LAIKA, the innovative, Portland, Oregon-based stop-motion animation studio, and the Museum of Pop Culture, a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle, are partnering for a new exhibition that will immerse visitors in the “hidden worlds” of LAIKA’s five magical features. Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA is the largest exhibition LAIKA has ever mounted and sets to focus on the “hidden worlds” of “the [films] magical settings the characters inhabit, and the behind-the-scenes wonders of producing these modern classics.”
The exhibition spans more than 7,500 square feet of exhibition space with immersive displays, film artifacts, props, and interactive elements tied into LAIKA’s five features – 2009’s “Coraline,” 2012’s “ParaNorman,” 2014’s “The Boxtrolls,” 2016’s “Kubo and the Two Strings” and 2019’s “Missing Link.” Plus, if you’re looking to get a look at the studio’s forthcoming feature “Wildwood,” there will be elements from the new movie as part of the exhibit too.
LAIKA and the Museum of Pop Culture today announced the new exhibition that will showcase the creativity, artistry, and innovation that make the studio a global leader in stop-motion animation. Visitors will be immersed in the “hidden worlds” of LAIKA — both the magical settings the characters inhabit, and the behind-the-scenes wonders of producing these modern classics, including allowing visitors to take a “puppets-eye-view” of a LAIKA set.
“LAIKA tells original, enduring stories with meaningful themes and a commitment to filmmaking innovation,” said MoPOP’s Director of Curatorial, Collections, and Exhibits Jacob McMurray in an official statement. “We can’t wait to give our guests a peek behind the curtain into the world of stop motion animation and how emerging technologies are fused with timeless techniques to create LAIKA’s state-of-the-art film masterpieces.”
“LAIKA is a multifaceted community of dreamers, makers, storytellers, scientists, engineers, and artists all committed to making movies that matter,” said LAIKA’s Chief Marketing Officer and SVP Operations David Burke in an official statement. “We believe that cinema is a profoundly important and fertile landscape in which we can tell stories that will speak to global audiences, both now and for generations to come. Film is a universally shared cultural language and it’s thrilling to be partnering with MoPOP, which celebrates the power of popular culture and the individuals who create that magic.”
Opening March 17, the exhibition is not to be missed, especially if you are a fan of the idiosyncratic studio.
Currently, LAIKA is in production on “Wildwood,” while development continues on “The Night Gardener,” an animated film from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series “Ozark,” as well as its first live-action feature film based on the action thriller novel “Seventeen” by screenwriter John Brownlow.
