The quirky world of Dede Puppets

Date: 12 June, 2013

www.thedepotartspace.co.nz

Depot Artspace proudly presents the quirky world of Dede Puppets created by North Shore artist Dietlind Wagner.

These vibrant and colourful characters are the artist’s response to the hyper-communicative world we live in. Her eccentric sculptures are homage to real friends and real people with all their flaws and idiosyncrasies. Conceived as heads only, or “No Bodies”, the characters come to life when someone lends them a hand. Their uniquely collaged heads allude to fractured personalities in the fast paced world of modern communication.

Puppets have been an essential part of popular entertainment throughout history. Before television and computers, puppet theatre was a highly valued fairground attraction and their little protagonists were admired for their independence and freedom to criticise the powers that be. Dietlind’s Dede Puppets draw on this subversive history of puppetry.

Artist Dietlind Wagner, a computer pioneer from the early eighties, has found a more down-to-earth medium to express her views on interpersonal communication. Her paper maché puppets, each one an individual with their own characteristics, provide an opportunity for the audience to create a biography or form a social network. “What started as a book for close friends, has gathered momentum as a blog with hundreds following the exploits of the Dede puppets. It is wonderful to stage this new exhibition with some fun workshops for young and old,” says Dietlind Wagner.

Ultimately the puppets come alive through the hand and the ideas of the puppeteer. On both Sundays during the exhibition Dietlind Wagner will hold a free one hour puppeteer workshop for all ages. In these workshops participants are prompted to come up with, and act out, stories of an adopted puppet character.

Dede Puppets by Dietlind Wagner will run from 22nd June – 4th July in the Main Gallery at the Depot Artspace, 28 Clarence Street, Devonport.
Join us for the exhibition opening on Saturday 22nd of June from 3 – 4.30pm.

Puppeteer workshop Lend Us a Hand – Sunday June 23 and Sunday June 30, 1 – 2pm.

For more information on Dietlind Wagner and her puppets visit dedepuppets.com.

Please see our website for further details and gallery hours.

ENDS

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