Apologue Isle

A project by Andy Hutson in collaboration with Rob Braslin, Robert O’Connor, Merinda Sainty, Theresa Sainty, Kartanya Maynard, Nunami Sculthorpe-Green, Andy Hutson, Ben Yardley, Aaron Everett, Nala Mansell, Kulai Sculthorpe, Erin Hortle, Gabbee Stolp, Mat Ward, Laura Imbruglia, Tom O’Hern, Andrew Hawley, Ethan Rawlins, Kim Jaeger, Sylvie Jaeger, Cheryl Mundy, Rachel Meyers, Jim Everett-puralia meenamatta, Jolie Everett, Sam George-Allen, Genevieve Griffiths, Alex Last, Fiona Hall and Nick Kirmos

12 October – 30 November 2024

Opening: 5.30pm, Friday 11 October

Artist floor talk by Cheryl Mundy and Sam George-Allen with Andy Hutson: 5.30pm, Friday 18 October

Building New Worlds workshop with Rob Braslin, Gabbee Stolp and Andy Hutson: 1 – 4pm, Saturday 9 November

Closing event with performances by Mat Ward and Ben Yardley: 4pm, Saturday 30 November

Apologue Isle combines storytelling, puppetry and kinetic sculpture, with an increasing sense of urgency to address the fractured relationship between people and nature.

An apologue is a moral fable that lends primacy to non-human entities as drivers of narrative. This project foregrounds nature by giving a tangible voice to the land of Lutruwita/Tasmania. Handmade mechanical puppets in the shape of humans, animals, plants, geological forms and natural forces converse, telling stories of discovery, loss, regeneration and awakening.

For each of the five stories there is a script writer, set builder, musician, and several narrators. Like a Surrealist exquisite corpse, the project has evolved in stages as scripts were developed, sets and puppets designed and built, music composed, and dialogue recorded; each stage building on the one before. The outcome is more than these combined creative endeavours, however: Apologue Isle is also a community of creative people, brought together through the shared ideas and experience of the project.

Dramaturg | Tom Holloway
Photography and videography | Jesse Hunniford
Sound recordist | Ben Travers
Visual identity | David Campbell
Technical programming | Matt Daniels
Website | Kim Jaeger

apologueisle.com

Download roomsheet

Apologue Isle is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts funding body, assisted through Arts Tasmania by the Minister for the Arts and supported by City of Clarence and City of Hobart