
Spiegelman's belief that comics are best expressed in a diagrammatic or iconic manner has had a particular influence on formalists such as [[Chris Ware]] and his former student [[Scott McCloud]].{{sfn|Cates|2010|p=96}} In 2005, the September 11-themed ''New Yorker'' cover placed sixth on the top ten of magazine covers of the previous 40 years by the [[American Society of Magazine Editors]].{{sfn|ASME staff|2005}} Spiegelman has inspired numerous cartoonists to take up the graphic novel as a means of expression, including [[Marjane Satrapi]].{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=700}}
 
A joint [[ZDF]]–[[BBC]] documentary, ''Art Spiegelman's Maus'', was televised in 1987.{{sfn|Shandler|2014|p=318}} Spiegelman, Mouly, and many of the ''Raw'' artists appeared in the documentary ''[[Comic Book Confidential]]'' in 1988.{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}} Spiegelman's comics career was also covered in an Emmy-nominated PBS documentary, ''Serious Comics: Art Spiegelman'', produced by Patricia Zur for WNYC-TV in 1994. Spiegelman played himself in the 2007 episode "[[Husbands and Knives]]" of the animated television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' with fellow comics creators [[Daniel Clowes]] and [[Alan Moore]].{{sfn|Keller|2007}} A European documentary, ''Art Spiegelman, Traits de Mémoire'', appeared in 2010 and later in English under the title ''The Art of Spiegelman'',{{sfn|Shandler|2014|p=318}} directed by Clara Kuperberg and Joelle Oosterlinck and mainly featuring interviews with Spiegelman and those around him.{{sfn|Kensky|2012}}
 
===Awards===
[[File:Gen pulitzer.jpg|thumb|alt=Pulitzer Prize medal|''Maus'' was the first [[graphic novel]] to win a [[Pulitzer Prize]].]]
 
* 1982: Playboy Editorial Award, Best Comic Strip{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1982: [[Yellow Kid Award]], [[Lucca Comics & Games|Lucca, Italy]], for Foreign Author{{sfn|Traini|1982}}{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1983: ''[[Print (magazine)|Print]]'', Regional Design Award{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1984: ''[[Print (magazine)|Print]]'', Regional Design Award{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1985: ''[[Print (magazine)|Print]]'', Regional Design Award{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1986: Joel&nbsp;M. Cavior, Jewish Writing{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=699}}
* 1987: [[Inkpot Award#1987|Inkpot Award]]{{sfn|Brennan|Clarage|1999|p=575}}
* 1988: [[Angoulême International Comics Festival]], France, [[Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic Book|Prize for Best Comic Book]], for ''Maus''{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}}
* 1988: [[Urhunden Prizes|Urhunden Prize]], Sweden, Best Foreign Album, for ''Maus''{{sfn|Hammarlund|2007}}
* 1990: [[Guggenheim Fellowship]].{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}}
* 1990: [[Max & Moritz Prizes|Max & Moritz Prize]], [[Erlangen]], Germany, [[Max & Moritz Prizes#1990|Special Prize]], for ''Maus''{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=699}}
* 1992: [[Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards|Pulitzer Prize Letters award]], for ''Maus''{{sfn|Pulitzer Prizes staff}}
* 1992: [[Eisner Award]], [[Eisner Award#Best Graphic Album: Reprint|Best Graphic Album (reprint)]], for ''Maus''{{sfn|Eisner Awards staff|2012}}
* 1992: [[Harvey Award]], [[Harvey Award#Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work|Best Graphic Album of Previously Published Work]], for ''Maus''{{sfn|Harvey Awards staff|1992}}
* 1992: ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', Book Prize for Fiction for ''Maus II''{{sfn|Colbert|1992}}
* 1993: Angoulême International Comics Festival, [[Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic Book#1980s|Prize for Best Comic Book]], for ''Maus II''{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xx}}
* 1993: [[Sproing Award]], Norway, Best Foreign Album, for ''Maus''{{sfn|Zuk|2013|p=699}}
* 1993: Urhunden Prize, Best Foreign Album, for ''Maus II''{{sfn|Hammarlund|2007}}
* 1995: [[Binghamton University]] (formerly Harpur College), honorary [[Doctorate of Letters]].{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxi}}
* 1999: Eisner Award, inducted into the [[List of Eisner Award winners#The Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame]]{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxii}}
* 2005: French government, Chevalier of the [[Ordre des Arts et des Lettres]]{{sfn|Witek|2007b|p=xxii}}
* 2005: ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, one of the "[[Time 100|Top 100 Most Influential People]]"{{sfnm|1a1=Time staff|1y=2005|2a1=Witek|2y=2007b|2p=xxiii}}
* 2011: Angoulême International Comics Festival, [[Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême|Grand Prix]]{{sfn|Cavna|2011}}
*2011: [[National Jewish Book Award]] for MetaMaus: A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/National+Jewish+Book+Award|title=National Jewish Book Award {{!}} Book awards {{!}} LibraryThing|website=www.librarything.com|access-date=2020-01-18}}</ref>
* 2015: [[American Academy of Arts and Letters]] membership{{sfn|Artforum staff|2015}}
*2018: The [[Edward MacDowell Medal]]
*2020: The [[Great Immigrants Award]] by the [[Carnegie Corporation of New York]]<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lescaze |first=Zoë |date=2018-06-19 |title=13 Artists On: Immigration |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/19/t-magazine/immigration-art.html |access-date=2024-06-25 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
 
