24 February 2010
Exhibition of the world´s greatest showman hits Sheffield
Sheffield is set to stage a spectacular exhibition of the life and legacy of P. T. Barnum – the world´s first showbiz millionaire- showcasing original posters and handbills used by the celebrated entertainer to endorse his shows over 100 years ago.
The unique exhibition, which will be staged in the University of Sheffield´s newly-refurbished Western Bank Library from Tuesday 2 March 2010, has been conceived and created by Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of the National Fairground Archive at the University.
Humbug! Celebrating 200 Years of P.T Barnum, which was first on display at Blackpool´s Showzam festival, will now make its home in Sheffield for 13 weeks, and feature some never-seen-before items and exclusive memorabilia from the National Fairground Archive.
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of P. T. Barnum, the self-made impresario, business-man and entertainer, whose impact is still felt today in the world of entertainment, media and marketing.
The exclusive items at the exhibition will include a handbill of the bearded seven year-old girl from P. T. Barnum´s Great Moral Exhibition. It will also showcase a playbill promoting a show featuring General Tom Thumb, described as `the American Man of Miniature, 14 years of age and 25 inches high, and weighs only 15 pounds.´ The show was staged under the patronage of Queen Victoria, who became a fan of Tom Thumb after seeing him perform during Barnum´s tour of Europe.
The exhibition will also showcase the work of Sheffield sculptor Anthony Bennett, who has been specially commissioned to design and create a sculpture celebrating the life and work of Barnum. The resultant installation, entitled `Humbug – What is it?,´ reflects Barnum´s love of hoaxes and human curiosities. Half man/half insect, `Humbug´ is a portrait of the consummate showman, impresario of the extraordinary, transmutating into one of his own freaks, an `Entomological Angel´. The artwork is funded by Showzam: Blackpool´s Festival of Circus Magic and New Variety, where Humbug has been on display, the University of Sheffield and the Arts Council.
The striking figure will add to Anthony´s already extensive portfolio of figurative sculptures, statues and public artworks, which includes the celebrated "Great Omi" portrait figure, and his work with the Turner Prize nominated artist Yinka Shonibare.
BAFTA winning artist, Mark Copeland, will also showcase a series of trade-union style cloth banners depicting some of Barnum´s greatest attractions and key moments in his life. These contemporary designs carry Mark´s interpretations of Barnum´s most notorious exhibits including General Tom Thumb, Joice Heith, The Feejee Mermaid, Zip and Siamese Twins Chang & Eng.
Mark was awarded his BAFTA for his work on the cityscapes for the BBC´s Gormenghast mini-series, and was also the creator of the intricate Insect Circus Museum – a mechanical menagerie of wasp tamers, performing snails and carts pulled by black beetles.
P. T. Barnum is renowned for his hoaxes and circus acts, but his influence can be felt even further than this as his passion and commitment to public entertainment changed the face of 18th Century American society. Public entertainment was often seen as shrewd and inappropriate, as American´s aspired to the highest standards of moral and civil behaviour. When Barnum established his American Museum, promoting it as a place for family entertainment, it quickly became the city´s most popular attraction for 23 years, showcasing natural curiosities alongside artistic and historic exhibitions.
His legacy will be further celebrated on the big screen after confirmation last year that his life will be turned into a film starring Hollywood super-star, Hugh Jackman.
Professor Vanessa Toulmin, Director of the National Fairground Archive at the University of Sheffield, said: "This exhibition will reveal the highlights of our extraordinary collection of playbills and handbills originally used by Barnum to promote his shows. I am delighted that this can be held in the newly revamped exhibition space at the Western Bank Library, which will be a fantastic asset to the University. I am also privileged to be working with contemporary artists such as Anthony and Mark to bring the past alive. By showcasing these never-before-seen items, this groundbreaking exhibition will revitalise Barnum´s historic legacy, 200 years after his birth and ensure his spirit is kept alive today."
Mark Copeland said: "I am really excited about the exhibition coming to Sheffield - it will really put the banners in the context of Barnum´s history when they are alongside other ephemera. Barnum was a truly fascinating character, and if I could go back in time, the first place I´d visit would be the American Museum - he would also definitely be included at my fantasy dinner party!"
The new exhibition space at the University´s Western Bank Library has been created after 6 months of refurbishment work, restoring the parquet floor and returning the area to its original form. It is hoped that three or four public exhibitions will be held here each year.
The Humbug! exhibition is free and open to members of the public. It will continue until 27 May 2010 and be open weekdays 9am until 9pm and weekends 10am until 6pm excluding bank holidays. Notes for Editors: Professor Vanessa Toulmin is available for interviews and to talk about the significance of this rare exhibition. Photographs of Humbug are available. Some of these pictures have never been seen or used before.
Professor Toulmin is Creative Advisor for Showzam: Blackpool´s Festival of Circus, Magic and New Variety, and is Special Adviser to the Chief Executive of Blackpool Council.
The National Fairground Archive (NFA) is a unique collection of photographic, printed, manuscript and audiovisual material covering all aspects of the culture of travelling showpeople, their organisation as a community, their social history and everyday life; and the artefacts and machinery of fairgrounds. The NFA collections are continuing to grow: there are now over 80,000 images in the photographic collection, in addition to audio and video material, journals and magazines, and nearly 3,000 monographs. The collection also includes a unique body of fairground ephemera (programmes, handbills, posters, charters and proclamations, plans and drawings). The NFA represents an important part of the cultural heritage of the nation. It is a primary resource of rich potential for research at every level; it provides a new and exciting source of teaching material for primary and secondary education, and provides access to a wealth of popular cultural history both for the fairground enthusiast and for the public at large.
For further information please contact: Lauren Anderson, Media Relations Officer, on 0114 2221046 or email l.h.anderson@sheffield.ac.uk
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