“[C]reating a work of art that is both political and devoid of cynicism is a tricky prospect. Maira Kalman doesn’t back down, though: her new book, And the Pursuit of Happiness, is unabashedly optimistic, thoughtful, and at times earnest… These little journeys—from the inauguration to an army base in Kentucky to Thanksgiving in California and the year’s end in Manhattan—are pitch-perfect, gentle and funny and beautifully drawn.” — NEW YORKER.com
“[A] lushly painted romp through the fringes of democracy… The deliberate warmth and obsessive everyday-ness of Kalman’s work means that it’s often labeled "whimsical," a precious term that belies its deeper value.” — THE WASHINGTON POST
“It’s hard not to be heartened by Kalman’s tenacious pursuit of happiness, conveyed in irregularly capitalized handwritten text interspersed with photographs, sketches and cheerful, color-saturated gouache paintings that evoke Matisse, especially, in their predilection for vivid reds, pinks, greens and yellows. It all adds up to a refreshing, unorthodox, upbeat—and most welcome—tribute to America.” — NPR.org
“Perhaps Kalman’s greatest gift is that her work embodies both the ironic and the earnest at their best, at the place where they come together and create lyrical, personal truth. She is such a magnanimous artist. She invites us, welcomes us, into the most intimate, unprotected place of all: daydreams. Who can resist her?”
