Bermuda National Gallery To Host Michael Frith Exhibition!

The Bermuda National Gallery will host an exhibition on former Henson Executive Vice President and Creative Director Michael Frith. 

Michael K. Frith, one of Bermuda’s most celebrated living artists and internationally recognized for his work on The Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock, will unveil a major exhibition of his art next month.

Titled The Art of Michael K. Frith: From Pencil to Puppet, the exhibition opens at the Bermuda National Gallery on October 17 and will feature pieces from Frith’s personal collection—many of which are being shown publicly for the first time.

The gallery describes the exhibition as a celebration of Frith’s remarkable career and his “enormous contribution” to entertainment, education, and popular culture.

Frith expressed gratitude for the opportunity, saying he was “extremely flattered, humbled, and a bit surprised” by the invitation to exhibit his work.

“In pulling it together, I’ve found myself reflecting on a lifetime of pushing a pencil around—how that journey allowed me the privilege of working with so many incredibly talented people to bring characters, and sometimes entire worlds, to life,” he said. “Always in service of messages of positivity, learning, and hope.”

He added: “If this exhibit inspires anyone—especially young people—to pursue their dreams, discover the joy of creative collaboration, and put something into the world that carries a message of hope, then it will have done its job.”

“For me, it’s especially meaningful that this is happening in Bermuda, my homeland—where those dreams first began. Thank you, Bermuda National Gallery.”

The exhibition will showcase work spanning Michael Frith’s entire career — from early advertisements created for Masters Ltd to original illustrations produced for both Dr. Seuss and Jim Henson.

Visitors can also look forward to seeing a variety of original puppets, including iconic characters from The Muppet Show such as Fozzie Bear and Scooter, as well as Gobo, Mokey, and Uncle Travelling Matt from Fraggle Rock. These pieces are on loan from the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.

Eve Godet Thomas, Director of Exhibitions at the Bermuda National Gallery, shared:
“When Michael and I first met several years ago to explore the idea of an exhibition, the plan was for a much smaller show focused primarily on Fraggle Rock. Since then, it has grown exponentially. Now featuring over 350 items, it’s become one of the most ambitious and exciting exhibitions the BNG has ever produced.”

As part of Bermuda’s third annual Art Month celebrations, the BNG will host a special conversation between Michael Frith and Karen Falk, Archives Director for The Jim Henson Company, on October 18. The event will delve into the lasting cultural impact of the Muppets.

Tickets and additional information at www.bng.bm

The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance Exhibit Coming to London!

Dark Crystal fans in the UK will soon be able to explore the sets of The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance a special exhibition coming to the British Film Institute in London's Southbank district.

 

Visitors will see the Skeksis banquet, the Stone in the Wood, the Emperor’s throne, come face to face with some Skeksis, Gelfling, and even Aughra herself.

Toby Fraud sculpting a Gelfling

The exhibition will also feature puppet workshops, Q&A sessions, and a making-of gallery showing how the puppets are created, featuring sketches, notes, sets and models from the series.

The exhibition will run from August 23 until September 6. Tickets for the museum are available here. 

MOMI's Jim Henson Exhibition Gets An Opening Date!

You waited, you pledged, and know we know that the Museum of the Moving Image's
Jim Henson Exhibition will open July 22!

Here is the official  announcement:

This dynamic visitor experience—housed in a new gallery space funded by the City of New York—explores Henson’s groundbreaking work for film and television and his transformative impact on popular culture. The exhibition features a broad range of artifacts from throughout his remarkable television and film career, and reveals how Henson and his team of builders, performers, and writers brought to life the enduringly popular worlds of The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, Fraggle Rock, The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth. It also includes material from Henson’s lesser known and experimental film projects, presenting Henson as a restlessly creative performer, filmmaker, and technical innovator.

Among the nearly 300 objects on view in The Jim Henson Exhibition are 47 puppets—including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Rowlf, The Swedish Chef, Statler, Waldorf, Big Bird, Elmo, Cantus Fraggle, a Skeksis, and other popular favorites—character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, and iconic costumes. Film and television clips and behind-the-scenes footage are presented on more than 27 monitors and projections throughout. Interactive experiences allow visitors to try their hand at puppeteering on screen and designing a puppet character. Complementing the exhibition, the Museum will present an array of education programs and public events.
Many of the artifacts in the exhibition are drawn from the 2013 donation by Jim Henson’s family to the Museum’s collection, which includes nearly 500 objects related to Henson’s unparalleled career and features historic puppets, costumes, production design material, and licensed merchandise. The exhibition also includes sketches, storyboards, scripts, and other material on loan from The Jim Henson Company Archives. Archival video and photographic material was provided by The Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, and The Muppets Studio.

In addition to the permanent gallery, the Museum will explore Henson’s career and legacy through education programs, live appearances, family workshops, and film screenings.

Advance tickets for timed entry to The Jim Henson Exhibition will be made available soon.