New York's Museum of Moving Image was opening a new exhibition featuring the work and life of Jim Henson—best known as the visionary creator of the Muppets. COLLINS lead the creative execution of the exhibition space and all surrounding marketing material for the launch of the Jim Henson Exhibition. We were tasked with designing a poster advertising the launch of the exhibition.

While Jim Henson is most known for his creation of the famous Muppets, he led a life of creative output in many mediums. He was a relentlessly innovative performer, writer, producer, and filmmaker. Inspiration for the design was gathered from the vast range of Jim Henson’s work, which was always characterized by bold inventiveness and playfulness. The evocative letterforms of our design system reference his work's striking personality and sense of whimsy. In this poster, the big, bold Jim, stretching the confines of its container, allude to the outsized presence that his characters exerted on their medium. The deliberate casualness of only showcasing his first name mirrors the informality and inviting warmth that he brought to all his work, his relationships, and his life.

The Jim Henson Exhibition launched in late 2017 to critical acclaim from publications such as The New York Times, and has quickly become a popular success for the Museum of the Moving Image.