From Morph to Shaun the Sheep – the claymation creations of Aardman Animations have captured the imagination of kids across the globe for 40 years and are now featuring in an Australian-exclusive exhibition at Melbourne’s Australian Centre for the Moving Image.
Wallace and Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman goes behind the scenes of the four-time Oscar-winning studio with a bounty of 350 objects including original artworks, concept drawings, storyboards, puppets and sets.
Highlights include Wallace’s Cracking Contraptions and Gromit’s famous vegetable garden, as well as Shaun the Sheep sets, the flying machine from Chicken Run and the five-metre tall ship from The Pirates! Band of Misfits.
Within the exhibition is a special activity space for children, The Studio, where visitors can build their own clay character and make a short stop motion animation, inspired by the work of Aardman. The exhibition also features world-premiere artworks from Aardman Animations’ upcoming feature film Early Man, due for release in 2018.
Alongside the exhibition, ACMI is presenting an extensive public program including film screenings, talks, interactive workshops and education programs.
Aardman Animations’ co-founders David Sproxton and Peter Lord are in Melbourne for the exhibition’s opening and will be presenting a masterclass and workshop for local aspiring animators.
Wallace and Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman is curated by Art Ludique-Le Musée of Paris in collaboration with the Aardman Animations team, and is part of the Victorian Government’s Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series.
Wallace and Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman is the second Melbourne Winter Masterpieces exhibition for 2017, alongside the National Gallery of Victoria’s hugely successful Van Gogh and the Seasons – the fastest-selling exhibition in the gallery’s history.
Wallace and Gromit and Friends: The Magic of Aardman is at ACMI from 29 June - 29 October 2017. For more information or to purchase tickets visit
Quotes attributable to Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley
“Aardman Animations is one of the UK’s greatest cultural exports, creating much loved characters that have entertained and inspired the young and young at heart for forty years.”
“Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series brings the world’s best art and creativity to our city – whether it's the masterworks of Van Gogh or the claymation creations of Aardman – attracting more people to our city.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren
“The Magic of Aardman is sure to be another hit with locals and tourists alike, with big numbers expected to pour through the doors at ACMI.”
“Everybody knows Victoria is the cultural capital of the country, just like everybody knows the moon is made of cheese.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020