The Australian Centre of Moving Image in Melbourne, Australia currently have an exhibition displaying the works of Aardman Studios. Aardman are most known for their stop-motion clay animation franchise Wallace and Gromit, and their films Shaun the Sheep and Chicken Run. This exhibition has been ongoing since June last year, but as always, I have left it ’til last minute to check it out.
I was thoroughly impressed with the amount of pieces on display at ACMI. My favourite being a piece from Wallace and Gromit: Curse of the Were-rabbit, where Wallace is connected to a machine full of bunny rabbits. Hard to explain, but you need to see the film. I was so amazed by how small all the clay animation pieces were, and how detailed everything was despite being so small. Although I have my own favourite piece of the exhibition, the most impressive by far was the pirate ship from Aardman Animations film, “The Pirates! Band of Misfits” which although small, is taller than the average human and sufficient enough to carry several tiny clay animation figures across the seas.
There’s also a section of the exhibition that is more of an hands-on experience. You can sculpt your own clay pieces and are given an opportunity to create your own mini stop-motion animation. You can even take your little creation home to keep, with ACMI providing carry bags so your tiny masterpieces can get home safely.
ACMI’s Wallace & Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman exhibition ends this Monday, so get in quick before it leaves for good.