MoMA’s new exhibition, It’s Alive!, traces the development of animation over the century before digital technology transformed the medium. It argues that animation moved beyond familiar cartoon characters towards more experimental, socially engaged and artistically ambitious work, particularly after director John Hubley’s 1946 call for a “new language”.

The show begins with early figures including Gertie the Dinosaur, Felix the Cat and Raggedy Ann & Andy, before focusing on postwar colour animation. Featured works include Jerome Hill’s dreamlike stop-motion film The Sand Castle and animations by Sesame Street artist Jane Aaron, whose work reimagined letters, artists and famous paintings. Curator Ron Magliozzi says much of the exhibition will be unfamiliar to visitors, but hopes its range demonstrates animation’s creative breadth.