The New Yorker has long been celebrated for its wit, sophistication, and visual ingenuity, with its covers standing as miniature works of art that reflect, challenge, and comment on contemporary culture. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the esteemed publication, L’Alliance New York is pleased to present Covering The New Yorker, an exhibition celebrating the iconic magazine’s covers. Françoise Mouly, the magazine’s art editor since 1993, curated an extraordinary exhibition showcasing the breadth and brilliance of the artists that make the New Yorker covers such a unique focal point in our highly visual culture, featuring close to 100 original works by more than 30 renowned artists. Under Mouly’s direction, each new cover arrests time and encases life as we live it in iconic images.

Known for its blend of in-depth reporting, fiction, essays, poetry, and satire, The New Yorker has also grown and expanded its reach thanks to distinctive covers, many of which have gone viral. Building on a stellar tradition that included Saul Steinberg and William Steig, Mouly set out thirty-two years ago to revitalize the literary institution. She works with a stable of extraordinarily talented artists and cartoonists such as Maira Kalman, Barry Blitt, Chris Ware, Kadir Nelson, Art Spiegelman, David Hockney, Roz Chast, Dan Clowes, or Kara Walker–among many others–so that, week after week, the covers reflect contemporary events with subtle humor. Inexhaustibly varied in mood and style, the covers are united by their visual sophistication, their imaginative wit, and their high pleasure-giving quotient.

This landmark exhibition focuses on what readers never see: the original artwork that gives rise to the printed covers. It offers a behind-the-scenes exploration of the artistry, storytelling, and editorial vision that have made these images cultural touchstones, illuminating how Mouly has transformed the magazine’s covers into a platform for bold visual narratives and thought-provoking commentary on global and personal events.

While the focus of the exhibit will be on the original art and paintings–never before assembled on such a scale—some of the digital art will also be featured.

Artists featured in Covering The New Yorker include Peter Arno, Sarula Bao, Harry Bliss, Barry Blitt, Roz Chast, Daniel Clowes, Elizabeth Colomba, Jorge Colombo, John Cuneo, Diana Ejaita, Gürbüz Doğan Ekşioğlu, Ian Falconer, Malika Favre, Grace Lynne Haynes, David Hockney, Rea Irvin, Ana Juan, Gayle Kabaker, Maira Kalman, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenny Kroik, Anita Kunz, Liniers, Jacques de Loustal, Lorenzo Mattotti, Bruce McCall, Françoise Mouly, Kadir Nelson, Christoph Niemann, Jean-Jacques Sempé, Peter de Sève, Edward Sorel, Art Spiegelman, Edward Steed, Saul Steinberg, Joost Swarte, Victoria Tentler-Krylov, Adrian Tomine, Mark Ulriksen, Sasha Velour, and Chris Ware.

The exhibition will conclude on March 30th during L’Alliance New York’s Comic Arts Fest, with a masterclass by Françoise Mouly and guests.

This exhibition is co-curated by Rodolphe Lachat, publisher and editor, and Françoise Mouly.

Exhibition Scenography by Françoise Mouly and Studio Earl