At the Whitney Museum of American Art, artist Steve Wolfe has a exhibit of painting and drawings that are all copies of covers of books or old vinyl records. They are trompe l'oeil pieces, and, according to the author of this article, Ken Johnson, they are very realistic looking. As he says, "With creases, cracks, abrasions, tears and stains reproduced..., the paintings are curiously confounding." Join discussion...

When the word "art" is mentioned, works like The Mona Lisa or Whistler's Mother often come to mind. Recently illustrations from children's books like the Cat and the Hat and the Very Hungary Caterpillar have become popular within mainstream art circles. Art lovers have come to realize that whimsical, modern art is difficult to come upon and they value the traits of these book illustrations. Similar to paintings, book illustrations often reflected social changes, adding cultural significance to the art. Art historians say only time will tell which of today's illustrations become tomorrow's icons. From Captain Underpants to Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, the staying power has yet to be seen. Join discussion...