==Bibliography==
===Author===
* ''Tijuana Bibles: Art and Wit in America's Forbidden Funnies, 1930s-1950s (Introductory Essay: Those Dirty Little Comics)'' (1977)
*''[[Breakdowns (comics)|Breakdowns: From Maus to Now, an Anthology of Strips]]'' (1977)
* ''[[Maus]]'' (1991)
* ''The Wild Party'' (1994)
* ''Open Me, I'm A Dog'' (1995)
* ''Jack Cole and Plastic Man: Forms Stretched to Their Limits'' (2001)
* ''[[In the Shadow of No Towers]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Breakdowns (comics)|Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@&*!]]'' (2008)
* ''Jack and the Box'' (2008)
* ''Be a Nose'' (2009)
* ''[[MetaMaus]]'' (2011)
* ''Co-Mix: A Retrospective of Comics, Graphics, and Scraps'' (2013)
* ''Street Cop'' (with [[Robert Coover]]) (2021)
* [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/opinions/outlook/st-louis-refugee-ship-blues/static.html ''The St. Louis Refugee Ship Blues'', Art Spiegelman recounts a sad story 70 years later.]
 
===Editor===
* ''Short Order Comix'' (1972–74)
* ''Whole Grains: A Book of Quotations'' (with Bob Schneider, 1973)
* ''[[Arcade (comics magazine)|Arcade]]'' (with [[Bill Griffith]], 1975–76)
* ''[[Raw (comics magazine)|Raw]]'' (with [[Françoise Mouly]], 1980–91)
* ''[[City of Glass (comics)|City of Glass]]'' (graphic novel adaptation by [[David Mazzucchelli]] of the [[Paul Auster]] novel, 1994)
* ''[[The Narrative Corpse]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Little Lit]]''  (with Françoise Mouly, 2000–2003)
* ''The TOON Treasury of Classic Children's Comics'' (with Françoise Mouly, 2008)
* ''[[Lynd Ward]]: Six Novels in Woodcuts'' (2010)
 
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
 
==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=20em}}
 
===Works cited===
{{Refbegin|colwidth=40em}}
* {{cite web
|last=Adams
|first=James
|title=Indigo pulls controversial Harper's off the shelves
|newspaper=[[The Globe and Mail]]
|date=2006-05-27
|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060526.wxchapters27/BNStory/Entertainment/home
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206115502/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060526.wxchapters27/BNStory/Entertainment/home
|archive-date=2009-02-06
 
