In Praise of Shadows

Juxtaposing the work of a selection of international contemporary artists such as William Kentridge, Kara Walker, Lotte Reiniger, Jockum Nordstrom and Nathalie Djurberg with the tradition of European shadow theater--particularly as it is practiced in Turkey and Greece, where it is still very much an active art form--this volume examines the historical use of shadows in art. Shadow theater is an oral tradition, based on folk tales and simple narratives expressed with an economy of means, that operates, in large part, on improvisation. It has served as a source of inspiration for a number of contemporary artists who have paid homage and appropriated the aesthetics of shadow plays in their work. Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), Dublin, which will travel to Istanbul and Athens. This volume includes essays by critic Lewis Hyde, IMMA Director Enrique Juncosa and exhibition curator Paolo Colombo. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.