The Barbican’s summer exhibition is out of this world – literally. Paul Simpson had a preview of a real celebration of science fiction…

If you are a fan of science fiction – whether it’s literature, films, TV, comic books or even cigarette cards – then you need to get down to the Barbican between June 3 and September 1st to see the new exhibition, curated by Swiss historian Patrick Gyger. As you walk down the steps into the area, you’re greeted by incredible sights and sounds – from rich paintings depicting a world run by dinosaurs to the original manuscript of From the Earth to the Moon, accompanied by recent models made from the designs. Screens show well-chosen clips from around the world, demonstrating the wealth of the history of the subject – with original models of everything from the 1998 version of Godzilla to a Xenomorph head from Aliens, and design drawings of proposed items in the “lost” Dune movie to the unusual Alien from David Fincher’s Alien3.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a set-up from The Martian which actually allows you to control the mission – you press the wrong button, and… well, you may be the only one left living with the consequences. There are magazines and books from the gamut of science fiction: ancient editions next to volumes published in the last few months. Original comic book art is catered for too – a page from Bellamy’s Dan Dare strip Reign of the Robots, for example – and there are models from various Irwin Allen productions.

As Gyger explained in our interview with him a few weeks back, the exhibition is divided into four sections, but in such a way that it feels like an organic flow from one to the next as we follow the way in which exploration of the universe around us has been charted. Each of the exhibits is clearly labelled with some fascinating information that walks the difficult tightrope of putting the item in context without becoming too intricate for the non-fan.

There’s more to the exhibition than just the main gallery – there are cinema screenings, outdoor events, and assorted other items around the Barbican Centre that are all worth looking at – but it’s that that will hold your attention and remind you of the wonder of the genre.

Verdict: A phenomenal collection of science fiction memorabilia from across the last two centuries. 10/10

 

Thanks to Andrew Mark Sewell for sharing many of the pictures here

 

For full details of the exhibition and the associated events, click here