Pictured: Ted Geisel
The Art of Dr. Seuss is arriving at the iconic d’Arenberg Cube, bringing a rare look into the secret world of one of history’s most imaginative minds for a limited season of whimsy and nostalgia. Harvey Galleries, supported by Art Evolution and the d’Arenberg Cube, is bringing The Art of Dr. Seuss exhibition back to South Australia for the first time in over 15 years. Running from November 22nd to April 26th, the exhibition will take place inside the Modern Masters Marquee beside the iconic Cube, creating a fantastical setting befitting for Dr. Seuss’ creativity.
For more than six decades, Dr. Seuss transformed the childhoods all over the world with illustrations that built entire universes filled with impossible creatures, peculiar places and a sense of joy found only in the pages of his books. Beyond the stories generations grew up with, Theodor Seuss Geisel was quietly building a different artistic legacy behind the scenes. Hidden away within the Seuss Estate for years was a secret body of work. Consisting of bright paintings, sculptural experiments and playful, often surreal pieces, collectively known as his Secret Art. These were artworks created late at night, purely for his own enjoyment.
The upcoming exhibition will showcase a curated selection from this collection, as well as artworks inspired by his beloved children’s books. Visitors will be able to explore and even acquire estate-authorised limited editions, each adapted from Geisel’s original drawings, sculptures or paintings and bearing a posthumously printed or engraved signature. Among the highlights are his delightfully odd three-dimensional ‘Unorthodox Taxidermy’ sculptures with names like Carbonic Walrus, Powerless Pufferfish and Flaming Herring.
For those who grew up tracing the stripes of a certain hat, Ted’s cat makes frequent appearances, too. Dr. Seuss often sketched himself as The Cat Behind the Hat, and feline figures slip mischievously into many of his Secret Art works, as well as early advertising illustrations where a silent cat bystander watched the world unfold.
For decades, despite overwhelming demand, no limited-edition artworks were ever produced during Geisel’s lifetime. It wasn’t until 1997, six years after his passing, that the estate began the careful process of adapting and releasing authorised editions, an effort his widow Audrey Geisel said honoured her husband’s wish for these works to finally be seen. In her preface to the book The Cat Behind the Hat, she wrote that seeing these pieces shared with the world was a fulfilling continuation of his vision.
Christopher Talbot, President of Art Evolution, shared, “It is such a privilege to work with Harvey Galleries to bring the Art of Dr Seuss to d’Arenberg. It has been almost 20 years since the last South Australian exhibition. Generations of us grew up learning to read through the numerous Dr Seuss books and illustrations, but what most do not know about are the ‘midnight paintings’, these Secret artworks that he created for his own pleasure and never showed during his lifetime, many of which will be on display.”
This exhibition invites visitors to rediscover Theodor Seuss Geisel not just as the creator of childhood favourites, but as a boundary-pushing artist with a wildly inventive inner world.
The Art of Dr. Seuss
When: November 22nd, 2025 to April 26th, 2026
Where: 58 Osborn Rd, McLaren Vale SA 5171
For more information, click here.
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