All The World’s A Stage

While this exhibit has explored time and identity mostly in isolation from one another, it should of course be noted and understood that these factors invariably interact with one another. One straightforward example of this is that the evolution and fluidity of identity requires the passage of time; similarly, as discussed in the section on time, the reason why the supposed antiquity of Kathputli is perceived as so important is because of the interconnections between notions of tradition and authenticity, which in turn is tied to understandings of the self and the other (Jackson, 2021). 

Both time and identity act as a constraint upon the puppeteer and audience, but are also used and re-interpreted to create their own meanings and understandings of themselves and each other. Thus, while these relationships are, to some degree, rigid and constrained by factors outside of one’s control, they are also fluid, dynamic, and moldable. Arguably, puppets embody this dualism by their very nature. That they are made of wood and manipulated with strings severely limits the range and appearance of motion possible, with an almost unavoidable degree of rigidity and stiffness in their movements; however, puppeteers, especially skilled puppeteers, are able to use their own dexterity and environmental/staging factors (such as lighting) to make the puppets’ movements appear smooth and graceful (Lal, 2004; Jairazbhoy, 2007). 

It is not only movement on the level of the puppet’s manipulation that is important in this story; it is also the movement involved in migration across large distances. In order to explore the importance of migration in the relationships between audience, puppeteer, and puppet, and of the spaces and places across which such movements occur, please see the Neatline exhibit embedded below, mapping various locations that are importantly tied to the Kathputli tradition and the two puppets in the collection.