Last night the second post of the Dede story was launched at ||:VEGGIETORIA:||. For the Dedes it is an absolute must to watch, just like a riveting mini series on TV. As I had them all in one place, I told them what Foreign Correspondent and I had nutted out recently. Surprisingly we received very mixed reactions. I was so convinced they would be excited and I realised I don’t know them as well as I thought I did.
The main reservation was that the Dedes believe most Germans speak better English than they let on. They wouldn’t need the extra summary. Foreign Correspondent just stood there and smiled, but he didn’t try to convince them of his plan. In the end Devil’s Advocate said: “Can we discuss this later? I want to know what Miss Viwi has to say today!” And he invited Foreign Correspondent to take the floor.
Foreign Correspondent stood there calmly, looking very credible, and started his speech: “Thank you Dedes for giving me the opportunity to talk to you tonight. I believe you would like to be known to a wider audience. Is that right?” He paused for effect, and all the Dedes obediently nodded their heads. Then he continued. “I can help you to achieve this and I would be delighted if you would accept my proposal. ” He took charge of the computer and switched to Miss Viwi’s page.
“First of all, I want to thank Miss Viwi again for her kindness in publishing a series about the background of the Dedes. Let’s see what she has to say:”
{dede puppets | second act}
[The book:]
‘Hermit’s web or the few friends I need, I hand-craft myself’. The story of this book introduces the first fifteen Dede characters.
dietlind: „The idea for the story was conceived when someone I didn’t know invited me to become friends on face book. Not only was this person a stranger to me, I don’t have a face book page. So I go on and tell the world that I have enough to do with my real friends, my Dedes. The book is written in easy-to-understand English, similar to the blog.
[the blog]
dietlind: „I started the blog shortly before the book was launched. An artist friend of mine had advised me to document the entire process. A year on, I am really happy I have heeded this advice. The thought of selling [the puppets ] has disappeared into thin air and the blog has definitely strengthened the relationship between the Dedes and myself.
top left to right.: Detail, Snippedy, Devil, Mouse and Socialite || below left to right: Monkey, Pig, Professor, L’Artiste Dede, Foxy Lady and Fairy Godmother
miss viwi: So you can’t imagine selling puppets?
dietlind: „Not at the moment. In particular not those that appear on the blog and there is no way I could part with the first ones, the ones from the book. But at one stage there will be so many, and I should be able to let some go. I can envisage, though, creating some puppets specifically for an exhibition and to sell them before I get used to them, before I come up with their character traits.“
[Exhibition]
Exhibitions are a relatively new subject for the artist, she never considered it with her previous work, but „The Dede puppets are a category of their own, they really want to be seen.“
Apart from a few low key photographic exhibitions, the puppets were on show at the book launch.
Book launch April 2012, Auckland, Visitor examines L’Artiste Dede (Foto: © Sonya Roussina)
An installation by the artist Dietlind Wagner had been selected as a finalist in New Zealand’s prestigeous „Wallace Art Awards“. The installation of five dede puppets was exhibited in a gallery in Auckland.
Further solo exhibitions are planned for 2013.dietlind: „I also had two workshops for Senior Citizens and would love to explore this area further. Hand puppets are often used in therapy with kids, but I am convinced they could be equally useful with the elderly.“
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The interview will continue next Sunday 20/1/13, at 8 am CET at |:::VEGGIETORIA:::|.
P.S.: If you have any queries, wishes or comments feel free to write in
“Good, good” Devil said. “Now, Foreign Correspondent, this was a very literal translation. But you have to prove to us that you can summarise, if we are to give you the responsibility of looking after the Dede’s German blog. So how would you summarise what Miss Viwi has said?” Mouse turned to Devil and gave him a hi-five.
Foreign Correspondent was unfazed and said: “In brief, Dietlind loves us all. And all of us, who are currently in the room are safe. She won’t sell any of us. She believes the blog strengthened our relationship, but she also knows we are attention seekers and she would like to comply by presenting us to the non-digital world in exhibitions and workshops. If you have any queries, leave a comment or send an email!”
“I hope your German summaries are a bit more comprehensive, but I would say give it a go!” Devil concluded.
dedepuppets 
It’s interesting to me to see how the blog can become the art. I feel this has happened with my own adventures at the river. I’ve exhibited my Styrofoam sculptures many times before, but now they seem more like tools or a means to an end instead of strictly stand alone and conventional art objects…although I do try to take care in how they are made etc… I could see a nice showing of your work featuring nice photo portraits of each character.
Thank you so much.
With your sculptures I love their organic setting in the woods and of course your story-telling. As a visitor to the river it must be just so wonderful to stumble upon one of your artworks unexpectedly.
How people react to them in this context is part of my experimental sidebar to this project. The pieces I leave behind are routinely smashed and destroyed and act as targets for unfocused aggression. Some people, however, do like them and either add to them in some way or take them home with them. It’s a challenge and a goal of mine to make something from this trash that people might actually want.
I remember you said once, one of them was used as target practice. I just can’t imagine why people would like to destroy something that is obviously put together with so much thought.
I like the idea of adding to them, that means that the visitor is engaging.
But I think your entire project is so amazing.
Thank you. It can get lonely out there sometimes. I love it too when people engage these works. Another sidebar to the project is a concern that many people don’t feel they are entitled to be “creative”. To me, that is such a sad situation and doesn’t bode well for the future. What I try to show is that you don’t need technical skill to be creative…just the willingness to try. If you feel you could make what I make…you are right. I realize that I do take things a bit further, but the basic process needed to be accessible. That’s what I like about your work. I feel some kinship with what you do.
Yes, that is what I am after as well accessibility, simplicity and engagement. But your art has a clear environmental message, which I admire. My little critters are very selfish, they are just looking at their own relationships :).
It is the nicest thing you could have said about my work, that you feel some sort of kinship. Thanks so much..