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Barnsley Museums launch a claw-some new exhibition

Latest news in Yorkshire: June 26, 2018 01:00:10 PM

Barnsley Museums are delighted to welcome its brand new summer exhibition
Bears! from Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books –
inspired by the greatest picture book bears in children’s literature.

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Latest news in Yorkshire: June 26, 01:27:28 PM

Visitors to the Cooper Gallery will be able to meet literature’s most famous
bears including Rupert and Winnie-the-Pooh, before discovering new stories
filled with polar bears, panda bears and toy bears.

Artwork and manuscripts featured in the exhibition will include Hugless
Douglas, Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear, We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, The Bear
and The Piano and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials.

Alongside bears and bear stories the exhibition is an opportunity to see
beautiful, inspiring illustrations from the creators of many favourite bear
books, including Anthony Browne, Jackie Morris, Helen Cooper and Chris
Riddell. There is also the chance to gain an insight into the process of
illustration with many artists using a combination of traditional and
digital techniques including; Jon Klassen, Joel Stewart and David
Litchfield.

The Sadler Room upstairs in the gallery will be showing ‘Me and My Bear’,
paw’fect portraits of visitors and their much-loved bears. Be it a cute bear
with a little tail or a noble bear in the House of Lords, very special
friendships and stories shine through.

Throughout the exhibition, a programme of activities will be running for all
the family to enjoy. From a teddy bears picnic on Saturday 30 June to mark
the exhibition launch to storytelling, puppet making and even wellie
planting sessions to celebrate Paddington’s 60th birthday.

Cllr Roy Miller, Cabinet Spokesperson for Place, said: “We’re delighted to
welcome Seven Stories fascinating exhibition to Barnsley. Alongside many
bears, there will be a glade, bear cave and a library of bear-related books.
Throughout the exhibition, we will be working with Barnsley Libraries and
welcoming a very special guest in July from the BookTrust, Bookstart Bear.

“Always a great destination for families to explore, there will be even more
to see and do over the summer in Barnsley. Whether you’re 1 or 101, there’ll
be something for everyone, and the exhibition is a great way to kick-start
the town’s summer programme in style.”

Gill Rennie, Senior Curator at Seven Stories, said: ‘Almost everyone has a
teddy bear! And over the last one hundred years, bears have become
increasingly popular subjects for children’s authors and illustrators. What
is it about bears that we love so much? And what adventures are bears
getting up to in books today? Visit the exhibition to find out!’

Bears! will be on display at the Cooper Gallery in Barnsley town centre
until Saturday 1 September. Entry is free with donations to the Barnsley
Museums and Heritage Trust welcomed.


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