DOYLESTOWN, PA. - Without
"fences" to limit where his imagination could roam, Jim Henson
(1936-1990)—artist, puppeteer, film director and producer—created elaborate
imaginary worlds filled with unique characters, objects, environments and even languages
and cultures. Jim Henson's Fantastic
World, an exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition
Service (SITES) and the Jim Henson Legacy, offers a rare peek into the
imagination and creative genius of this multitalented innovator and creator of
Kermit the Frog, Big Bird and other beloved characters.
Jim Henson's Fantastic World is the inaugural show in the Della Penna-Fernberger | Paton |
Smith Galleries, the new exhibition space that is the center-piece of the
Museum's $12 million expansion. On view through 29 November, 2009.
This
exhibition features 100 original artworks, including drawings, cartoons and
storyboards that illustrate Henson's talent as a storyteller and visionary.
Among the variety of exhibition objects are puppets and television and movie
props, photographs of Henson and his collaborators at work and original video
productions, including excerpts from Henson's early career and experimental
films. The exhibition installation will include a resource room, which will
feature hands-on activities for children of all ages, including a puppet
theater.
"It's such a treat to get
to know Jim Henson through his doodles and drawings, his puppets and his
fantastic performances," said Karen Falk, curator of the exhibition and
archivist at The Jim Henson Company. "I'm delighted to be able to share
this inspiring and entertaining experience with people all over the country.
Seeing his original work firsthand opens a window into his visual thinking and
provides both an appreciation of Jim as an artist and a reason to laugh out
loud."
From the very beginning, Henson
expressed his ideas with incredible bursts of invention, through a variety of
visual forms, clever dialogue, songs, comic bits and animation. All of his work
reveals a highly sophisticated and nuanced thought process, evident in the
decades-long metamorphosis of a small group of captivating characters from
simple doodles to cartoons to puppets to films. What began as a one-man enterprise
eventually grew into an international phenomenon.
As time passed, the simple hand
puppets that Henson created for his first television show, "Sam and
Friends," evolved into increasingly more sophisticated characters—from the
Muppets of "The Muppet Show," "Sesame Street" and
"Fraggle Rock" fame to the larger-than-life fantasy creatures of
"The Dark Crystal" and "Labyrinth".
Jim Henson's Fantastic World is organized by The Jim Henson Legacy and SITES, in
cooperation with the Henson Family; The Jim Henson Company; The Muppets Studio,
LLC; and Sesame Workshop. The exhibition is made possible by The Biography
Channel. Additional support has been provided The Jane Henson Foundation and
Cheryl Henson.
The Biography Channel is a
24-hour digital cable network dedicated to presenting compelling stories about
the world's most interesting people. One of the most sought after and fastest
growing channels available today, The Biography Channel presents vibrant
profiles of intriguing individuals, plus exciting new original series, short
features and documentaries.
Established in 1992, The Jim
Henson Legacy was founded by Jane Henson, colleagues and friends in response to
the extraordinary interest in the life and prolific body of work by Jim Henson.
The non-profit 501(C3) organization is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating
Jim Henson's contributions to the worlds of puppetry, television and motion
pictures, special effects and media technology. By making Jim Henson's creative
work available to the public through presentations and exhibits, the Legacy's
mission is to share the power of his art, his imagination and his positive view
of life with generations to come.
SITES has been sharing the
wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people
outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to
their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art,
science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play.
"Jim didn't think in
terms of boundaries at all the way the rest of us do. There are always these
fences we build around ourselves and our ideas. Jim seemed to have no
fences." —Jon Stone, Sesame Street
producer and director.
Visit the James A.
Michener Art Museum at : http://www.michenermuseum.
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