More exhibitions should be aimed at children if they can match the curatorial clarity of this joy-filled display at the Young V&A in Bethnal Green. It manages to break down a complex creative industry into easily digestible chunks, while remaining educational without a hint of condescension. The only problem is that it may encourage young audience members (or adult visitors contemplating a career change) to seriously consider a career in the arts, in this economy.
A show stuffed with models from beloved classics such as Shaun the Sheep and Wallace and Gromit would be a major draw at any time, but this one marks an impressive 50th anniversary for Aardman Studios (there’s another exhibition opening at M Shed in their Bristol hometown this summer). It’s a testament to this homegrown creative powerhouse that their trademark handcrafted stop-motion animation is still popular with younger generations increasingly raised on AI slop and YouTube shorts.
