Some favourite characters from our childhood will be visiting Hull as the V&A Museum of Childhood touring exhibition Clangers, Bagpuss & Co arrives at Ferens Art Gallery this weekend.
Visitors are invited to enter the world of Smallfilms to discover original puppets, sets, and filming equipment, see how characters developed over time and learn how Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin developed their stop frame animation techniques. There will also be the opportunity to give it a try using 21st century technology.
Postgate’s voice and Firmin’s puppets have shaped the childhood memories of millions since they started collaborating in the 1950s. As well as telling the story of Bagpuss and the Clangers, the exhibition goes behind the scenes of some of their other creations, including Pogles’ Wood, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine.
Alongside the exhibition, visitors to the gallery will also see a selection of ‘Childhood Favourites’ from the Hull Museums collection with iconic toys and famous faces from childrens television on display. These will include objects showing early representations of Sooty, Noddy and Rupert Bear, whose characters have stood the test of time and still screen on our televisions today.
The exhibition includes a sensory area for under-fives and a Punch and Judy puppet theatre for children to create their own stories and shows. Visitors will be able to explore the major impact that toys, entertainment, television and animated literature have had on each other over generations.
Kirsten Simister, Curator of Art at Ferens Art Gallery, said:
This family-friendly exhibition is inter-generational and can bring the whole family together.
We hope visitors will take the opportunity to pay a visit and are inspired to share their memories of these iconic characters.”
There are a range of events for families and adults taking place throughout the exhibition. Visitors will be able to celebrate the opening of the exhibition at a special family launch event on Saturday 12 May, 10am 12noon at the gallery with craft activities for all ages to enjoy. To find out more about the events, visit www.hcandl.co.uk/ferens.
This free exhibition will run until Friday 29 July. The gallery is open Monday Saturday, 10am 5pm, and Sunday, 11am 4.30pm.