Yari

ANINO Shadowplay Collective

18 June 03 August 2010 GF West Wing Gallery Exhibition brief Yari features works by the ANINO Shadowplay Collective. Yari, a Filipino term for made, alludes to artists creations using found materials recycled for ANINOs productions. Yari in street argot also means screwed up, a blunder, a metaphor for a goner. Yari is ANINOs interpretations of the political landscape and the paradoxes of Philippine society. Philippine literature, political history, ecology and contemporary culture form the narratives of ANINOs projects. Through critique, humor and the stealthy presence of shadows, the exhibit constructs Yari as a form of making anew and unmasking puppetry and deception that ails society. About the ANINO Shadowplay Collective The ANINO Shadowplay Collective is a group of multimedia artists committed to developing and popularizing the art of shadow play in the Philippines through live performances, exhibitions, video and workshops. Towards this end it carries out live performances, exhibitions, video, and workshops. Its members come from diverse backgrounds; university students, visual artists, and theatre practitioners. Core members include Datu, Dido, and Teny Arellano, Andrew Cruz, Laya Roman, Don Salubayba and Teta Tulay. Since 1996, ANINO has been performing and conducting workshops at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Museo Pambata, Ayala Museum, the University of the Philippines and other cultural and educational institutions. Themes This education guide is designed to help facilitate class discussions and activities on the exhibit for classes in Art Studies, Fine Arts, Theater, Psychology and Education courses. I. Puppetry as an art form a. Visual art and literature b. Theatrical production

II. Metaphors in puppetry a. Magic and fantasy b. Creation and death c. Representation of self d. Power and manipulation III. Learning experiences with puppets

I. The art of puppetry and shadow play Puppetry, a form of performance for rituals, theater, storytelling and entertainment is a practice traced back to ancient times. It is characterized by the manipulation of puppets. A puppet can be described as an inanimate object moved in a certain manner by human or other mechanical agency. The different types of puppets may include (1) glove and hand puppet, (2) marionette or puppet on strings, and (3) shadow puppets. Shadow puppet used for shadow play is one of the earliest forms of puppetry in the East and is mainly focused on classical literature and spiritual themes, whereas marionettes are more popular in the Western tradition. Pre-visit activities 1. Discuss with the students the historical background of puppetry and shadow play. The teacher may focus either on the characteristics of puppetry in visual arts, literature or performing arts/theater. Take note of the difference in Western and Oriental tradition of puppetry. 2. Watch Florante at Laura or other productions by the ANINO Shadowplay Collective in class.

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Actual visit The exhibit comprises interactive art works. Let the students interact with these pieces (Don Salubaybas Galamay, Marc Vincent Cosicos works, Teleido, Toby and Mae Caraldes NiYari ng Papet and Brendale Tadeos Makinarya) and make them familiar with puppets and other objects used. Guide questions: 1. Compare the Western and Eastern traditions of puppetry. How do the marionnettes la planchettes of Europe differ from the Bunraku of Japan? How does it reflect of local tradition and culture? Why do you think shadow puppets are more prevalent and popular in Asia, such as the Wayang kulit of Indonesia, Nang of Thailand and the Philippines ANINO, than its Western counterpart? What are the themes or narratives and types of puppets commonly used? What aspects of culture, literary art and local tradition do they express? 2. Constructing a puppet involves both the creation of the character and the operation of movements. Determine and differentiate the technical aspects of design and process of puppetry vis--vis theatrical performances with live actors. What does puppetry as object theater pertain to? 3. How does light and shadow interplay in the works? 4. Compare the works in the Yari exhibit with those at the Lobby (Bound). Take the case of the mythological character Bakunawa which is present in both exhibits. Drawing from the story about Bakunawa being the god of underworld, how did the form, medium and contexts of the exhibitions change our understanding of Bakunawa? Post-visit Activities 1. Ask students to produce a one-act play or performance using shadow puppets with the storyline drawing from classical Filipino literature and/or contemporary issues. 2. The teacher may also discuss in class further the students thoughts and answers to the guide questions. Suggested Readings: Currell, David. The complete book of puppet theatre. London: A & C Black, 1985. Keene, Donald. Bunraku: the art of the Japanese Puppet Theatre. Tokyo: Kodansha International Ltd., 1965. Mellema, R. L. Wayang puppets; carving, colouring and sybolism. Koninklijk: Institute voor de Tropen, 1954.