}}
* {{cite magazine
|last        = Arnold
|first      = Andrew D.
|title      = Lemons into Lemonade
|date        = 2001-09-07
|magazine        = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]
|url        = http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,173857,00.html
|access-date = 2015-01-19
}}
* {{cite web
|author      = Artforum staff
|title      = Art Spiegelman Named Member of American Academy of Arts and Letters
|date        = 2015-02-25
|work        = [[Artforum]]
|url        = http://artforum.com/news/id=50417
|access-date = 2015-05-04
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150505021027/http://artforum.com/news/id=50417
|archive-date= 2015-05-05
|url-status  = dead
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Artsy
|first        = Avishay
|title        = Cartoonist Art Spiegelman reveals his influences in 'Wordless!'
|date        = 2014-10-07
|work        = [[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles]]
|url          = http://www.jewishjournal.com/culture/article/cartoonist_art_spiegelman_reveals_his_influences_in_wordless
|access-date  = 2015-05-04
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20141023233550/http://www.jewishjournal.com/culture/article/cartoonist_art_spiegelman_reveals_his_influences_in_wordless
|archive-date = 2014-10-23
}}
* {{cite web
|author      = ASME staff
|title        = ASME's Top 40 Magazine Covers of the Last 40 Years
|publisher    = [[American Society of Magazine Editors]]
|date        = 2005-10-17
|url          = http://www.magazine.org/ASME/top_40_covers/index.aspx
|access-date  = 2012-06-11
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110216035329/http://www.magazine.org/ASME/top_40_covers/index.aspx
|archive-date = 2011-02-16
}}
* {{cite book
|last1    = Baskind
|first1    = Samantha
|last2    = Omer-Sherman
|first2    = Ranen
|title    = The Jewish Graphic Novel: Critical Approaches
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=arH19YKGJawC
|year      = 2010
|publisher = [[Rutgers University Press]]
|isbn      = 978-0-8135-4775-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Bellomo
|first    = Mark
|title    = Totally Tubular '80s Toys
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=CF8AjVJXvH0C
|year      = 2010
|publisher = Krause Publications
|isbn      = 978-1-4402-1647-3
}}
* {{cite news
|last        = Blau
|first      = Rosie
|title      = Breakfast with the FT: Art Spiegelman
|newspaper  = [[Financial Times]]
|date        = 2008-11-29
|url        = http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/69e9620e-bcdc-11dd-af5a-0000779fd18c.html#axzz1sPEGhAQq
|access-date = 2012-04-18
}}
* {{cite news
|last      = Brean
|first      = Joseph
|title      = Art Spiegelman: Politically correct 'fever' grips Canada
|work      = [[National Post]]
|date      = 2008-04-01
|url      = https://nationalpost.com/news/art-spiegelman-politically-correct-fever-grips-canada
|access-date      = 2015-05-04
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Brean
|first      = Joseph
|title      = Mark Steyn on fellow free-speech advocate Art Spiegelman and what it means to be truly provocative
|date      = 2015-01-30
|work      = [[National Post]]
|url      = http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/mark-steyn-on-fellow-free-speech-advocate-art-spiegelman-and-what-it-means-to-be-truly-provocative
|access-date      = 2015-05-04
}}
* {{cite book
|last1      = Brennan
|first1      = Elizabeth A.
|last2      = Clarage
|first2      = Elizabeth C.
|chapter    = Art Spiegelman
|pages      = 574–575
|title      = Who's Who of Pulitzer Prize Winners
|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=63nvmt4HqTEC&pg=PA574
|year        = 1999
|publisher  = Greenwood Publishing Group
|isbn        = 978-1-57356-111-2
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Buhle
|first      = Paul
|title      = From the Lower East Side to Hollywood: Jews in American Popular Culture
|url        = https://archive.org/details/fromlowereastsid00paul
|url-access = registration
|year      = 2004
|publisher  = Verso
|isbn      = 978-1-85984-598-1
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Campbell
|first      = James
|title      = Syncopations: Beats, New Yorkers, and Writers in the Dark
|url        = https://archive.org/details/syncopationsbeat00camp
|url-access = registration
|year      = 2008
|publisher  = [[University of California Press]]
|isbn      = 978-0-520-25237-0
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Cates
|first        = Isaac
|chapter      = Comics and the Grammar of Diagrams
|pages        = 90–105
|editor1-last  = Ball
|editor1-first = David M.
|editor2-last  = Kuhlman
|editor2-first = Martha B.
|title        = The Comics of Chris Ware: Drawing Is a Way of Thinking
|url          = https://books.google.com/books?id=QrFmPKlv61sC
|year          = 2010
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn          = 978-1-60473-442-3
}}
* {{cite news
|last      = Cavna
|first      = Michael
|title      = 'Maus' creator reacts to winning comics' Grand Prix prize
|newspaper      = [[The Washington Post]]
|date      = February 1, 2011
|url      = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/31/AR2011013106604.html
|access-date      = January 19, 2015
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Chow
|first        = Andrew R.
|title        = After Protest Over Award, Neil Gaiman and Art Spiegelman Agree to Be Table Hosts at PEN Gala
|date        = 2015-05-03
|work        = [[The New York Times]]
|url        = http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/neil-gaiman-and-art-spiegelman-among-new-table-hosts-at-pen-gala/?_r=0
|access-date        = 2015-03-04
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Chute
|first    = Hillary L.
|title    = Graphic Women: Life Narrative and Contemporary Comics
|publisher = [[Columbia University Press]]
|year      = 2010
|isbn      = 978-0-231-15062-0
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Chute
|first        = Hillary L.
|chapter      = Graphic Narrative
|pages        = 407–419
|editor1-last  = Bray
|editor1-first = Joe
|editor2-last  = Gibbons
|editor2-first = Alison
|editor3-last  = McHale
|editor3-first = Brian
|title        = The Routledge Companion to Experimental Literature
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3S2uf3Zj8AC&pg=PA407
|year          = 2012
|publisher    = [[Routledge]]
|isbn          = 978-0-415-57000-8
}}
* {{cite news
|last        = Colbert
|first      = James
|title      = Times Book Prizes 1992: Fiction: On ''Maus II''
|date        = 1992-11-08
|access-date = 2012-01-31
|url        = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-11-08-bk-205-story.html
|newspaper  = [[Los Angeles Times]]
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Conan
|first      = Neal
|title      = 'MetaMaus': The Story Behind Spiegelman's Classic
|work      = [[NPR]]
|date      = 2011-10-05
|url      = http://m.npr.org/news/Books/141085597?singlePage=true
|access-date      = 2012-05-08
}}
* {{cite book
|author      = ''Corriere della Sera'' staff
|chapter      = Art Spiegelman, Cartoonist for the ''New Yorker'', Resigns in Protest at Censorship
|pages        = 263–266
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR263
|year        = 2007
|orig-date    = 2003
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
|ref          = {{SfnRef|Corriere della Sera staff|2003}}
}}
* {{cite news
|last        = D'Arcy
|first      = David
|title      = Art Goes Back to School
|date        = 2011-07-13
|url        = http://www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Art-goes-back-to-school/24328
|newspaper  = [[The Art Newspaper]]
|access-date = 2012-06-11
}}
* {{cite web
|author=Eisner Awards staff
|title=Complete List of Eisner Award Winners
|year=2012
|url=http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_pastwinners.php#1992
|publisher=[[San Diego Comic-Con International]]
|access-date=2012-01-31
 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110427023810/http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_pastwinners.php
|archive-date=2011-04-27
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Epel
|first        = Naomi
|chapter      = Art Spiegelman
|pages        = 143–151
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR143
|year        = 2007
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Fathers
|first        = Michael
|chapter      = Art Mimics Life in the Death Camps
|pages        = 122–125
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|year        = 2007
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last1      = Fischer
|first1      = Heinz Dietrich
|last2      = Fischer
|first2      = Erika J.
|chapter    = Spiegelman, Art
|page        = 230
|title      = Complete Biographical Encyclopedia of Pulitzer Prize Winners, 1917–2000: Journalists, Writers and Composers on Their Ways to the Coveted Awards
|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=-2o4Ywn4LJwC&pg=PA230
|year        = 2002
|publisher  = [[Walter de Gruyter]]
|isbn        = 978-3-598-30186-5
}}
* {{cite news
|last        = Fox
|first      = Killian
|title      = The Covers the New Yorker Rejected
|url        = https://www.theguardian.com/media/gallery/2012/apr/29/covers-the-new-yorker-rejected
|date        = 2012-04-29
|newspaper  = [[The Observer]]
|access-date = 2012-12-05
}}
* {{cite journal
|last        = Frahm
|first        = Ole
|title        = Considering MAUS. Approaches to Art Spiegelman's "Survivor's Tale" of the Holocaust by Deborah R. Geis (ed.)
|date        = May 2004
|issue        = 8
|issn        = 1780-678X
|journal      = Image & Narrative
|url          = http://www.imageandnarrative.be/inarchive/issue08/olefrahm_geis.htm
|access-date  = 2012-01-30
|archive-date = 2019-01-04
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20190104175542/http://www.imageandnarrative.be/inarchive/issue08/olefrahm_geis.htm
}}
* {{cite journal
|last      = Gardner
|first      = Jared
|title      = Before the Underground: Jay Lynch, Art Spiegelman, Skip Williamson and the Fanzine Culture of the Early 1960s
|journal    = [[Inks: The Journal of the Comics Studies Society]]
|volume    = 1
|issue      = 1
|date      = Spring 2017
|pages      = 75–99
|publisher  = [[The Ohio State University Press]]
|doi        = 10.1353/ink.2017.0005
|s2cid      = 194727887
|via        = [[Project MUSE]]
|url        = https://muse.jhu.edu/article/651965
|url-access = subscription
}}
* {{cite journal
|last=Gordon
|first=Andrew
|title=Jewish Fathers and Sons in Spiegelman's Maus and Roth's Patrimony
|journal=ImageTexT
|year=2004
|volume=1
|issue=1
|url=http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/volume1/issue1/gordon/
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051231203150/http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/volume1/issue1/gordon/
|archive-date=2005-12-31
|url-status=live
}}
* {{cite book
|last1    = Grishakova
|first1    = Marina
|last2    = Ryan
|first2    = Marie-Laure
|title    = Intermediality and Storytelling
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=V5oClRagMywC
|year      = 2010
|publisher = [[Walter de Gruyter]]
|isbn      = 978-3-11-023774-0
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Hammarlund
|first        = Ola
|title        = Urhunden: Satir och iransk kvinnoskildring får seriepris
|url          = http://urhunden.se/2007/08/08/satir-och-iransk-kvinnoskildring-far-seriepris/
|access-date  = 2012-04-27
|publisher    = [[Urhunden Prizes|Urhunden]]
|language    = sv
|date        = 2007-08-08
|archive-date = 2019-04-13
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20190413001302/http://urhunden.se/2007/08/08/satir-och-iransk-kvinnoskildring-far-seriepris/
}}
* {{cite web
|author=Harvey Awards staff
|title=1992 Harvey Award Winners
|year=1992
|publisher=[[Harvey Award]]s
|url=http://www.harveyawards.org/previous-awards-nominees/1992-harvey-awards/
|access-date=2012-01-31
 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315021003/http://www.harveyawards.org/previous-awards-nominees/1992-harvey-awards/
|archive-date=2016-03-15
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Hatfield
|first        = Charles
|chapter      = An Art of Tensions
|pages        = 132–148
|editor1-last  = Heer
|editor1-first = Jeet
|editor2-last  = Worcester
|editor2-first = Kent
|title        = A Comics Studies Reader
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=9LUYhG9qO_8C&pg=PA132
|year          = 2012
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn          = 978-1-60473-109-5
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Hatfield
|first    = Charles
|title    = Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=mWfi_GHJV0MC
|year      = 2005
|publisher = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn      = 978-1-57806-719-0
}}
* {{cite news
|last        = Hays
|first        = Matthew
|title        = Of Maus and Man: Art Spiegelman Revisits his Holocaust Classic
|newspaper    = [[The Globe and Mail]]
|date        = 2011-10-08
|url          = http://m.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/of-maus-and-man-art-spiegelman-revisits-his-holocaust-classic/article556360/
|access-date  = 2012-12-03
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150119062558/http://m.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/of-maus-and-man-art-spiegelman-revisits-his-holocaust-classic/article556360/?service=mobile
|archive-date = 2015-01-19
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Heater
|first      = Brian
|title      = Art Spiegelman On The Future of the Book
|work      = [[Publishers Weekly]]
|date      = October 11, 2011
|url      = http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/booknews/comics/article/49046-art-spiegelman-on-the-future-of-the-book.html
|access-date      = January 19, 2015
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Heer
|first    = Jeet
|title    = In Love with Art: Françoise Mouly's Adventures in Comics with Art Spiegelman
|year      = 2013
|publisher = [[Coach House Books]]
|isbn      = 978-1-77056-351-3
}}
* {{cite magazine
|first        = Jeet
|last        = Heer
|title        = The Controversy Over Muhammad Cartoons Is Not About the Prophet Muhammad
|magazine = [[The New Republic]]
|date        = 2015-06-09
