Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company opens today in Brisbane, and we managed to score a sneak peek of the exclusive exhibition yesterday morning.
Opening at QAGOMA from September 12th and running right through until April 18th 2027, this world-first exhibition is perfectly timed to celebrate 70 years of Henson magic, with more than 500 artefacts, sets, and, of course, puppets, from throughout the family’s iconic career.
From Fraggle Rock to Farscape, and from Labyrinth to Sesame Street, all by way of The Muppets, it’s an expansive look at the company’s history, and a well-balanced one to boot – even as we lift the curtain on some of our favourite characters, it’s almost impossible for your inner child to not take over when Big Bird is standing in the middle of the room.
This makes for a (perhaps unsurprisingly) emotional affair, and we certainly weren’t the only guests with tears in our eyes. The Jim Henson Company has had a hand raising millions of children, and to see some of the world’s most beloved characters in the flesh (so to speak) is genuinely thrilling.
GOMA’s Australian Cinémathèque will also host three curated film programs alongside the exhibition – Screened to be Believed, Where the Wild Things Are Made: Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and Beyond Henson: Puppetry and World Cinema. Screenings will take place on Wednesdays, Fridays, and weekends throughout Make, Believe, Magic‘s run.
And on Monday September 14th, a free livestream and Q&A will take place, taking viewers behind the scenes of the exhibition. You can register for access HERE.
For more information on the exhibition or to grab tickets, head to the QAGOMA website HERE.
Header image supplied.
