:
February 15, 2013

Media Contact:
Nancy Colvin, 614.629.0303
		nancy.colvin@cmaohio.org

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP BRINGS RARE CZECH PUPPETS TO COLUMBUS

(Columbus, OH) – Strings Attached: The Living Tradition of Czech Puppets, on view at the Columbus Museum of Art March 8 – August 25, explores the rich history of puppetry in the Czech Republic and its influence throughout the world. 

This exhibition is organized by the Columbus Museum of Art, the College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University, and the Arts and Theatre Institute, Prague. Nina Malíková, from the Arts and Theatre Institute, Prague, is the curator with guest curator Joe Brandesky, Ohio State theatre professor, and Carole Genshaft, CMA adjunct curator.

“This is an incredibly rare opportunity to share these amazing objects from Prague and their stories with our community,” said CMA Executive Director Nannette V. Maciejunes. “Working with our international and local partners to bring the exhibition to life here has been an incredible experience and one we hope will prove as enriching for our visitors.”

“We’re delighted to be partnering with the Columbus Museum of Art to premiere this international endeavor in Columbus,” said Joseph E. Steinmetz, executive dean and vice provost, College of Arts and Sciences. “Working together with our 'town and gown' relationship, the arts at the university and the arts in the community bring rich, innovative and imaginative productions and exhibitions to the people of central Ohio.”

For the Czech people, puppetry helped maintain ethnic and national identity during long years of authoritarian rule. Strings Attached illustrates this enduring legacy by using not only puppets but also related set designs, masks, and costumes, dating from the 1850s to the present. The earliest puppets in the exhibition are those used by itinerant puppeteers who performed for both adult and young audiences. The majority of puppets trace the evolution of modern Czech puppetry from these traditional roots. 

Puppets from the first part of the 20th century demonstrate the influence both of European expressionism and the Bauhaus movement in Germany. In 1948, the Theatre Act officially elevated puppet theater to the same legal, social, and artistic level as all other theater arts. Many new puppet theaters were created and puppets from this period reflect Soviet influence. Then, new, emerging puppet theaters began collaborating with Czech writers to create original Czech productions. 

This resulted in experimentation and new forms of puppetry such as black-light theater based on black theater techniques like those performed in ancient China. Contemporary Czech puppetry continues to flourish and to demonstrate the connections between Czech puppetry and international forms of drama, ballet, opera, and animated and stop-action film. 

Related Programs:

Puppets of Avenue Q 
Thursday, March 28, 7:00 PM
Beth Kattelman, Associate Professor and Associate Curator of the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute at Ohio State, will present a program about creating puppets for The Contemporary American Theatre Company’s recent production of Avenue Q. This program is free with admission, no registration requested.

Artist Talk: Petr Matásek & Joseph Brandesky
Sunday, April 7, 1:00 pm
Petr Matásek, Czech theater designer and Joseph Brandesky, Ohio State theatre professor and guest curator of Strings Attached, will present Marion Lee, a puppet designed for their new production, aPOEtheosis: A Fantasy on the Life of Edgar Allen Poe. In aPOEtheosis, objects, music, and movement are used to illuminate the fine lines between creative genius and madness, fatal love and obsession. For aPOEtheosis tickets, visit http://theatre.osu.edu/apoetheosis.html. In celebration of our international collaboration, CMA admission is free, with identification, for OSU students and faculty April 6 and 7. This program is free, no registration requested.

Guest Curator Gallery Tour
Saturday, April 27, 2:00 PM    
Get the behind-the-scenes scoop from Joe Brandesky, Ohio State theatre professor and guest curator of Strings Attached, during this gallery tour of the Czech Puppets exhibition. This program is free with admission, no registration requested.

aPOEtheosis: A Fantasy Based on The Life and Work of Edgar Allen Poe
The Ohio State University
Roy Bowen Theatre, Drake Performance and Event Center
April 4 – 14
Co-conceived by Czech scenographer Petr Matásek and Joseph Brandesky, Directed by Joseph Brandesky
Matásek returns to Ohio State to devise a new fantasy based on the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe. Objects, music, and movement will be used to illuminate the fines lines between creative genius and madness, fatal love, and obsession. For more information, please visit www.theatre.osu.edu

About CMA
The Columbus Museum of Art creates great experiences with great art for everyone. The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Nationwide Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, and the Charlotte R. Haller, Lewis K. Osborne, and Robert B. Hurst funds of The Columbus Foundation provide ongoing support. CMA and the Museum Store are open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and until 8:30 PM every Thursday. The Palette Express is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.  Museum admission is $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and students 6 and older; and free for members, children 5 and younger. Admission is free for all on Sundays. CMA Free Sundays presented by Arts Alive is made possible through a grant from PNC Foundation. For additional information, call 614.221.4848 or visit www.columbusmuseum.org.

About The College of Arts and Sciences at The Ohio State University
The College of Arts and Sciences is the academic heart of Ohio State. With more than 80 departments, schools, centers and institutes, the college delivers 60 percent of the academic curriculum to Ohio State students. Its vast academic diversity is its greatest strength, combining the best of a major research institution with a rich liberal arts foundation. Arts and Sciences faculty create new knowledge to solve global problems, fuel Ohio's economy, spark student inquiry, and engage with the local community. 
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