|url          = https://newrepublic.com/article/121983/art-spiegelman-muhammad-cartoon-renews-debate-prophet-depiction
|access-date  = 2015-08-16
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150610074642/http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121983/art-spiegelman-muhammad-cartoon-renews-debate-prophet-depiction
|archive-date = 2015-06-10
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Heller
|first    = Steven
|title    = Design Literacy: Understanding Graphic Design
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=kf3OJK-xl7AC
|year      = 2004
|publisher = Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
|isbn      = 978-1-58115-356-9
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Hirsch
|first        = Marianne
|chapter      = Mourning and Postmemory
|pages        = [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780299251048/page/17 17]–44
|editor-last  = Chaney
|editor-first = Michael A.
|title        = Graphic Subjects: Critical Essays on Autobiography and Graphic Novels
|url          = https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780299251048
|url-access  = registration
|year        = 2011
|publisher    = [[University of Wisconsin Press]]
|isbn        = 978-0-299-25104-8
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Horowitz
|first        = Sara R.
|chapter      = Art Spiegelman
|pages        = 400–408
|editor1-last  = Shatzky
|editor1-first = Joel
|editor2-last  = Taub
|editor2-first = Michael
|title        = Contemporary Jewish-American Novelists: A Bio-Critical Sourcebook
|publisher    = [[Greenwood Publishing Group]]
|year          = 1997
|isbn          = 978-0-313-29462-4
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Jamieson
|first    = Dave
|title    = Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession
|year      = 2010
|publisher = Atlantic Monthly Press
|isbn      = 978-0-8021-1939-1
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Kannenberg
|first        = Gene Jr.
|chapter      = 'I Looked Just Like Rudolph Valentino': Identity and Representation in ''Maus''
|pages        = 79–89
|title        = The Graphic Novel
|editor-last  = Baetens
|editor-first = Jan
|publisher    = Leuven University Press
|year        = 2001
|isbn        = 978-90-5867-109-7
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Kannenberg
|first        = Gene Jr.
|chapter      = A Conversation with Art Spiegelman
|pages        = 238–262
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR238
|year        = 2007
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Kaplan
|first      = Arie
|chapter    = Art Spiegelman
|pages      = 99–124
|title      = Masters of the Comic Book Universe Revealed!
|chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aD5iqc89tFcC&pg=PA99
|year        = 2006
|publisher  = [[Independent Publishers Group#Chicago Review Press|Chicago Review Press]]
|isbn        = 978-1-55652-633-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Kaplan
|first    = Arie
|title    = From Krakow to Krypton: Jews and Comic Books
|publisher = [[Jewish Publication Society]]
|year      = 2008
|isbn      = 978-0-8276-0843-6
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Keller
|first      = Richard
|title      = The Simpsons: Husbands and Knives
|url      = http://www.aoltv.com/2007/11/18/the-simpsons-husbands-and-knives/
|date      = 2007-11-18
|work      = [[The Huffington Post]]
|access-date      = 2014-10-14
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Kensky
|first        = Eitan
|title        = Art Spiegelman Struggles With Success
|date        = 2012-11-08
|work        = [[The Forward]]
|url          = http://forward.com/the-assimilator/165511/art-spiegelman-struggles-with-success
|access-date  = 2015-08-17
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150817005330/http://forward.com/the-assimilator/165511/art-spiegelman-struggles-with-success/
|archive-date = 2015-08-17
}}
* {{Cite web
|last        = Kois
|first        = Dan
|title        = The Making of 'Maus'
|date        = 2011-12-02
|work        = [[The New York Times]]
|url          = https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/books/review/the-making-of-maus.html
|access-date  = 2012-01-27
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20111205003021/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/books/review/the-making-of-maus.html
|archive-date = 2011-12-05
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Krayewski
|first        = Ed
|title        = Art Spiegelman Pulls New Statesman Cover Because It Wouldn't Print a Cartoon Featuring Mohammed: 'Death by a thousand buts'
|date        = 2015-06-03
|work        = [[Reason (magazine)|Reason]]
|url          = http://reason.com/blog/2015/06/03/art-spiegelman-pulls-new-statesman-cover
|access-date  = 2015-08-16
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150606060219/http://reason.com/blog/2015/06/03/art-spiegelman-pulls-new-statesman-cover
|archive-date = 2015-06-06
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Kuskin
|first        = William
|chapter      = Vulgar Metaphysicians: William S. Burroughs, Alan Moore, Art Spiegelman, and the Medium of the Book
|pages        = 49–77
|title        = Intermediality and Storytelling
|editor1-last  = Grishakova
|editor1-first = Marina
|editor2-last  = Ryan
|editor2-first = Marie-Laure
|editor2-link  = Marie-Laure Ryan
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=lYUYCe-4neMC&pg=PA49
|year          = 2010
|publisher    = Walter de Gruyter
|isbn          = 978-3-11-023773-3
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Liss
|first    = Andrea
|title    = Trespassing Through Shadows: Memory, Photography, and the Holocaust
|publisher = [[University of Minnesota Press]]
|year      = 1998
|isbn      = 978-0-8166-3060-8
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Loman
|first        = Andrew
|chapter      = "That Mouse's Shadow": The Canonization of Spiegelman's ''Maus''
|pages        = 210–235
|editor1-last  = Williams
|editor1-first = Paul
|editor2-last  = Lyons
|editor2-first = James
|title        = The Rise of the American Comics Artist: Creators and Contexts
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=902nWnHSXp0C&pg=PA210
|access-date  = 2012-06-11
|year          = 2010
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn          = 978-1-60473-792-9
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Mendelsohn
|first        = Ezra
|chapter      = Jewish Universalism: Some Visual Texts and Subtexts
|pages        = 163–184
|title        = Key Texts in American Jewish Culture
|editor-last  = Kugelmass
|editor-first = Jack
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=2EXMH9rxlQoC&pg=PA163
|year        = 2003
|publisher    = [[Rutgers University Press]]
|isbn        = 978-0-8135-3221-9
}}
* {{cite web
|last        = Meyers
|first        = Julia M.
|title        = Great Lives from History: Jewish Americans: Art Spiegelman
|year        = 2011
|url          = http://salempress.com/store/samples/great_lives_from_history_jewish/great_lives_from_history_jewish_spiegelman.htm
|publisher    = Salem Press
|access-date  = 2012-04-18
