File puptcrit/puptcrit.1002, message 392


From: Alan Cook <alangregorycook-AT-msn.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:45:27 GMT
Subject: [Puptcrit] Taste, changing fashion, art politics in puppetry


I think the current debate about "what is puppetry?" is very important. However the whole point is

There is no single authority.

Some authorities are phonies.

Some knowledgeable authorities are ignored---yet may be proved to be ahead of their time.

Change is part of life. Many art movements have been a reaction against "the old" and "the old" can and has gotten into self-derivative ruts. Yet the best of "the old" is timeless. We still need access to it in order to appreciate the good old stuff. That used to be one of the purposes of museums and libraries. Is it still?

The word "NEW" is still the most potent word in advertising and publicity.
At the same time many forms of "Traditional Puppetry" can remain vital, lively, great to look at, and be meaningful transmitters of culture. Examples abound in Chinese and Indonesian shadow puppetry, Bunraku of Japan, Sicilian armored knights, Punch & Judy. Yet even these forms may be ignored in their own countries because they are not the latest high-tech gimmick. Tourists with a fresh appreciation can help maintain those traditions, or touring companies can find new audiences in foreign lands.

Inspiration keeps tradition fresh. Inspiration finds new forms of expression.

How many people know their own taste these days? Many don't. So "experts" tell them what is good taste this week. Next week may be different.

We should all know what we like. But if we don't, we still like what we know. That was part of Andy Warhol's message with paintings of Campbell's soup cans---many of us are familiar with the BRAND.

Education in the USA has neglected the Arts, so the common denominator is still whatever we are exposed to.  There is a lot of crap today on TV, the internet, Twitter to keep us distracted. A little elitism could help.


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