Wayland Games, a leading European tabletop games retailer, and The Unwin Charitable Trust, from the publisher who backed The Hobbit, are sponsoring Fantasy: Realms of Imagination.
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination is a series of online and physical events at the London building.
The event runs from Friday the 27th of October to the 25th of February 2024, with the in-person ticket price starting at £16 unless you’re a member.
The British Library’s Fantasy exhibition features over 100 items, including some never seen in the UK. The collection illustrates how fantasy flourishes today across various media, including literature, TV, film, and games. It also looks back at the origins of the genre. The Fantasy exhibition will accompany a diverse program of events, including Q&A sessions with celebrated fantasy writers, after-hours Library Late events, and creative writing workshops.
The Library highlights;
- Unique manuscripts of Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, C.S Lewis‘ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures Under Ground, The Magic City by E. Nesbit, The Owl Service by Alan Garner and The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
- Ursula K. Le Guin‘s drafts and drawings for her Earthsea novels – which are on display in the UK for the first time
- Original sketches and outlines for Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake and Michael Palin‘s notes for Monty Python And The Holy Grail
- The costumes worn by Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in the Royal Opera House’s 1968 ballet production of The Sleeping Beauty and props and costumes from The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Crystal and Wicked
- Clips from iconic Fantasy film, television and video games including Princess Mononoke, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Pan’s Labyrinth and Skyrim
- A playable mini-game by Failbetter Games designed especially for the exhibition, based on the Fallen London universe.
The Fantasy exhibition begins by exploring the fantasy archetypes that fascinate us today in “Fairy and Folk Tales” from The Snow Queen to The Arabian Nights and Peter Pan. Visitors will discover how different cultures shape local legend and reflect on the following:
- The conflict between destiny and choice
- How frightening figures in fantasy can both repulse and thrill us
- How transformation and metamorphosis can change not only the stories themselves, but also readers and viewers
Richard Lawford, Managing Director of Wayland Games Ltd, said:
Wayland Games is proud to be supporting Fantasy: Realms of Imagination at the British Library. For over a decade we have taken our customers on journeys into fantastical tabletop gaming worlds, filled with the mythical creatures inspired by the iconic stories in fantasy literature. We’re delighted the exhibition celebrates the role of fantasy fans and will inspire visitors to continue their fantasy journey after the exhibition through our range of tabletop games.’
Once they have encountered the strange creatures that haunt the genre, visitors journey into “Portals and Worlds” and discover the richly detailed world-building that makes fantasy universes unique. They also learn how the sub-genre of Portal Fantasy has shaped the history of children’s literature.
On display will be a map of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, original manuscripts of Diana Wynne Jones’ The Dark Lord of Derkholm and Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, and costumes and props from The Dark Crystal. The exhibition concludes with a look at the impact of fan culture. It features live action role-play costumes, an exploration of fan fiction and filmed interviews with fans exploring what Fantasy means to them, recognising the creativity and innovation that fans have brought to the genre.
Tanya Kirk, Lead Curator of Fantasy: Realms of Imagination at the British Library, said:
Fantasy is hugely influential today but it has roots that are far older than many imagine. For centuries, people have loved stories about impossibility, and they’ve responded to Fantasy’s ability to provide us with both an escape but also a way to view our own world from a new perspective. This exhibition tells the story of the genre, from its origins to the enormously rich and diverse forms it takes today. We wanted visitors to feel they were on a journey into imagination, and to experience the genre across different media – not only rare printed books and original manuscripts, but also film, TV, art, music, gaming, costume and fan culture.’
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