If you grew up in the early 2000s, your mother may have sat you down in front of the TV to watch Muppet reruns. Depending on the person, these colorful and life-sized puppets were either absolutely terrifying or quite entertaining. If you’re like me, you align more with the latter. I was totally enthralled by the fuzzy-looking creatures. I have a deep sense of nostalgia associated with Jim Henson and his creations, and the Jim Henson Exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image does an amazing job of bringing me back to my beloved childhood.
The exhibit has a broad range of objects from Jim Henson’s career. Among these 300 objects include 47 puppets – including Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Rowlf, Big Bird, Elmo, and a Skesis. There are also character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, and costumes. Movie and TV clips are featured throughout the exhibit, perhaps assisting viewers in jogging their memory of these nostalgic characters. Interactive exhibits let visitors try their hand at puppeteering and designing a character.
Though many may think of puppeteering as an elementary form of entertainment, Jim Henson consistently pushed the art form to new discoveries. The exhibit highlights how Henson liked to keep his puppet design rather simple so that he could have more control over the puppet’s eyes, nose, and mouth – what he called the “magical triangle”.
Walking through the natural flow of the exhibit, you can clearly see how Henson’s puppets and worlds evolved over time. By the time Fraggle Rock was created in the 80s, actors were in full-body puppet suits with animatronic heads controlled by an off-screen remote. Fast forward to full-length films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, Henson’s sets became fully-realized 3D worlds with color, texture, and child-like wonder.
The exhibit also shares more little-known facts about Henson’s life, including his caution and apprehension about the fact that his creations were receiving widespread visibility. His main goal as an entertainer was not to be pigeonholed as a children’s performer. He wanted to stay true to what he was, and not let the worldwide acclaim and wealth get in the way of that.
All in all, the Jim Henson exhibition does a wonderful job at bringing anyone back to their inner child while also sharing valuable information about what went on with the man behind (or beneath) the puppet.