Bodies of Enchantment: Puppets from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas

Puppeteers have enthralled audiences for millennia with their unique charm, enacting history, sharing knowledge, and preserving culture. This volume features over 150 full-color images and chapters by nine additional contributors, showcasing traditional puppetry practices and modern adaptations.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 03 February 2022
Publisher: Figure 1 Publishing

Puppeteers have captivated audiences for centuries with their captivating charm, transcending the mere act of storytelling to become vessels of history, knowledge, and culture preservation. In this captivating and immersive volume, based on the 2019 exhibition "Shadows, Strings, and Other Things" (UBC Museum of Anthropology), puppets from diverse corners of the world are showcased in striking photographs that accompany texts from ten scholars and puppeteers. Bodies of Enchantment delves into the enduring vitality of traditional puppetry practices, alongside examples of modern adaptations that reflect the ever-evolving nature of this art form.

Translucent leather shadow puppets, for instance, depict ancient Indian epics in contemporary Indonesia, showcasing the seamless fusion of heritage and innovation. In Taiwan, the long-running Pili glove puppetry show thrives in the digital age, captivating audiences with its intricate craftsmanship and innovative techniques. Meanwhile, Indigenous filmmaker Amanda Strong employs stop-motion animation to create mesmerizing new realms, pushing the boundaries of puppetry's artistic possibilities.

Bodies of Enchantment: Puppets from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas presents over 150 full-color images, accompanied by chapters contributed by nine additional experts. Anthony Alan Shelton delves into the alluring uncanny nature of puppets, Annie Katsura Rollins explores Chinese shadow puppetry, Sutrisno Setya Hartana introduces Indonesian wayang, Jo Ann Cavallo uncovers the archetypes of Sicilian opera dei pupi, Mary Jo Arnoldi encounters the Sogobò masquerade in Mali, Izabela Brochado showcases the continued vibrancy of mamulengo in Brazil, Kathy Foley and Catherine Ries uncover the significance of clothing in Javanese wayang golak cepak, and Jill Baird shares the history of puppetry at the Museum of Anthropology.

This captivating volume serves as a testament to the enduring power of puppetry, showcasing its ability to transcend time, cultures, and boundaries. It invites audiences to immerse themselves in the world of puppets, where history, imagination, and artistry converge, and where the magic of storytelling comes alive in a myriad of captivating ways.

Dimension: 304 x 254 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781773271545