Exhibition <Picture Books Come Alive!>

Planned by TRIC and co-organized with SOMA, Exhibition <Picture Books Come Alive!> will be held at SOMA Museum of Art Hall 2 in Olympic Park, Songpa-gu, from April 17 to September 6, 2026. Designed as an ideal destination for weekend family outings and indoor cultural experiences, the exhibition invites visitors into the living world of picture books. Spanning from the era of World War II to the present day, the exhibition explores picture books chronologically as a visual language that has continuously reflected shifting social values, emotions, and cultural imagination—and as a living form of art. In collaboration with the Michelson Gallery in the United States, approximately 141 original illustrations by nine internationally acclaimed picture book artists will be presented in Korea for the first time, including Maurice Sendak, Ian Falconer, R.W. Alley, Robin Preiss Glasser, Jerry Pinkney, Gerald McDermott, Timothy Marwood, Rosemary Wells, and Marc Brown. Each artist’s distinctive visual language and delicate craftsmanship are further expanded through TRIC’s immersive content and media art, creating a multi-layered experience that encourages visitors to engage more deeply with the artistic language of picture books. From internationally beloved classics such as Where the Wild Things Are, Arrow to the Sun, and Fancy Nancy to iconic characters including Thomas & Friends, Paddington Bear, Olivia, and Max & Ruby, visitors will encounter works that have been cherished across generations. Together, these stories reveal how picture books transcend children’s literature to become an artistic medium reflecting the aesthetics and ideas of each era. For families, the exhibition offers a meaningful opportunity to nurture children’s artistic sensibility and global cultural awareness through high-quality arts education. For adult visitors, it provides a restorative space of nostalgia and reflection—a chance to reconnect with stories and emotions often forgotten in everyday life. Follow the rhythm of images, color, and storytelling, and rediscover the value of stories that can be enjoyed together across generations. This weekend, take a walk through Olympic Park with family, friends, or loved ones, and experience firsthand the emotional resonance of original illustrations that have shaped imaginations around the world at SOMA Museum of Art.