II. Metaphors in puppetry The puppet possesses various metaphorical expressions. A puppet, a non-living object becomes alive once the puppeteer imparts her magic to make it move. This is associated with the old belief in magic and wizardry that enables one to manipulate and control events. The puppet as an extension of the self or that of the puppeteer is a common allegory, the puppet becoming an iconic sign of man according to the puppetry scholar Henryk Jurkowski (Williams, 2007), One of the oldest associations in puppetry is that of the puppeteer as Creator and the puppet as its creation. Death comes to mind with the Chinese tradition of shadow puppetry as resurrecting a deceased being. The American puppeteer Roman Paska writes of puppetry as necromancy, mummies and zombies coming to life, another allusion to magic and ritual that resides in puppetry. In the Philippines, puppet/papet is usually used as the term for follower of government leaders and officials, people manipulated for evil ends. They are the pawns and instruments of corruption and injustice. Other variations of the term may include Galamay, as in the case of the work of Don Salubayba; Makinarya by Brendale Tadeo conveys the element of time and machinery of operation in the flawed system; and tuta, the loyal assistant. Meanwhile, Toby and Mae Caraldes NiYari ng Papet critiques the outward political killings with the puppet seated on top. On the other hand, puppets and effigies are prominent tools in mass mobilizations and rallies, reversing the role of manipulator. The protesters manipulate then the fate of these personas, figuratively, through performance and other forms of protests.
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Pre-visit activity Engage the students in a discussion of what comes to their minds upon hearing the word puppet. Guide questions: 1. How do pieces in the exhibit articulate different metaphors inherent in puppetry? Are these employed in ways that produce layered meanings and understandings? What devices were used by the artists to achieve this? 2. Who manipulates who? Is it the puppeteer or the puppet? Relate the concept of manipulation in relationship of power, knowledge and influence. How does it relate to contemporary Philippine setting, from the government to the private sector to everyday life? 3. How does the audience perceive the staged production? In a way, does the audience become the manipulator or the one being manipulated as the show unveils in their eyes and creates their own fantasy? Post-visit activity Write a paper or essay relating the coinage of the exhibit title Yari to the metaphors of puppetry such as magic, creation, power, manipulation and death. Suggested Readings: Dean, Mitchell. Governmentality : power and rule in modern society. London: Sage, 1999. Kelly, Michael, ed. Critique and Power: Recasting the Foucault/Habermas Debate. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1994 Segal Baltimore, Harold B. Pinocchio's Progeny: puppets, marionettes, automatons and robots in modernist and avant-garde drama. London: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1995 Williams, Margaret. Including the Audience: The Idea of 'the Puppet' and the Real Spectator. Australasian Drama Studies 51 (2007): 119 132.

III. Puppetry and education Puppetry is an effective tool in teaching and evokes satisfactory learning experience. As a teaching tool, puppetry allows maximized communication of teachers and kids. According to some psychoanalysts, the puppet becomes a transitional object, replacing the presence of another. With this, using puppets for teaching facilitates a comfortable environment for the learners, inducing learning motivations. But more than as an instrument, puppetry in education is more significant as it acts as reinforcement in engaging children in the learning process. It stimulates thinking and creativity, and as a group activity, it enriches social interactions between children. Pre-visit activity Ask students if they are familiar with educational shows that use puppets such as the Sesame Street and Batibot. Let them share the memorable lessons they encountered in these shows. Guide questions: 1. How do puppets interest children? Is it the movement, the interaction or the creativity? Do you agree that puppet as a tool for teaching aide the learning process? Why? Does the same theory will work with adults? 2. How can you apply puppetry in teaching? Which approach can be best applied when using puppets for teaching?

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Post-visit activities: 1. As an educator, devise a module that would aid teaching simple lessons (e.g. counting, alphabet, etc.) for children using puppets. 2. Explore the possibility of using puppets not just as a tool for teaching but as part of the learning experience by developing a program for children on puppetry production. Suggested Readings: Astell-Burt, Caroline. I am the Story: The Art of Puppetry in Education and Therapy. Souvenir Press, 2002. Pearson, Gerald Hamilton Jeffrey. Psychoanalysis and the Education of the Child. Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1972.

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