A celebration of 70 years of The Jim Henson Company’s beloved characters and imaginative worlds is coming to Brisbane this month.
The Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) will host Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company from September, showcasing more than 500 objects spanning the company’s television, film and digital productions.
The exhibition’s curator, QAGOMA Curatorial Manager, Australian Cinematheque, Amanda Slack-Smith, said audiences would be able to explore the core elements of the company’s practice.
“To be able to draw from the many worlds of The Jim Henson Company to bring this exhibition into existence is a dream come true,” she said.
“From their origins introducing early versions of familiar characters in commercial pitches, to landmark work in children’s television, the exhibition then follows their evolution into film and world creation, as well as the work of the Creature Shop, including animatronics and daring new digital innovations.
“We can’t wait to take audiences behind the scenes of an actual set used for a Henson puppet production. The world-first opportunity to present these spectacular Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock sets, direct from their Canada soundstages, will give visitors an unrivalled understanding of the craft of puppetry.”
Inside the Exhibition: Puppets, Sets, and Cinema
Spanning the entire ground floor of GOMA, the exhibition is divided into three sections exploring the evolution of The Jim Henson Company and its influence on the art of puppetry.
The Method, the Making and the Magic examines the pioneering puppetry construction and performance techniques developed by Jim Henson and Jane Nebel during the 1950s. The Puppets, the Puppeteers and the Performance explores the teamwork involved in bringing beloved characters to life, while The Daring, the Digital and New Directions highlights the company’s continuing innovation through digital technology and contemporary storytelling.
The exhibition features handcrafted puppets, animatronic creatures, costumes, props, original drawings, large-scale puppeteering sets and moving-image displays.
Visitors will see Sesame Street favourites Big Bird, Mr Snuffleupagus, Bert and Ernie, Cookie Monster and Elmo, before stepping into the worlds of Labyrinth, Farscape, The Dark Crystal and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, where a giant Landstrider puppet is among the highlights.
The exhibition will also feature an exclusive cinema program of more than 90 films showcasing productions by The Jim Henson Company and projects featuring the work of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, with program details to be announced.
Visitors are encouraged to book tickets in advance to guarantee entry.
Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company
- 12 September to 18 April, 10am-5pm
- Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
- Stanley Place, South Brisbane
- Learn more or get tickets here.
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