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110820212345/http://salempress.com/Store/samples/great_lives_from_history_jewish/great_lives_from_history_jewish_spiegelman.htm
|archive-date = 2011-08-20
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Mulman
|first        = Lisa Naomi
|chapter      = A Tale of Two Mice: Graphic Representations of the Jew in Holocaust Narrative
|pages        = 85–93
|editor1-last  = Baskind
|editor1-first = Samantha
|editor2-last  = Omer-Sherman
|editor2-first = Ranen
|title        = The Jewish Graphic Novel: Critical Approaches
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=arH19YKGJawC&pg=PA86
|access-date  = 2012-06-11
|year          = 2010
|publisher    = Rutgers University Press
|isbn          = 978-0-8135-4775-6
}}
* {{Cite episode
|last        = Naughtie
|first      = James
|title      = Art Spiegelman
|series      = Bookclub
|series-link = Bookclub (radio)
|url        = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bkym0
|station    = [[BBC Radio 4]]
|date        = 2012-02-05
|access-date = 2014-01-18
}}
* {{cite web
|author      = Publishers Weekly staff
|title      = Children's Book Review: Open Me...I'm a Dog! by Art Spiegelman
|date        = 1995
|work        = [[Publishers Weekly]]
|url        = http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-027320-0
|access-date = 14 October 2014
}}
* {{cite web
|author      = Publishers Weekly staff
|title      = Children's Book Review: Jack and the Box by Art Spiegelman
|date        = 2008
|work        = [[Publishers Weekly]]
|url        = http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-9799238-3-8
|access-date = 14 October 2014
}}
* {{cite web
|author      = Pulitzer Prizes staff
|title      = Special Awards and Citations
|work        = The Pulitzer Prizes
|url        = http://www.pulitzer.org/bycat/Special-Awards-and-Citations
|access-date = 2013-11-02
|ref        = {{SfnRef|Pulitzer Prizes staff}}
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Randle
|first      = Chris
|title      = Book Review: Co-Mix, by Art Spiegelman
|date      = 2013-09-27
|work      = [[National Post]]
|url      = http://news.nationalpost.com/arts/books/book-reviews/book-review-co-mix-by-art-spiegelman
|access-date      = 2015-05-04
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Reid
|first        = Calvin
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR263
|year        = 2007
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
|chapter      = Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly: The Literature of Comics
|pages        = 223–229
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Rothberg
|first    = Michael
|title    = Traumatic Realism: The Demands of Holocaust Representation
|publisher = [[University of Minnesota Press]]
|year      = 2000
|isbn      = 978-0-8166-3459-0
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Shandler
|first        = Jeffrey
|chapter      = Art Spiegelman: The Complete ''Maus''
|pages        = 337–341
|title        = The Social Scientific Study of Jewry: Sources, Approaches, Debates
|editor-last  = Rebhun
|editor-first = Uzi
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=0s_QAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA337
|year        = 2014
|publisher    = [[Oxford University Press]]
|isbn        = 978-0-19-936349-0
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Smith
|first        = Graham
|chapter      = From Mickey to ''Maus'': Recalling the Genocide Through Cartoon
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|year        = 2007
|orig-date    = 1987
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
|pages        = 84–94
|ref          = {{SfnRef|Smith|1987}} }} (Originally in ''Oral History Journal'' {{Abbr|Vol.|Volume}} 15, Spring 1987)
* {{cite web
|last        = Solomon
|first        = Alisa
|title        = The Haus of Maus: Art Spiegelman's twitchy irreverence
|date        = 2014-08-27
|work        = [[The Nation]]
|url          = http://www.thenation.com/article/181390/haus-maus
|access-date  = 2015-05-04
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20150220091106/http://www.thenation.com/article/181390/haus-maus
|archive-date = 2015-02-20
}}
* {{cite book
|last        = Spiegelman
|first        = Art
|title        = MetaMAUS
|editor-first = Hillary
|editor-last  = Chute
|year        = 2011
|publisher    = [[Viking Press]]
|isbn        = 978-0-670-91683-2
}}
* {{cite web
|last      = Teicholz
|first      = Tom
|title      = The 'Maus' that Roared
|url      = http://www.jewishjournal.com/tommywood/article/the_maus_that_roared_20081225
|date      = 2008-12-25
|work      = JewishJournal.com
|access-date      = 2012-12-06
}}
* {{cite magazine
|author      = ''Time'' staff
|title        = Art Spiegelman - The 2005 Time 100
|url          = http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1972656_1972696_1973311,00.html
|magazine      = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]
|date        = 2005-04-18
|access-date  = 2012-06-11
|ref          = {{SfnRef|Time staff|2005}}
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100618210323/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1972656_1972696_1973311,00.html
|archive-date = June 18, 2010
}}
* {{cite web
|last=Traini
|first=Rinaldo
|title=15° SALONE, 1982
|publisher=Immagine-Centro Studi Iconografici
|year=1982
|url=http://www.immaginecentrostudi.org/saloni/salone15.asp
|language=it
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227033314/http://www.immaginecentrostudi.org/saloni/salone15.asp
|archive-date=2011-02-27
|url-status=live
}}
* {{cite magazine
|last        = Weiss
|first      = Sasha
|title      = Art Spiegelman Discusses Maurice Sendak
|date        = 2012-05-09
|url        = http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/05/art-spiegelman-discusses-maurice-sendak.html
|access-date = 2012-12-05
|magazine    = [[The New Yorker]]
}}
* {{cite book
|last      = Witek
|first    = Joseph
|title    = Comic Books as History: The Narrative Art of Jack Jackson, Art Spiegelman, and Harvey Pekar
|publisher = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|year      = 1989
|isbn      = 978-0-87805-406-0
}}
* {{cite book
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR17
|year        = 2007
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
|pages        = ix–xvi
|chapter      = Introduction
|ref          = {{SfnRef|Witek|2007a}}
}}
* {{cite book
|editor-last  = Witek
|editor-first = Joseph
|title        = Art Spiegelman: Conversations
|chapter-url  = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKd1aGW7EMoC&pg=PR17
|year        = 2007
|publisher    = [[University Press of Mississippi]]
|isbn        = 978-1-934110-12-6
|pages        = xvii–xiii
|chapter      = Chronology
|ref          = {{SfnRef|Witek|2007b}}
}}
* {{cite book
|last          = Zuk
|first        = Tanya Z.
|title        = Icons of the American Comic Book: From Captain America to Wonder Woman
|editor1-last  = Duncan
|editor1-first = Randy
|editor2-last  = Smith
|editor2-first = Matthew J.
|url          = https://books.google.com/books?id=2GNaoeiY51EC&pg=PA697
|date          = 2013
|publisher    = [[ABC-CLIO]]
|isbn          = 978-0-313-39923-7
|pages        = 697–707
}}
{{Refend}}
 
