Since its founding in 1923, Disney has given the world an enduring pantheon of classic animated characters such as Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Pinocchio, Snow White, Simba and the balloon robot Baymax.

But what is the common factor among these and so many more disparate characters of all shapes, sizes and dispositions that has grabbed the hearts and minds of generations of audiences?

John Lasseter, chief creative officer of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Disney Toon Studios, provided a good starting point when he said good animation works at capturing human feelings and examining them through animated figures.

Drawn from Life: the Art of Disney Animation Studios, an ongoing exhibition at China Art Museum put together by Walt Disney Animation Studios takes this as its starting point.

In the exhibition, 14 animated productions are brought together in a touching retrospective, starting with an early Mickey Mouse in Steamboat Willie, and bringing us through to Big Hero 6. Exhibits range from sketches to drawings, ink and watercolor works, prints, videos and interactive devices.

The exhibition is divided to four sections: Friendship, Family, Courage and Love. The Global Times interviewed the curator of the exhibition, Mary Walsh, via e-mail to find out more about the pieces on show and the thinking behind their selection.

Walsh is a 20-year veteran of Walt Disney Animation Studios and has been the managing director of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library (ARL) since 2007.

Some of the exhibits from classic Disney animations on show at the exhibition Photos: Courtesy of China Art Museum

GT: How did you go about designing the exhibition and creating an enjoyable environment for visitors?

MW: We wanted to welcome the visitors into the gallery with the imagery and sounds of Mickey Mouse - a character that is known and loved the world over. Mickey is also the perfect ambassador to introduce the museum visitor to the first of the four themes of the exhibition - Friendship - and then we go into Family, Courage and Love. These four themes are universal human values and they are key components of the stories illustrated in Disney animated films.

GT: The exhibits traverse the long period from Disney's creation in the 1920s up until the present day. How did you select which pieces to use from such a large collection?

MW: The art selection process that my team and I went through for this exhibition was both fun and challenging. Given that we have over 65 million pieces of art in our collection at the ARL, we needed to thoughtfully include artwork that supported the curatorial theme of the exhibit, as well as highlight the amazing talent and creativity of the artists who have worked for Walt Disney Animation Studios over the past 90 years.

GT: Are there any particularly important pieces you would highlight?

MW: I think all of the images included in the show are extraordinary works of art, but there are a few very special pieces that I would ask visitors to seek out. One of those is an original animation drawing, created by Ub Iwerks, of Mickey and Minnie in Plane Crazy, a short film released in 1928. Drawn from Life is the first time that we have publicly exhibited that piece. I am also very excited that we were able to include three of Tyrus Wong's visual development pieces that were created for Bambi (1942). Those pieces clearly illustrate how important Mr Wong's art was to the overall look of that film.

GT: How do you think the style of Disney has changed over the decades?

MW: The art created by Walt Disney Animation Studios has definitely evolved over the decades. Animation is an art form that allows for so many different ways to visually tell a story - and Disney artists have always embraced new styles and artistic methods in order to create appealing characters and the believable worlds in which our stories take place.

GT: Friendship, family, courage and love are four themes of the exhibition. What capacity does Disney have to turn these very common topics into popular and intriguing films that are loved the world over?

MW: These four are important to people around the world, and because they are so universal, Disney has long understood their value as essential components of strong storytelling. We want audiences of all ages to connect with our animated films, and regardless of how old you are or where you come, we all recognize how important these attributes are through all the stages of life.

Date: Until October 21, 9 am to 6 pm (closed Monday)

Venue: Hall 17, 1/F, China Art Museum

中华艺术宫一楼第17展厅

Address: 205 Shangnan Road

上南路205号

Admission: 20 yuan ($3.14)

Call 2020-2010 for details