The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan, United States, has acquired a multimedia collection spanning the career of artist Jason Polan, including original work, publications and collected objects. The acquisition, announced Sept. 28, 2026, was made possible by a gift from Polan’s family and expands the institution’s holdings in graphic communication and design.
Polan, an illustrator from Michigan who died of cancer at age 37, documented everyday subjects with observation, humor and care in sketchbooks using pen. His projects included the public art initiative “Every Person in New York” and the community-focused “Taco Bell Drawing Club.”
The Henry Ford operates the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school.
Scope of the collection#
The Jason Polan Collection at The Henry Ford holds several thousand two-dimensional and three-dimensional items. The material documents Polan’s creative life from his formative years in Franklin and Ann Arbor, Michigan, through his career as a New York-based illustrator.
It includes preparatory material, printed matter, publications and zines, original art, multiples, unique personal collections and more. Many items are the sole complete or extant versions, including a complete product design archive, Michigan-specific work and material from the fireplace mantel in Polan’s last New York apartment, a catch-all for objects filled with personal meaning.
Polan’s illustrations appeared in publications and for brands including the following, among others:
- The New York Times, The New Yorker, Lucky Peach, Believer, McSweeney’s and Marvel Comics
- UNIQLO, Warby Parker, Soludos, Ghostly International and West Elm
Polan’s family encouraged his creativity and interest in museums, and they frequently visited The Henry Ford. In his Things I Saw Op-Art column for The New York Times, Polan included drawings of The Henry Ford’s Wienermobile and the Kennedy Presidential Limousine.
What officials and family said#
“We are deeply grateful to the Polan family and to Jason Polan., LLC for entrusting us to help preserve Jason’s legacy,” said Patricia Mooradian, president and CEO, The Henry Ford. “His work and life align with our institution’s mission to educate and inspire and promote the values of curiosity, creativity, authenticity and passion, all of which were at the heart of Jason’s artistic practice.”
“Jason would be honored to have his work included in the collections of The Henry Ford,” said the artist’s mother, Jane Polan. “He loved this museum. It was an inspiration to him throughout his life.”
“The fierce resourcefulness and community-building of the early-2000s DIY scenes that Jason engaged with, zine culture, participatory public art, independent galleries and book fairs, are a core component of this collection,” said Kristen Gallerneaux, The Henry Ford’s Curator of Communication and Information Technology, and 2026 guest juror for the Jason Polan Award at Printed Matter’s New York Art Book Fair. “Polan worked with global retail brands and publications while continuing to embrace the spirit of independent playfulness, wonder and kindness that were hallmarks of both his aesthetic sensibility and his personality.”
Digitization and exhibition#
Selections from the collection are being digitized for online accessibility, with in-person research access to follow at a later date. An initial group of digitized objects is available on thf.org.
The Henry Ford will open a retrospective exhibition of Polan’s work in spring 2028.
