Aardman, the award-winning UK studio, has announced a new Shaun the Sheep exhibition, created to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the much-loved TV show.
First broadcast in 2007, Shaun the Sheep has now been shown in more than 170 territories, entertaining a global audience of all ages with the adventures of Shaun and friends on Mossy Bottom Farm. The new exhibition will tour in Japan, starting at the art museum ‘Eki’ Kyoto on 30 July 2022.
Shaun the Sheep was first introduced to audiences in Aardman’s animated comedy, Wallace and Gromit: A Close Shave (1995/UK), and the character’s popularity went on to earn him his own TV series.
Behind-the-scenes
The exhibition will take visitors behind the scenes of the show, allowing them to learn how it is created and produced. It will showcase original sets, storyboards, concept art and exclusive production content featuring Aardman talent. Richard Starzak, key animator for the Shaun the Sheep series, has created bespoke imagery and visuals for the exhibition.
Aardman began in Bristol, UK, in 1976, founded by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. When Nick Park joined in 1985, the beloved characters of Wallace and Gromit were born.
The company established its own stop-motion animation technique in which puppets made of clay are filmed whilst being moved frame-by-frame. It has won four Oscars in the animation category at the Academy Awards, for both short and feature-length films.
“Japan has many of Shaun’s biggest and most enthusiastic fans and has always been one of the most important territories for the brand, so we’re delighted that the exhibition will kick off our favourite Sheep’s 15th-anniversary celebrations,” says Ngaio Harding-Hill, head of live attractions and experiences at Aardman.
The exhibition will open at ‘Eki’ Kyoto on 30 July and will run until 4 September.
Earlier this year, Aardman announced the creation of a series of new sculpture trails in the UK, featuring favourite characters such as Morph and Shaun the Sheep.
