Sara Berman's Closet

Maira Kalman and Alex Kalman have created a captivating family memoir, Sara Berman's Closet, that blends narrative and striking visuals to celebrate individuality, personal expression, and the art of living authentically. The book is a tribute to Sara Berman, a Jewish émigré who left her husband in the late 1960s and returned to New York City, where she discovered new things and established new rituals. Her belongings, kept in an extraordinarily clean and organized closet, were preserved by her family and exhibited at the Mmuseumm in 2015. This inspiring illustrated memoir pays homage to Sara's life, freedom, and re-invention, featuring family photographs, exclusive images, and Maira Kalman's distinctive paintings.

Format: Hardback
Length: 128 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2018
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc

Maira Kalman, the acclaimed author of bestsellers such as "The Principles of Uncertainty" and "The Elements of Style," and Alex Kalman, the designer, curator, writer, and founder of Mmuseumm, have collaborated to create a captivating family memoir that pays tribute to an exceptional woman and celebrates individuality, personal expression, and the art of living authentically.

In the early 1950s, Jewish émigré Sara Berman arrived in the Bronx with her husband and two young daughters. When the children grew up, she and her husband returned to Israel, but Sara did not stay for long. In the late 1960s, at the age of sixty, she left her husband after thirty-eight years of marriage. One night, she packed a single suitcase and returned alone to New York City, moving into a studio apartment in Greenwich Village near her family.

In her new home, Sara began discovering new things and establishing new rituals. From watching Jeopardy each night at 7:00 to eating pizza at the Museum of Modern Arts cafeteria every Wednesday, she embraced a new chapter in her life. She also began discarding the unnecessary, aligning with the Kalmans' philosophy of minimalism. In a burst of personal expression, Sara decided to wear only white.

Sara kept her belongings in an extraordinarily clean and organized closet. Filled with elegant, minimalist, heavily starched, impeccably pressed, and folded all-white clothing, including socks and undergarments, as well as carefully selected objects such as a potato grater and her signature perfume, Chanel No.19, the space was sublime. Upon her death in 2004, her family decided to preserve its pristine contents, hoping to find a way to exhibit them one day.

In 2015, the Mmuseumm, a new type of museum located in a series of unexpected locations founded and curated by Sara, emerged. The museum showcased Sara's collection of white clothing, objects, and personal artifacts, providing visitors with a unique and immersive experience that celebrated her life and legacy.

Through their collaborative efforts, Maira Kalman and Alex Kalman have created a captivating family memoir that pays tribute to an exceptional woman and celebrates the power of individuality, personal expression, and the art of living authentically. The Mmuseumm continues to inspire and engage visitors, reminding us of the importance of preserving our memories and celebrating the lives of those who have left a lasting impact on our world.

Weight: 502g
Dimension: 159 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780062846402