With artworks from one of the most decorated picture books of the 21st century. Artist Kadir Nelson won the 2020 Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for his realist paintings, and author Kwame Alexander received a Newbery Honor for the text.
The Undefeated powerfully unites Nelson’s illustrations with Alexander’s poem about courage and perseverance. Nelson portrays American heroes, past and present, alongside individuals whose names may be lost to history but whose efforts in the fight for human equality live on. He paints figures from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement, and the countless African American activists, artists, athletes, musicians, and writers whose contributions have been instrumental in forming American culture.
Against stark white backgrounds, Nelson’s paintings transport readers across generations. He makes connections between the racist killings of yesterday—the four girls murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of 1963—to the police killings of today, represented by a community street memorial. With each turn of the page, Nelson’s figures emerge from the shadows of the past. The book concludes with a radiant image of smiling children.
Thu & Fri 10am - 4pm
Sat 10am - 5pm
Sun 12pm - 5pm
Purchasing Museum admission in advance on Eventbrite is highly recommended, as visitor capacity is reduced.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 West Bay Road
Amherst, MA
42.321098664461, -72.5329901
The Undefeated: An Exhibition of Original Paintings by Kadir Nelson
