Since Ron’s sad departure in July a number of new articles have been published. We’ve updated our page about Ron with the new links.
Blog
Summer Automata Exhibitions
There are currently six touring exhibitions featuring automata from Cabaret Mechanical Theatre on display around the world. The Mechanicals show is at The Royal Engineers Museum in the UK and Frost Science in Miami. Moving Toys with Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre is in South Korea. The Clockwork Garden is at The Bowes Museum until November. There […]
Ron Fuller 1936-2017
We are very sad to announce the death of Ron Fuller, at the age of 80. Ron was an integral part of the formation of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre having first met Sue Jackson while they were both students at Falmouth Art School in 1957. Ron’s distinctive toys, for example, Hens Laying Eggs and Tapping Can-Can […]
Mechanicals in Whitehaven
If you happen to be sailing around the coast of the UK in the next six weeks, you might want to book a mooring at Whitehaven harbour. Our touring exhibition, The Mechanicals, has arrived at The Beacon Museum and will be entertaining visitors of all ages from Saturday 25th March. West Strand Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7LY Phone: 01946 592302 […]
A Curious Turn Tour Dates
The eagerly anticipated tour of the Crafts Council’s exhibition, A Curious Turn, begins at Wolverhampton Art Gallery. Exhibition Dates: 18th Feb 2017 to 21st May 2017. Links: Crafts Council and Wolverhampton Art Gallery. The show will then tour the UK: 8th Jul – 2nd Sep 2017, Gallery Oldham 15 Sep – 19 Nov 2017, Derby Museum and Art […]
The Agreeing Heart by Paul Spooner
It’s not often that P. Spooner, the well-known European automaton maker, has a new idea for a Valentine’s Day offering. This year is no exception; he made one of these for a secret lover many years ago and almost forgot he’d done it. Rugged carving and the painterly application of expensive pigments are complimented by […]
Johann Knopf: a Machine with Whirling Birds
A new edition by Paul Spooner. Twelve wooden birds rotate on four axes in imitation of one of Johann Knopf’s drawings. Knopf, also known as Knüpfer, died in Wiesloch asylum in 1910. He was a patient of Dr Hans Prinzhorn, one of the first psychiatrists to become interested in, and respectful of, the creative works […]
Curious Contraptions at the Exploratorium
Our latest touring exhibition, Curious Contraptions will be at the Exploratorium, San Francisco, from 17th November to Jan 29th 2017. The exhibition features work from 15 different artists, both from the UK and USA and a series of automata making workshops will accompany the exhibition. To learn more about this exciting event, visit the Curious […]
Peter Markey 1930-2016
We are very sad to announce the death yesterday, November 2nd, of Peter Markey, aged 86. Peter was the first automata artist to start making work for us in 1979 and he continued to make automata for almost 50 years. His deceptively simple style and insistence on using the most basic materials belied his ingenuity […]
A Curious Turn
The Crafts Council’s new touring exhibition, A Curious Turn: Moving Mechanical Sculpture will celebrate 40 years of British automata and a preview of the exhibition will open 15 September at Habitat’s King’s Road Platform Gallery as part of London Design Festival before the full exhibition with 40 automata embarks on a two-year nationwide tour.