“Star Wars” creator George Lucas made his first appearance at Comic-Con International in San Diego over the weekend, giving thousands of fans a sneak peek at his forthcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, set to open in Los Angeles next year.
“This is sort of a temple to the people’s art,” Lucas, 81, said on Sunday while speaking on a panel with veteran production designer Doug Chiang and Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who serves on the board of the museum.
“This museum is dedicated to the idea that ... any kind of story that is written to affect people and to build community is extremely important to society,” the “Indiana Jones” creator said elsewhere during the conversation.
“Art illustrates that story, and that’s the right hand of building a community, is you need the art to make it seem real.”
Lucas first announced the project back in 2017. According to a July 27 press release, the museum will serve as “the world’s first institution dedicated to the exploration of narrative art, celebrating illustrated storytelling across eras and cultures, from ancient cave drawings and children’s book illustrations to comic books and digital media.”
Lucas co-founded the museum with his wife, Mellody Hobson. Once opened, it will showcase a variety of narrative artworks from the award-winning filmmaker’s extensive 40,000-piece art collection, including the first-ever “Flash Gordon” comic strip and original “Peanuts” strips dating back to the 1950s and 1960s.
During the discussion, the panel’s moderator, singer Queen Latifah, revealed that Lucas had been stockpiling his vast repertoire of artworks for more than 50 years.
“I’ve been collecting art since I was in college,” Lucas told the audience at Comic-Con. “I couldn’t really afford real art. I love all art, no matter what it is, but I could afford comic art because in those days it was underground.”
The new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be housed in Los Angeles’s Exposition Park, located across the street from the University of Southern California.
In addition to the gallery spaces, the 300,000-square-foot facility, which was designed by renowned architect Ma Yansong, will feature two theaters, a retail store, a library, a café, a restaurant, and several event spaces.
Chiang, the senior vice president of Lucasfilm, praised Lucas and Hobson for exposing younger generations to the art of visual storytelling.
“Comic art and magazine illustration were kind of looked down upon, but it was a way for me to enjoy art, and it invited me to learn more about art,” he shared.
“What I love about what George and Mellody are doing with this museum is they are acknowledging and giving respect to artists who really haven’t been highlighted before.”
