A&E You forget that you’re in Queens when you look around at the futuristic architecture of the museum.
The original Bert and Ernie Muppets. Henson designed Bert and Ernie with contrasting personalities and body types in order to show that despite numerous differences, they will always be great friends.
The state-of-the-art Museum of the Moving Image was recently remodeled into a modern architectural marvel.
All images courtesy of Museum of the Moving Image.
The Muppet Master Jim Henson Exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image by emma goss
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ach of us had unique childhood experiences that shaped who we are today, but there is no denying that almost all of us share at least one childhood memory: watching “Sesame Street.” The popular television program seems simple enough—after all, it is designed for preschoolers— but few realize the complexities behind the show. “Jim Henson’s Fantastic World” at the Museum of the Moving Image showcases the pioneering creative talent and life story of everyone’s favorite puppet master. The museum exhibit Jim Henson sits among his Muppets as if posing for a family photo. celebrates Henson’s innovative work and ideas. Oscar was later changed to green It displays 120 artifacts and 15 iconic, because Henson believed that the earwhimsical puppets, and traces Henly cameras were not of a high enough son’s developmental process from quality to capture the color adequately. sketches to film. The much-loved Kermit the Frog, Bert and Ernie and Miss Henson’s creative process for proPiggy—fashionably dressed in a wedducing a Muppet involved more than ding gown—are just some of the charjust felt, scissors and glue. While he acters and prototypes on display. The relied on basic materials to create his exhibit traces the lives of these charMuppets, such as fur,fleece fabrics and acters from early doodles to the finpolyurethane foam, it is the mechanical ished Muppets. For instance, Oscar the component to Henson’s designs that Grouch was originally colored purple adds complexity to these simply-made in some of Henson’s early sketches, constructions. With Big Bird, for exand in Oscar’s first televised appearample, Henson’s design called for the ance, he was orange.
Muppeteer to stand erect inside of the puppet’s body. He would extend his right arm through the bird’s neck with his hand opening and closing the beak. The Muppeteer enclosed in Big Bird’s body then had a television monitor strapped to his chest to provide visibility. The museum also features video interviews with Henson, clips of his shows, and behindthe-scenes footage from episodes of “The Muppet Show” and “Sesame Street.” Large screens and beanbag cushions are arranged at the end of the exhibit, allowing visitors to be captivated by the Muppets one last time before exiting. The exhibit closes January 16, 2012 and is free for students with your CUID. With only one swipe of a Metrocard and a short walk from the subway station, navigating to the museum is easily done. There can be no greater way to relive the nostalgia of our “Sesame Street” days than by taking a walk down memory lane. And catching the new Jason Segel movie “The Muppets,” but that, of course, is another story. HOOT www.hootmag.org
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