Artist/Illustrator and Los Angeles local, Joey Chou, has collaborated on several projects with the likes of Cartoon Network, Disney, and Laika House, for starters, and is currently a designer for Nickelodeon Animation. In addition to his love for animation, the artist holds a soft spot for illustrating children's books, including his self-published "Crazy By the Letters: Mental Problems From A-Z".  The book takes the reader through a morbidly humorous alphabet of mental illnesses, each of which are accompanied by one of Joey's light-hearted illustrations. Most recently, Chou has lent his intricate, captivating designs to Disney Publishing's latest release: "It's A Small World". The artist gives a charming and modern spin to the classic while staying true to the vision of the original book. Chou describes his experience working on "Small World" as "A dream project and personal triumph. It has been a great pleasure working on the book and I hope that everyone enjoys it." 

Chou has always drawn influence from the work of artists of the 1950's and 1960's, especially that of Mary Blair, who was primarily responsible for the Disney Park attraction's whimsical style and design. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the happiest cruise to ever set sail 'round the world and on September 17th, Joey Chou will join forces with Nucleus to present IT'S A SMALL WORLD, a delightful exhibition that features an impressive roster of 45 artists who pay a well deserved homage to this iconic attraction.

 
Did you know?

The Disneyland version of the "It's A Small World" ride features over 400 dolls that represent 7 regions of the globe: North America, Africa, Asia, the Arctic, the Southern Seas and Europe. All of the dolls were crafted with identical faces by "Small World" designer, Mary Blair, to stress the attraction's concept of peace and equality among different cultures.





The single most widely translated and globally performed song of all time, "It's A Small World (after all)" made its debut on May 28, 1966 as Disney Parks celebrated the attraction's grand opening. This anthem for global unity (and song you can't ever forget) was created by two of Disney's most acclaimed songwriters, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The Sherman Brothers were approached by Walt Disney himself to create one song (originally, the ride was accompanied by several national anthems being sung simultaneously) that would not only convey the message of world peace to its listeners, but would also be easily translated to the many languages and cultures around the globe. The song remains the only creation by Disney that has not been copyrighted, at the urging of UNICEF, who wanted the song to forever be "a gift to the children of the world." 

Did you know?

The soundtrack to this beloved boat ride was not recorded by one group of performers in a single studio. In fact, it was deliberately recorded in several studios spanning the globe to even further emphasize the theme of unity. The original recording includes the voices of choirs, performers and children from London, Rome, Tokyo, California and Mexico - all masterfully compiled into one unforgettable ditty!






You can set sail on the magical "Small World" cruise at Disney Parks in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Paris, California and Florida but we hope that while on your journey around the globe, you make a stop to join us on September 17th as we celebrate the 45th anniversary of this all-time classic and the enchanting illustrations of Joey Chou.


Did you know?

Joey's first "Small World" ride was in 1988 at Disneyland Tokyo. When was yours?











 

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I love the bottom pieces! Now I'm not a wealthy person, are they available as prints? Thanks!