A New Publication for a New Museum
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is set to open in Los Angeles on September 22. To mark this date, the institution has collaborated with the art publisher Taschen to release a multi-volume collection focused on the history of visual storytelling. This project is intended to serve as the core reference point for the museum's inaugural exhibition lineup.
George Lucas and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro contributed commentary to the texts. Curator Ryan Linkof wrote the introduction for the collection. The books cover a range of formats, including painting, illustration, photography, comics, and film. Rather than following a rigid timeline, the project arranges work by theme, grouping different types of art to show connections between creators and eras.
Broadening the Scope of Narrative Art
Artists featured in the collection include Norman Rockwell, Thomas Hart Benton, Frank Frazetta, Maxfield Parrish, Jessie Willcox Smith, and N.C. Wyeth. The range of media highlighted reflects the museum’s intent to show how images influence memory and imagination across different cultures and centuries. This is an ambitious attempt to codify the language of visual storytelling for a new public audience.
A significant portion of the book project details the design process behind the Star Wars universe. It pairs original production art and concept paintings with physical costumes and vehicles that saw use on screen. This specific focus provides insight into how a major pop-culture phenomenon translates design concepts into finished visual products.
Architecture and Community Context
The museum building sits in Exposition Park in Los Angeles. Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD and Stantec, the structure covers 300,000 square feet over five stories. The site includes a 13-acre campus designed by Mia Lehrer of Studio-MLA. This area serves as a green space meant for public gathering and educational programming.
The institution was founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson. It aims to connect local communities with art that carries emotional weight. With the opening date approaching next month, the museum position itself as both a local resource and a destination for studying the evolution of narrative art in its many forms. Future visitors will look to this publication as a guide for understanding the museum's permanent mission.