==Further reading==
 
* {{cite book
|author    = The Topps Company Inc.
|title    = Wacky Packages
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=EPdcHwAACAAJ
|year      = 2008
|publisher = [[Harry N. Abrams]]
|isbn      = 978-0-8109-9531-4}}
* {{cite book
|author    = The Topps Company Inc.
|title    = Garbage Pail Kids
|url      = https://books.google.com/books?id=_IEHywAACAAJ
|year      = 2012
|publisher = [[Harry N. Abrams]]
|isbn      = 978-1-4197-0270-9}}
 
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|d=Q325945|c=category:Art Spiegelman|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|wikt=no|s=no|species=no}}
* {{C-SPAN|91955}}
* [https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/spiegelman.htm Lambiek Comiclopedia article.]
 
{{Art Spiegelman|state=expanded}}
{{Underground comix cartoonists}}
{{Inkpot Award 1980s}}
{{PulitzerPrize SpecialCitations Letters}}
{{American Book Awards}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Comics|New York City|Sweden}}
{{Authority control (arts)|country=SV}}
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spiegelman, Art}}
[[Category:20th-century American artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American Jews]]
[[Category:20th-century American writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American artists]]
[[Category:21st-century American Jews]]
[[Category:21st-century American writers]]
[[Category:Academy of Art University faculty]]
[[Category:Alternative cartoonists]]
[[Category:American Book Award winners]]
[[Category:American comic book editors]]
[[Category:American comic strip cartoonists]]
[[Category:American comics artists]]
[[Category:American comics writers]]
[[Category:American graphic novelists]]
[[Category:American postmodern writers]]
[[Category:American writers about the Holocaust]]
[[Category:Jewish American comics creators]]
[[Category:Jewish American novelists]]
[[Category:American people of Polish-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Artists from New York City]]
[[Category:Artists from Stockholm]]
[[Category:Comics critics]]
[[Category:Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême winners]]
[[Category:Harpur College alumni]]
[[Category:High School of Art and Design alumni]]
[[Category:Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters]]
[[Category:Novelists from New York (state)]]
[[Category:People from Rego Park, Queens]]
[[Category:Pulitzer Prize winners]]
[[Category:Raw (magazine)]]
[[Category:The New Yorker people]]
[[Category:Underground cartoonists]]
[[Category:Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Writers from Queens, New York]]
[[Category:Writers from Stockholm]]
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Revision as of 19:16, 26 November 2024

