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ONLINE SYMPOSIUM:
Illustration, Puppetry, and American Popular Culture:
The Art and Legacy of Tony Sarg
A SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE ROCKWELL CENTER FOR AMERICAN VISUAL STUDIES
AND THE AMERICAN THEATER FOR PUPPETRY ARTS
Symposium Information
Zoom Webinar (online)
Friday, October 20, 2023 - 7pm to 8:30pm
Saturday, October 21, 2023 - 10am to 3:30pm
Description
Organized by the Rockwell Center for American Visual Studies at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and the American Theater for Puppetry Arts in Austerlitz, New York, this interdisciplinary online symposium brings together artists, puppeteers, designers and scholars from across the humanities to explore the life, art and work of Tony Sarg (1880-1942), the charismatic illustrator, designer, puppeteer, and entrepreneur whose prolific career sheds light on the creative imagination and the ability of artists to inspire a collective sense of wonder and joy.
On Friday, October 20, participants are invited to take an interactive virtual tour of the exhibition with co-curators Stephanie Haboush Plunkett and Lenore D. Miller, and with Darin E. Johnson, founding CEO and artistic director of American Theater for Puppetry Arts. On Saturday, October 21, a series of virtual talks and panel discussions will shed light on the many aspects of Sarg’s career-from his work as an illustrator and champion of the puppetry arts in America to his founding designs for Macy’s parade balloons and holiday windows, involvement with two World’s Fairs, commercial whimsy and architectural projects, and legendary Nantucket Sea Monster Hoax. Sarg’s artistic legacy will also be explored by contemporary artists and performers who have also made their mark by combining artistry and skill with showmanship, canny innovation, and a keen desire to engage with the public.
The online symposium will be available on the Zoom platform and is open to the general public.
The Legacy of Tony Sarg: Contemporary Creators Speak
Saturday October 21, 2023
2:30 - 3:30 pm
A prolific explorer of multiple facets of applied art and design, Sarg was an astute entrepreneur who made his mark on American popular culture by combining artistry and skill with showmanship, canny innovation, and a keen desire to engage with the public. This panel of contemporary visionary artists, producers, and performers will discuss the many ways in which they engage, delight, and inspire audiences today.
Among the presenters are Carl Sprague, a Sarg fan, puppeteer, and a designer, art director, and illustrator working for film and stage as well as special site-specific projects. Career highlights include Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Royal Tennenbaums, The French Dispatch, and Asteroid City, as well as La La Land, 12 Years a Slave, Amistad, and many others. He worked with the Museum as designer of Tony Sarg: Genius at Play. Ronnie Burkett has been credited with creating some of the world’s most elaborate and provocative puppetry. Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes was formed in 1986 and has stimulated an unprecedented adult audience for puppet theater, continuously playing to great critical and public acclaim on Canada’s major stages, and as a guest company on numerous international tours abroad. Kevin Kidney, Art director, illustrator, writer, show designer, sculptor, and puppeteer.