Archives’ Newest Exhibit Showcases Cartoonist’s Work

Have you seen the Library’s current exhibit of cartoonist Jeff MacNelly’s work, Lines of Laughter? MacNelly was born in New York in 1947, and from an early age, his parents instilled in him a love of comic strips by reading him Pogo at bedtime. As an adult, he became a renowned cartoonist who won three Pulitzer Prizes, among multiple other accolades, for his iconic political cartoons. He also created the much-beloved comic strip Shoe and panel comic Pluggers. He passed away in the year 2000. In the early 2000s, MacNelly’s widow generously donated a collection of giclée prints representing the breadth and depth of his career to the Emerson College Archives and Special Collections (ECASC). 

MacNelly adeptly satirized both sides of the US political aisle in his cartoons, using humor to lower defenses and encourage thoughtful discourse. With politics on the forefront of many minds in 2024 and Emerson having a thriving Comedic Arts major, ECASC staff felt it was the perfect time to showcase how comedy and art can stimulate reflection and conversation on current issues.

Moreover, ECASC aimed to highlight the evolution of artistic creation. In the 1990s, with the assistance of cartoonist Chris Cassatt, MacNelly became one of the first American cartoonists  to adopt the Wacom tablet and stylus for creating his work. With so much of today’s art being created digitally, it is easy to forget that this relatively new technology has transformed how we create and experience art.

The exhibit came together over a period of two months. I researched and wrote informational text on MacNelly’s life and multifaceted career for the display panels, which Elizabeth Apple (Iwasaki Library) designed. I also selected artwork that reflects the richness of MacNelly’s career, including political cartoons, comic strips, and panel comics. 

Given the extensive collection of donated images, only a small subset of curated items could be displayed. The exhibit opened in August 2024 and is located on the third floor of the Walker Building in the Iwasaki Library. ECASC will showcase new images in January 2025, ensuring that community members can engage with even more of MacNelly’s extraordinary work until the exhibit is removed in the summer of 2025.

Jenn Williams (Archives and Special Collections)