Harryhausen Pledges His Life’s Work to the National Media Museum
Submitted by frank grimshaw on Wed, 2010-06-30 09:30. Events | People 
On the day of Ray Harryhausen’s 90th birthday, at the official opening of the exhibition "Ray Harryhausen - Myths and Legends" at the London Film Museum, the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation has announced its intention to deposit the Collection of the life’s work of celebrated special effects animator Ray Harryhausen at the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK.
On the day of Ray Harryhausen’s 90th birthday, at the official opening of the exhibition "Ray Harryhausen - Myths and Legends" at the London Film Museum, the Ray and Diana Harryhausen Foundation has announced its intention to deposit the Collection of the life’s work of celebrated special effects animator Ray Harryhausen at the National Media Museum in Bradford, UK.
The Ray Harryhausen Collection contains most of the material connected with the conceptualisation and realisation of his films – such as drawings, paintings and storyboards, together with his animation models and the original moulds used to make them. Examples include the skeletons from Jason and the Argonauts and the Medusa and the Kraken from Clash of the Titans. The Collection also includes rare work by the pioneer special effects designer Willis O’Brien (1886-1962), the creator of King Kong, with whom Harryhausen worked early in his career and who was a major influence.
The Museum houses a dedicated animation gallery and holds the Bradford Animation Festival (BAF), now in its 17th year. Past BAF guests include animation legends, Nick Park, Bob Godfrey and Bill Plympton, as well as Ray Harryhausen.
Ray Harryhausen said: “I am so very pleased and honoured that my Foundation will not only be looking after my collection of 90 years but will also be ensuring that it is seen by as wide an audience as possible. It is also gratifying that the National Media Museum will, in conjunction with the Foundation, be storing and preserving my Collection for the foreseeable future.
“Now I have reached 90 it is important, certainly in my profession which does not have a reputation for looking after cinematic artefacts, to preserve my art in all its forms – models, drawings, equipment etc. and that this will be available for future generations.”
Paul Goodman, Head of Collections and Knowledge at the National Media Museum said: “With our proven expertise in caring for, exhibiting and interpreting such a range of artefacts, the Museum is an ideal place for this extensive and remarkable archive.”
» 133 reads
