Taiwan Today
Date: January 8, 2016
An exhibition showcasing the puppets and related materials of accomplished
An eye-catching array of puppets used by Jean-Luc Penso in his popular play “The Odyssey” is one of the highlights of a related exhibition running Jan. 5 to March 27 at Puppetry Art Center of Taipei. (Courtesy of PACT)
French talent Jean-Luc Penso kicked off Jan. 5 at Puppetry Art Center of Taipei.
The Origin of Puppetry features glove, shadow and string puppets, as well as posters, properties and scripts used in Penso’s past performances. Also on display are photos taken during the artist’s five-year stint studying in Taiwan under the late Li Tien-lu, a legendary proponent of the art form renowned at home and abroad.
“We met in a Taipei antique shop in 1970,” Penso said Jan. 6 at a news conference at the center. “At first, I didn’t realize who was standing in front of me, but after he staged an impromptu performance, I recognized his immense talent and decided to stay and learn from him.”
According to Penso, Li asked him to devote his life to promoting puppetry around the world. “I agreed and founded the Small Mirror Theater after returning to France. My glove puppet troupe has toured more than 80 countries and territories in the past 40 years,” he said. [FULL STORY]
