Exhibition: The Lost Worlds of Ray Harryhausen at Waterside
A free exhibition on the work of Ray Harryhausen - the mastermind behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic cinematic special effects - has opened at Waterside’s Lauriston Gallery.
Photo © Rebecca Lupton
Inspired by John Walsh’s book Harryhausen: The Lost Movies, this exclusive exhibition (‘Ray Harryhausen: Creatures, Martians and Myths’) promises a rare opportunity for film buffs and fans to experience the worlds and work of this visionary animation pioneer who influenced some of the biggest Hollywood directors of our time.
Developed in partnership with The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation, The Lost Worlds of Ray Harryhausen exhibition features rare and previously un-exhibited preproduction artwork for some of his classic and much-loved films including Clash of the Titans, Jason and the Argonauts and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. Artwork ranging from early sketches to detailed key drawings show the creative process behind his groundbreaking special effects, containing some of his most iconic creatures and sequences.
Mark Hall & Ray Harryhausen with models from The Story of Odysseus (1996) (image courtesy of Brian Cosgrove)
Additionally, sketches, key drawings and prototype models for un-realised Harryhausen projects such as The War of the Worlds, Baron Munchausen, People of the Mist and Force of the Trojans are also displayed, many of which for the first time. For every project that Ray was able to produce for the cinema-going audience, there were several that remained uncompleted and that live on through the incredible collection cared for by the Harryhausen Foundation.
The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen by Ray Harryhausen courtesy of The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation.
As Connor Heaney, collections manager from the Ray Harryhausen Foundation explains: “This exhibition presents a unique insight into Ray Harryhausen’s lifetime of imagination and creativity. Featuring artwork which spans his earliest experiments in the 1930s through to the unrealised Story of Odysseus in the late 1990s, this display will demonstrate the true extent of his genius. Fans of cinema will be fascinated to see alternate artwork for some of Ray Harryhausen.”
Rosy Whittemore, project curator, Cosgrove Hall Films Archive comments: “This is a very special exhibition for all of us at Waterside, working collaboratively with The Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation to bring John Walsh’s Lost Movies book to life. I think people will really respond to seeing Harryhausen’s creative process in a new way, how he shaped and built his characters and creatures. Using his untold stories as a springboard, visitors will see rare and more experimental work from the animation legend for the first time in the North West and we are thrilled that we are the current custodians and guardians of such cinematic greatness.”
What you need to know
The Lost Worlds of Ray Harryhausen: Creatures, Martians and Myths
📍The Lauriston Gallery, Waterside, Sale
🗓️ 26 October 2024 - 04 January 2025
🎟️ FREE
