Puppetry! In Minnesota!!
Artists practicing puppetry make use of a myriad of artistic forms to bring about on-stage and community-based magic. From marionettes controlled by strings to shadow puppets to larger-than-life wearable characters, Minnesota has long had one of the most vibrant puppetry communities in the country. Puppetry! In Minnesota!! provides a taste of this broad and wide-ranging artistic community. The exhibition is on view from February 5 – April 26, 2025. An artist reception will be held Saturday, February 22 from 2 – 4 p.m.
From the 1970s through present, multiple generations of sculptors, costumers, painters, performers, playwrights, and multi-talented artists have worked (separately and collaboratively) to bring inanimate objects to life and tell powerful stories that span the full gamut of human experience. These works are presented through documentation, set and promotional materials, and the puppets themselves. From Duluth to Winona, and especially in Minneapolis, puppetry has profoundly influenced artistic experience and creativity in our state. Puppetry! In Minnesota!!, curated by Neal Cuthbert, offers one look at the artists who have shaped Minnesota’s Puppetry Community.
Featured image shows puppets by (l-r): Dr. Bob, Seth Eberle, and Duane Tougas.
Featured Artists
Jeong Ae, Shari Aronson, Gustavo Boada, Dr. Bob, Jonathan Boyd, Bart Buch, Malia Araki Burkhart, Felicia Cooper, Seth Eberle, Chris Griffith, Alison Heimstead, Kurt Hunter, Masanari Kawahara, Kaden Kelsheimer, Mackenzie Lageson, Christopher Lutter-Gardella, Atim Opoka, Jim Ouray, Sofia Padilla, Mary Plaster, Mark Safford, Liz Sexton, Michael Sommers, Michele Spaise, Sandy Spieler, Duane Tougas, Oanh Vu, Chamindika Wanduragala, Erica Warren
About the Venue
Puppetry! In Minnesota! is held in Galleries One and Three. Anderson Center Galleries are free to the public (donations welcome). The galleries are open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gallery One is on the lower level of the main building and is accessed via stairs or an elevator. Gallery Three is on the first (main) floor of the main building and is at-grade. If you have questions about the accessibility of Anderson Center facilities or programs, please contact us! info@andersoncenter.org or 651-388-2009.
Free admission to the Anderson Center galleries is made possible in part through support from the Xcel Energy Foundation.
This exhibit is also made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
