The Art of Aardman
12.06.2016 - 30.10.2016
German Film Museum
The Exhibition
In 1976, Peter Lord and David Sproxton founded the studio Aardman Animations. Now, forty years, 74 short films, six feature films, ten series, various commercials and music clips, and four Oscars later, Aardman Studios has long been a worldwide cult. Their hand-crafted figures and the elaborate stop-motion process in which they produce their works make the work of the animated film artists at Aardman so unique. Especially in a world dominated by digital media, this analogue aesthetic is something very special.
The exhibition The Art of Aardman at the Deutsches Filmmuseum now pays tribute to the work of Aardman Animation in a quite wonderful exhibition. In the foyer outside the exhibition, as well as in three exhibition rooms, the process of creation in the studios is traced, from the first idea to the final shoot. Examples from 37 different film productions at the studio, including of course Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, Hens Run or The Pirates! A Bunch of Strange Guys showcases the various stages of production required before the lovable plasticine characters can be brought to life. 123 pictures, twenty figures and twenty sets as well as numerous video contributions make the walk through the 400sqm exhibition space a very special experience.
It is precisely with the sets on display that it becomes clear how much attention to detail is paid at Aardman Animation. As a viewer, you can literally lose yourself in the details that are often only visible for fractions of a second when watching the films. After only a few steps, the exhibits conjure up a smile on the faces of the visitors, which disappears again at the earliest at the exit. In front of the display cases with the sets alone, you can stop for many minutes and see countless playful details. That's even the case with sets like an antique tent, which was only seen for a few seconds in the film. And even the desk of an Aardman employee on display is full of fascinating bits and pieces that make every penny of the admission fee a good investment.
The exhibition, which was originally conceived for Paris and will travel to other stops around the globe after Frankfurt, pays tribute to every single department at Aardman and shows, impressively as entertainingly, that the wonderful films and commercials only work when all the creative forces work together perfectly. And like the studio's work, the exhibition is something the whole family can enjoy. In fact, it's likely that in many cases the kids will have a hard time getting Dad or Mom away from the showcases. Definitely go in!!!
The Catalogue
A bilingual (English/French) catalogue is available in the museum shop, designed for the exhibition's first stop in Paris. The fact that there are therefore no German-language texts should not deter anyone from acquiring this fine volume. Because besides texts by Peter Lord, among others, the book contains a lot of photos, drawings and illustrations of the exhibits from the show. On 227 pages, the individual stages of the exhibition are traced and completed. In addition to the images, which beautifully illustrate the creative process behind each step, several accompanying texts enhance the book's informational content. Certainly, seeing the exhibits with one's own eyes has a much more intense effect than seeing them illustrated in a catalogue. But as a supplement to and reminder of the exhibition visit, this book is an absolute must for all Aardman fans! Definitely recommended!
Opening Hours: Tue + Thu - Sun 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Wed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm, Mon closed
Homepage of the exhibition: <link http: deutsches-filminstitut.de filmmuseum ausstellungen sonderausstellung aardman _blank>
deutsches-filminstitut.de/filmmuseum/ausstellungen/sonderausstellung/aardman/
An article by Frankfurt-Tipp
Copyright: Motive: Aardman, Fotos: Sebastian Betzold
