Philippa Robbins ‘Frida’ Papier mâché, gummed paper & tin foil. 64cm high.
Philippa Robbins ‘Bette‘ Papier mâché gummed paper, tin foil & dental cast. 52cm high
Philippa Robbins ‘The Prisoner’ Papier mâché gummed paper, tin foil & dental cast. 52cm high
A true highlight of this year’s Winter Show – Philippa Robbins “An Audience of Puppets” which inspired a series of wall based works on paper with an immediate question:
Who exactly is the audience? Is it the viewer or is it the puppets?
The puppets themselves, whether watching, or being watched, or both, are based on family and friends and made of gummed paper, taped tissue and dental casts and are then carefully clothed. Philippa is even making one of Pauline.
The subtle and all too seldom art of puppetry stirs emotions and excites curiosity. The puppets are showy, tender, humorous, intriguing, sometimes venomous and a beautiful reflection of humanity.
‘These puppets are the starting point for a forthcoming exhibition here in 2016. They are often based on real people, living and dead, but in the course of their transition from a silver foil closed armature to finished hand puppets they seem to create their own identities.’
If you interested in commissioning a puppet, Philippa will be making further puppets to add to the audience for the 2016 exhibition.