Why Harryhausen is my hero
Cyclops. Bronze H 30 cm approx. Ray Harryhausen. On display at the Ray Harryhausen Myths in Motion Exhibition The Arc, Winchester. Photography Mark Jones
The unexpected moment
Yesterday I went to The Arc Winchester for the press opening of Harryhausen Is My Hero, an exhibition celebrating the influence of Ray Harryhausen. I already had a particular reason for being there: three of my own artworks are included in the City Space exhibition.
What I hadn't expected was to meet Harryhausen's daughter, Vanessa, and to have her sign the book she wrote about her father and his extraordinary career
Vanessa Harryhausen at the press opening of Ray Harryhausen’s Myths in Motion, exhibition, the Arc Winchester. Photography Mark Jones
Why Harryhausen mattered to me.
The combination of fantastical creatures moving through strange and exotic landscapes creating imagined worlds. Combined with Harryhausen’s lively and evocative concept sketches, which tell stories through dramatic images and give the feeling that the impossible could be made tangible, this approach showcases a highly skilled and versatile artist passionate about the subject matter. It’s inspirational.
From Harryhausen to my own artwork
The Geography of Imagination 84 x 59 cm Mixed media on canvas. Photography Mark Jones
Although my own work is very different from Harryhausen's, I think there is a connection in the way we both use familiar visual elements to construct imagined worlds. His creatures transformed drawings and models into characters with a sense of life and personality. In my own work I have become increasingly interested in transforming the familiar landscape around me into something more mysterious and imaginative.
Good Morning Mrs Jones, Linocut 10 x 21 cm Mark Jones 2026
It strikes me that, in the recent film The Odyssey 2026, Cyclops tenderly tended his flock of sheep, so perhaps he would take his sheepdog for a daily walk when off duty? In this linocut print they have wandered into the suburbs and met my wife walking our dog Bruce.
You said this was a shortcut, Linocut 15 x 15 cm Mark Jones 2026
The Harpies from Jason and the Argonauts steal from Phineus, who was a blind, aging Thracian king. In my linocut print, they are harassing a couple of joggers with their dog in the local woods.
The Vanessa Harryhausen moment
The most memorable part of the afternoon was meeting Vanessa Harryhausen. She has written about her father's life and work, and I was fortunate enough to have my copy signed by her. It was a rather extraordinary moment: to stand in an exhibition inspired by Ray Harryhausen, with three of my own works on the City Space wall nearby and then meet someone who knew the artist behind the films that had inspired so many of us.
My signed copy of Vanessa’s book about her father’s work. Photograph Mark Jones
The exhibition
Video showing the press open day at the Ray Harryhausen: Myths in Motion at The Arc Winchester
Harryhausen Is My Hero runs at City Space at The Arc Winchester until 22 November 2026. It is a free exhibition that brings together artists, makers, animators, and enthusiasts inspired by Harryhausen's films and imagination.
Alongside it, Ray Harryhausen: Myths in Motion explores his work and legacy in The Gallery from 26 September 2026 to 16 February 2027.
Come and see the exhibition →
