Puppet and object performance in the Americas is represented here by masks from Mexico and ritual performing objects from Brazil. In addition, even a modest exhibition such as “The World of Puppetry” suggests how particular characters, stories and puppet techniques have traveled from culture to culture over the centuries as a living link between people everywhere. Instead, the Ballard Institute-and The World of Puppetry exhibition in particular-is focused on showing how puppets have been consistent communicators of the most important aspects of societies across the globe, including religion, cultural identity, politics and folklore. Part of the education mission of the Ballard Institute is to expand contemporary understandings of puppetry as a television-based form of children’s entertainment. The puppets on display include figures from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, and in particular reflect one of the collection’s major strengths: United States puppetry in the 20th century. While the Ballard Institute Museum offers a changing roster of exhibitions, drawing on its own collections as well as important historical and contemporary puppets from artists and collectors beyond UConn, a constant presence in the Museum’s lobby is The World of Puppetry, a permanent exhibition of extraordinary puppet practices from around the world. As Connecticut’s State Puppet Museum, the Ballard Institute endeavors to provide the people of Connecticut with a vibrant source of education and entertainment about the past, present and future possibilities of puppetry. Begun in the 1990s as a project to preserve the puppets that Professor Frank Ballard and his students made for UConn Puppet Arts productions, the Institute’s collection has grown to include marionettes, rod puppets, shadow figures, hand puppets, masks, toy theaters and other forms of object performance from a wide array of cultures from around the world.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |