I Know Why They Left is a new series of drawings by the 2017 Artist-in-Residence Joan Jonas, centered on the vast array of mythical and archetypal animals present in the Museum’s collection.
Drawn from lace, stone, metal, wood, tapestries, and paintings, the animal figures allude to the importance of nature’s life-force and our disruptive human presence. Jonas’s ability to conjure wonder, fear, and humor through poetic images are just some of the reasons why her work has a magical effect on us.