Shadow Play
While working at Playeum as Creative Director for their inaugurate season (and helping set up the direction for the new Children’s Centre for Creativity), I had the opportunity to test one of my own pieces, Shadowplay.
Shadowplay was inspired by Japanese artist Ryota Kuwobata’s “The Tenth Sentiment” artwork, where a toy train supporting a torchlight navigates a fantastical landscape made of ordinary objects.
In Playeum’s new Centre, we designed a Dark Room, ideal to play with lights. As part of the Centre’s philosophy, children are co-creators of the artworks set up by artists. As such, in Shadowplay, there is a spotlight, activated by the children themselves, and a set (mostly fixed), as well as a number of props for the children to arrange in the room for the show.
At all times, the children can therefore be “Technicians” (moving the light), “Artists”(Displaying the props), “Actors”(playing in the light) or “Spectators”(Watching, observing an artwork is a necessary part of any art activity), usually one after the other.
Shadowplay was shown at Playeum’s Children’s Centre for Creativity in September to October 2015 and in February 2016. Check out the images of the installation below.
And view the documentary / interview about it here: Watch Playeum’s Shadowplay.
Shadowplay (2015) floodlight, pulleys, rope, objects.
Isabelle Desjeux 