“It was all started by a mouse,” Walt Disney said of his incredible legacy. In 2019, as the world continues to celebrate 90 years since the film debut of Mickey Mouse, the magic of his characters lives on in blockbuster movies like Dumbo , Aladdin and The Lion King . What was once a tiny black-and-white sketch has spawned into a global phenomenon that has touched the hearts of billions of people worldwide. When Steamboat Willie premiered at New York’s Colony Theatre in 1928, it was the first animated film with a synchronised soundtrack. A move to technicolour in 1935 was a sign of even greater things to come; in total, Walt received a record- breaking 32 Academy Awards and paved the way for artists from every genre. In addition to founding the California Institute of the Arts, he inspired artists as varied as Keith Haring, Jeff Koons and Andy Warhol. Following on from collaborations with brands like Gucci, the new project between Disney and Castle Fine Art has been specially curated to commemorate
the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse. It was created by Tim Rogerson, the official artist of Disney’s first-ever D23 Expo in 2009 and Disneyland’s 60th anniversary in 2016. Featuring Mickey Mouse and his grumpy counterpart Donald Duck in a Cubist style and Basquiat colour scheme, the selection of limited edition and original artworks is a testament to the lasting legacy of Walt Disney. The motion of each piece brings it to life, as if watching the original animation on a cinema screen. Applying his childhood adoration of Disney to every brushstroke, Tim adds: “My father taught me how to draw Mickey when I was five, and I’ve wanted to be a Disney artist ever since. I was hooked.” The story behind the creation of Mickey – that of Walt thinking him up on a train home to Los Angeles after a failed business meeting – is part of his eternal charm. Throughout America’s Great Depression, he became a symbol of hope. Now, he continues to inspire another generation of people who want to experience the magic of Disney.
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