SuperMonster市City! was co-founded by “crazed collector” David Barnhill and curator Stephen Yogi Rueff. The traveling exhibits are derived from Barnhill’s collection of 200,000 toys, posters, games, and films. Rueff, as Managing Director and Curator, places the objects in social and political contexts, researching and writing reflective and informative texts, artist profiles, and commentary.
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David Barnhill has been collecting since the early 1960s. David’s parents felt that anything that inspired him to read and stimulated his imagination was a good thing. As David’s interest in film, literature, and comic books evolved, his parents allowed him to pursue his passion for monsters, villains, superheroes, and the fantastic.
David continued collecting while traveling the world – visiting every continent except Antarctica. David felt it was his mission to buy the scariest and most vicious toys he could find. Inspired by the High Lama in the 1930s film The Lost Horizon, David’s vision was that “in some future time, there will be a need for these amazing toys, spacemen and villains for all to enjoy.”
David’s collection now includes more than 200,000 items, making this Minnesota-based collection one of the largest private toy collections in America. Containing rare and highly sought-after items representing toymakers and monster creators from across the United States and several foreign countries, David co-founded SuperMonster市 City! because he is eager to share his joy in toys, monsters, superheroes, and villains with the world.
David earned a Bachelor’s Degree in American Film History from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, with an emphasis on Classic American Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s.
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Stephen Yogi Rueff grew up in Minneapolis collecting comic books in the 1960s and loves his role as co-founder of SuperMonster市City!, where he is a curator and managing director. Stephen has worked in the arts as a performer, designer, manager, and producer, touring around the globe with performing artists such as MacArthur Genius Award Recipients Meredith Monk and Bill T. Jones, as well as Blue Man Group, Karen Finley, and many, many other artists and creatives.
As an Account Manager and Executive Producer for global corporate communications companies Jack Morton Worldwide and BI Worldwide, he produced events throughout the United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Czech Republic, and Bahrain.
Stephen enjoys his role as ‘Faculty Advisor/Lead for the Minor in Creative Entrepreneurship’ at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). His academic research in Arts Entrepreneurship explores ways to redefine business practices that can preserve culture and maintain artistic integrity, while being more restorative, regenerative and equitable to all stakeholders.
Stephen’s curatorial research centers on the fictional monsters, superheroes and their creators in American popular culture; the ubiquitous impulse to collect; and how to reveal intimate and personal memories that are embedded into pop culture objects.
Stephen earned his MBA with an emphasis in Leadership and Sustainable Business from Presidio Graduate School. Stephen’s BA from Empire State University, the same college attended by Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man! ‘Nuff said.
SuperMonster市City! Team of Champions
Steven Zerby grew up in Minnetonka, MN and Dinkytown, USA. He met David and Yogi in 8th grade and has been offering his photographic skills to SuperMonster市City! since we began this journey.
Kate Roberts is the Senior Exhibit Developer at the Minnesota Historical Society and has been a generous friend, supporter, and mentor to SuperMonster市City! curator Stephen Rueff since our inception.
Many other people have provided creative, spiritual and emotional support to this project including: Diane Aldis, David Cambronne, John Gaspard, Sue Herro, Ruth Hritzko, Theresa Hritzko, Ann Isaacson, Anita Kristjanson Kangas, Tom McEvilly, Nick Michaels, Lin Nelson-Mayson, Meg McHutchison, Margie and Pat O’Loughlin, Caroline Palmer, Liz Pangerl, Lisa Powers, J. C. Schlecter, Hannah Schulte, Steve Sibra, Dan Spock, Joel Westacott, Dan Woychick, and many, many more. Thank you all for your contributions!
And thanks too, to the staff of the many museums and cultural institutions that have hosted our exhibitions. They too have helped us grow and evolve, as well as lending their creative talents to our installations.
The historical and cultural significance of this outstanding collection is not to be underestimated. The resounding shock and awe of such an assemblage has been registered in the far away Kingdom of Sweden. The dynamic vision of a man who kept his dream alive has resulted in this impact on modern civilisation. With the addition of modern air superiority and protection from the Federation Star Ships, this collection will stand tall and proud while the teeth of time turn the rest of us into dust. May this man’s statement be a shining shrine on the mountaintop beaming out the message to the rest of the frightened, huddled masses in the reality darkened world: Onward, keep the dream alive!
Your humble servant,
Keevin in Sweden
Awesome exhibit!
Well done, gentlemen.
And what a funky surprise to have a chance to listen in on the Museum Group’s special meeting with the Collector.
I loved the commercials and movie bits.
How swell would it be if you had a huge space to display even more of your very cool toys?
It was good to hear your gratitude for your parents’ indulgence of your passion for monsters, superheroes and villains.
June’s anthropomorphic Steiff hedge hog still makes me smile.
Cheers!
Paris
Hey David Fabulous Show!!! I loved the posters of Frankenstein and King Kong. I am now gathering all of the promo stuff, photos, posters etc., from the Timothy D. Kehr Collection of Horror, Sci-Fi, and a lot of film stills “Plan Nine from Outer space, Psycho, Wolfman, Dracula, Jack the Ripper, Flash Gordon, House on the Haunted Hill, Etc. Call me. – Robster