Art Spiegelman

Art Spiegelman (born Itzhak Avraham ben Zeev on February 15, 1948) is an American cartoonist, editor, and comics advocate best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel Maus. His work has been instrumental in legitimizing comics as a serious art form, and his influence spans multiple genres, from underground comics to mainstream publications. Through his career, Spiegelman has explored complex themes such as history, memory, trauma, and identity.

Early Life and Education

Art Spiegelman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Polish Jewish parents Vladek and Anja Spiegelman, both Holocaust survivors. The family immigrated to the United States in 1951, settling in Rego Park, Queens, New York. Growing up, Spiegelman was deeply influenced by comic books, particularly Mad Magazine, and began drawing at a young age.

He attended the High School of Art and Design in Manhattan and later enrolled at Binghamton University but left before completing his degree. During his college years, Spiegelman began to experiment with comics, contributing to underground publications.

Career Beginnings

In the 1960s and 1970s, Spiegelman emerged as a key figure in the underground comics movement, contributing to publications such as The East Village Other and Bijou Funnies. His early work, characterized by its irreverence and experimentation, included strips that explored taboo subjects, blending humor and social commentary.

During this time, he also worked as an editor and designer for Topps, creating iconic trading card series like Wacky Packages and Garbage Pail Kids.

Maus: A Landmark Achievement

Spiegelman began working on Maus in the late 1970s. Serialized initially in the magazine RAW, which he co-edited with his wife Françoise Mouly, Maus was later published as a two-volume graphic novel (Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History in 1986 and Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began in 1991).

Maus is a groundbreaking memoir that recounts his father Vladek’s experiences as a Polish Jew during the Holocaust, juxtaposed with Spiegelman’s own struggles to understand his family's trauma. In the book, Jews are depicted as mice, Nazis as cats, and other groups as various animals, creating a stark allegorical framework.

The work received widespread critical acclaim for its innovative storytelling, historical depth, and emotional resonance. In 1992, Maus became the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize, cementing its place in literary and artistic history.

Themes and Impact of Maus

Maus tackles themes of survival, generational trauma, memory, and the complexities of familial relationships. It has been lauded not only as a historical account of the Holocaust but also as a deeply personal exploration of identity and guilt. The use of the graphic novel format allowed Spiegelman to convey these themes in a way that was both accessible and profoundly impactful.

The success of Maus helped elevate the perception of comics as a medium capable of serious and sophisticated storytelling. It is now studied in schools and universities worldwide.

Later Work

After the success of Maus, Spiegelman continued to contribute to the cultural and artistic discourse. He worked on various projects, including:

  • Cover Art for The New Yorker: From 1992 to 2002, Spiegelman contributed iconic covers, including the controversial September 24, 2001 issue depicting a black-on-black silhouette of the Twin Towers.
  • In the Shadow of No Towers (2004): A graphic memoir reflecting on the September 11 attacks and its aftermath, blending historical imagery with personal narrative.
  • Co-Editing RAW: With Françoise Mouly, Spiegelman helped showcase experimental comics and emerging talent through the avant-garde anthology series.

Artistic Style and Philosophy

Spiegelman’s work is characterized by its layered storytelling, visual innovation, and willingness to tackle complex, often uncomfortable subjects. He often uses comics to blur the boundaries between personal and political narratives, making his work both deeply intimate and universally relevant.

Personal Life

Art Spiegelman married Françoise Mouly, a French artist, designer, and editor, in 1977. The couple has two children, Nadja and Dashiell. Mouly has been a significant collaborator in Spiegelman’s career, particularly through her work on RAW and other publishing ventures.

Spiegelman has been outspoken about freedom of expression, advocating for the artistic and intellectual potential of comics as a medium. He has also expressed concerns about censorship and the challenges faced by creators in the modern publishing landscape.

Awards and Recognition

  • Pulitzer Prize for Maus (1992)
  • Angoulême International Comics Festival Grand Prix (2011)
  • Eisner Awards for his contributions to comics
  • National Book Critics Circle nomination

Legacy

Art Spiegelman’s work has had a transformative impact on the comics industry, redefining what the medium can achieve. His contributions have inspired countless artists and writers to explore challenging themes and experiment with new narrative forms. Maus remains a touchstone for discussions on memory, trauma, and the Holocaust, while Spiegelman himself is celebrated as one of the most influential cartoonists of the modern era.

Selected Works

  • Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History (1986)
  • Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began (1991)
  • In the Shadow of No Towers (2004)
  • Contributions to RAW Magazine
  • Various covers and art for The New Yorker

Art Spiegelman continues to be a vocal advocate for comics and graphic novels, challenging audiences to see the medium as a legitimate and powerful form of artistic expression.

Retrieved from "https://cartoonwiki.toonsmag.org/index.php?title=Art_Spiegelman&oldid=160"