Young Charlotte, Filmmaker

In a companion to 2013’s Young Frank, Architect, Viva traces the artistic development of a filmmaker who sees the world in black and white. Or at least she would prefer to: Charlotte “just wants to take a straw and drink all the color right out of the air.” While others love color, “Charlotte wishes that others could see just how wonderful black and white can be.” She gets her chance after she meets a woman named Scarlet, who works at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Scarlet loves “how black and white clear away the clutter,” helps Charlotte improve her craft, and arranges for a screening of one of Charlotte’s films at the museum. While the screening leaves Charlotte committed to black-and-white filmmaking, Viva is under no such constraints, spiking his flattened, fluid shapes with mustard, indigo, and carnation pink (the images are in line with Viva’s previous work yet could have easily been influenced by MoMA’s recent exhibition of Matisse cutouts). Like its predecessor, it’s a playful tribute to the joys and struggles of creating art. Ages 3–7. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. (Sept.)