Our Touring Exhibition - The Magic of Mask and Puppets is at Ushaw House Durham until 10 Sep 23

Scottish Mask and Puppets Centre -  Magic of Mask and Puppets Touring Exhibition will appeal to art lovers, enthusiasts and families alike

It includes puppets and masks from many cultures and is on display at Ushaw Historic House & Gardens, Durham, England July 1 – September 10

2023,  10AM - 4PM. https://ushaw.org/

The Magic of Masks & Puppets originates from the Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre in Glasgow and has toured throughout the UK as far as Inverness in the North, Isle of Wight and Portsmouth in the South, Cork in the West and Grimsby in the East since 2001 and many museums and galleries inbetween. 

The Magic of Mask and Puppets brings together dramatic, intriguing and comic masks and puppets that will appeal to art lovers, enthusiasts and families alike. Puppetry is one of the oldest and most popular forms of theatre and this exhibition is a visual chronicle of the history and traditions involved, as well as a means of demonstrating that puppetry and masks are very much living, breathing art forms. The display includes puppets from every era and culture, including shadow puppets from Greece, Turkey and Indonesia, Javanese Wayang Golek rod puppets, Rajasthani marionettes, giant 'Russian doll' figures from the Rostov State Puppet Theatre and of course Punch & Judy. As well as historic objects the exhibition includes puppets from film and television, including Morag the Highland Cow, formerly co­-presenter of the BBC's Fully Booked and the infamous crawling baby animatronic puppet from the cult film Trainspotting. Masks in the exhibition include examples in leather worn in Italian Commedia dell'Arte, character masks from Nepal and a set of masks made at Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre and used in a version of The Monkey King, the Chinese legend popularised by the children's television series. 

Masks and puppets have always had a fascination and a magic that is both intercultural and international. This exhibition taps into that magic and provides a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with objects of wonder. So if you're a puppet enthusiast or are looking for a visual arts exhibition that's a bit out of the ordinary, don't pass up this rare opportunity to experience the magic of masks and puppets. The exhibition at Ushaw Historic House & Gardens will be accompanied by an activity station for young visitors where they can design their own masks and try out a variety of different masks in order to create a new story. There will be puppet shows and mask making workshops during the school holidays. The Magic of Masks & Puppets opens 1 July and runs through until 10 September, daily 11am - 4pm. Exhibition access is included in the price of admission. Booking details for puppet shows and workshops can be found at ushaw.org/whats-on-at-ushaw

Notes:

Ushaw is an arts and heritage venue, located four miles from Durham city centre, with a year-round calendar of cultural events. A registered independent charity, Ushaw is reliant on donations to help it run as an arts, heritage and cultural attraction for visitors and local communities in North East England. Its estate spans hundreds of acres. Its buildings are centuries old. Ushaw preserves and maintains a historic house, chapels, park, gardens, library and

historical collections – as well as hosting cultural events and providing education and learning opportunities all year round. Ushaw is unique. We bring wonder, amazement and surprise. We cultivate curiosity. For more, visit: ushaw.org Entry to Ushaw is £8 for adults, £5 for children; under 5s are free. An annual pass costs £19 for adults, £12.50 for children and £39 for a family ticket which enables year round visits and offers access to many additional events and activities. The main house and chapels are open Monday to Sunday 11am to 4pm. There is onsite catering and an ongoing programme of concerts and events.