Help FACING WEST SHADOWS make a SWARM of shadow puppet insects!
Hummingbird Moth-this is a real creature!
LETS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE A COLLECTIVE SWARM OF SHADOW PUPPET INSECTS!
We need Flying Insect Shadow Puppets! Please help us create a crowdsourced swarm of insects for shadow puppetry and animation! We are looking for 1/2 inch to 2 inch FLYING INSECT SHADOW PUPPETS. We will be creating massive swarms of animated flying insects for our upcoming immersive large scale installation on ecological extinction/survival at The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art.
FACING WEST SHADOWS WILL ADD YOUR NAME TO OUR ARTIST ROSTER (and all publications) AND YOU WILL GET TO SEE YOUR SHADOW PUPPET COME ALIVE THROUGH ANIMATION AND PUPPETRY. FACING WEST SHADOWS OPERATES ON A COLLECTIVE MODEL AND BECAUSE WE ARE ALSO EDUCATORS WE WANTED TO MAKE THIS PROJECT A COMMUNITY EVENT DURING THE COVID-19 LOCK-DOWN. IT IS OK IF YOUR PUPPET IS NOT PERFECT. WE WANT ALL THE PUPPETS TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PUPPETS YOU CAN MAKE. WE WOULD ESPECIALLY LOVE TO SEE FLYING INSECTS THAT ARE ENDANGERED, THREATENED OR INSECTS THAT ARE EXTINCT. IF THEY HAVE PARTS THAT CAN MOVE (WINGS OR FEET) THAT IS GREAT TOO!
HOW TO SEND US YOUR SHADOW PUPPETS: PLEASE MAIL YOUR 1/2 inch to 2 inch SHADOW PUPPETS WITH YOUR NAME, A WAY WE CAN REACH YOU AND WHAT KIND OF INSECTS YOU HAVE CREATED IN AN ENVELOPE TO:
ADDRESS: FACING WEST SHADOWS, 1484 9TH STREET, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, 94607
RESOURCES: WE WILL BE HOSTING A ZOOM SHADOW PUPPET PARTY TO SHOW YOU HOW TO MAKE A PUPPET AND SO WE CAN HANG OUT AND MAKE PUPPETS TOGETHER! MORE INFO SOON! BUT, PLEASE, DON’T WAIT! START MAKING YOUR PUPPETS AND FEEL FREE TO POST YOUR PUPPETS AND TAG US ON SOCIAL MEDIA #FACINGWESTSHADOWS #SHADOWPUPPETS @facingwestshadows
SUGGESTED WAY TO START THE ACTIVITY (FOR YOU OR FOR KIDS!): LOOK UP FLYING INSECTS! GO ON A TREASURE HUNT FOR INSECTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY! LOOK UP ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES! LOOK UP EXTINCT INSECTS! LOOK UP LOCAL FLYING INSECTS!
HOW TO START: DRAW YOUR PUPPET ON AN INDEX CARD, A CEREAL BOX OR A PIECE OF PAPER THAT IS THINNER THAN CARDSTOCK BUT THICKER THAN NOTEBOOK PAPER. A MAC AND CHEESE BOX IS A GOOD MEDIUM. CUT WITH SCISSORS OR EXACTO KNIFE (IF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCE AND ARE SUPERVISED IF YOUR A KID ETC.) LOTS OF DETAILS ON THE EDGES ARE GREAT BECAUSE THEY WILL SHOW UP WELL AS A SILHOUETTE! WINGS THAT CAN MOVE, LEGS AND OTHER DETAILS APPRECIATED!
INSPIRATION RESOURCES:
www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/insects/
www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57933100#page/335/mode/1up
www.sfbaywildlife.info/species/endangered.htm
Lotte Reiniger working with silhouette puppets on the light table: www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHhpAT1i2tc
CONTACT US with any questions and to let us know you are participating!
Cicada singing on a leaf (photo credit: internet archive)
Many winged insects are drawn to the light-maybe go out at night with a flashlight and see what happens!