Comprehensive exhibition guest-curated by Disney Legend Andreas Deja takes an in-depth look at the legacy of Walt’s groundbreaking final animated film
San Francisco, March 1, 2022—The Walt Disney Family Museum is delighted to announce its next major special exhibition, Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece, in celebration of the beloved Disney animated classic’s 55th anniversary. Guest-curated by acclaimed animator and Disney Legend Andreas Deja, Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece will debut Summer 2022 in the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall.
This original exhibition will explore the creative complexities behind the making of The Jungle Book (1967), including each character’s unique personality and voice actor counterparts, the rich artwork and use of cutting-edge animation techniques, the memorable soundtrack of original songs by the Sherman Brothers and Terry Gilkyson, the impact of Walt’s passing during production, and the film’s enduring popularity and influence decades after its release.
Running concurrently with this exhibition, the museum will also present its first Cause Awareness exhibition, Creative Conservation: The Art of Endangered Animals, in the Lower Lobby and Theater Gallery. In partnership with five wildlife sanctuaries located around the world, the exhibition will be free to view for all museum ticketholders, and will feature abstract and pawprint creations by rescued and rehabilitated animals, complemented by wildlife-inspired artwork by Deja. All works will be available to purchase through the museum’s website, with proceeds supporting the wildlife sanctuaries.
ABOUT ANDREAS DEJA
After seeing The Jungle Book (1967) as a child, Andreas Deja remembers immediately writing to The Walt Disney Studios and asking for a job as an animator. In 1980, he was encouraged to apply upon showing his work to one of Walt’s Nine Old Men, Eric Larson. Deja went on to do early character design, costume research, and animation for The Black Cauldron (1985), The Great Mouse Detective (1986), and Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). He also oversaw the animation of King Triton in The Little Mermaid (1989), and served as the supervising animator for such infamous Disney villains as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast (1991), Jafar in Aladdin (1992), and Scar in The Lion King (1994). He was then given the opportunity to create some much-loved heroes and heroines, including the titular character in Hercules (1997), Lilo of Lilo & Stitch (2002), and Mama Odie in The Princess and the Frog (2009). In 2007, Deja was honored with the Winsor McKay Award from ASIFA-Hollywood, the International Animated Film Society, and was later named a Disney Legend in 2015. The Walt Disney Family Museum celebrated his prolific career with the exhibition Deja View: The Art of Andreas Deja in 2017. Deja is currently working on Mushka, his own independent animated short film.
ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM
The Walt Disney Family Museum presents the fascinating story and achievements of Walt Disney, the man who raised animation to an artform, transformed the film industry, tirelessly pursued innovation, and created a global, yet distinctively American legacy. Opened in October 2009, the 40,000-square-foot facility features innovative technology alongside a vast collection of historic materials and artifacts that bring Disney’s achievements to life. There is a myriad of interactive galleries, which present early drawings and animation, movies, music, listening stations, a spectacular model of Disneyland, and much more. The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in the scenic Presidio of San Francisco.
The Walt Disney Family Museum has created many world-class, original exhibitions, such as Disney and Dalí: Architects of the Imagination; MAGIC, COLOR, FLAIR: The World of Mary Blair; Water to Paper, Paint to Sky: The Art of Tyrus Wong; Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World; and The Walt Disney Studios and World War II, several of which have traveled to other museums around the world. Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book: Making a Masterpiece is the 34th special exhibition hosted by the museum since 2012, and will be on view Summer 2022 in the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall.
Hours:
The Walt Disney Family Museum is open Thursdays through Sundays: 10am to 5:30pm, with last entry at 4:30pm. Closed Mondays through Wednesdays and on the following public holidays: January 1, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25.
Where:
The Presidio of San Francisco, 104 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94129.
Tickets:
Main Museum ticket: $25 adults; $20 seniors & students: $15 youth.
Special Exhibition ticket: TBA
Museum admission is free for members, children under 5, and active and retired military personnel, as well as their spouses/dependents with valid ID.
