OMG it is a week since my last post! The week flew by. I have no idea what kept me so busy, but I seem to be constantly on the go. I started making new puppets last weekend. Unfortunately I didn’t finish any. The King really wants get out there. He is already preparing his maiden speech. I hope he doesn’t think it is his given right to rule all the other Dedes once he is finished.
Thank you to all my dear readers who are still bearing with me. I had no idea how draining house alterations can become. Don’t get me wrong, so far we haven’t had any major catastrophes. The builders are extremely pleasant and there is really nothing to complain about. It’s starting to look more finished, but the novelty has definitely worn off and it is dragging on a bit. The abode is still drafty and winter is approaching fast. It gets dark early now and the nights are pretty cold. All I want to do is curl up and hibernate and wake up again when it is spring time.
Unfortunately the exhibition is only six weeks away. My new book is not progressing at all. I have to admit the renovations and the cold have killed my creativity :). Nevertheless, today I set out to make new puppets. I finally decided to create a new lot especially for the exhibition and I am going to sell these. So I set up a make shift studio on the washing machine. When I had the first puppets ready for drying – you will not believe this – my trusted old oven decided to up and die. It is a very old thing and I was expecting its demise soonish. To be honest, we have already bought a new one, but of course this will be only delivered when we are done with the renovations. At the moment we neither have a floor in the kitchen nor a staircase to get up there. The old oven could really have been more accommodating and lasted another six weeks until the exhibition is in the bag. Now I have to find another way to speed dry the puppets. Otherwise I won’t have any new ones ready for the exhibition. Each puppet takes at least four rounds of modelling and drying. And the drying process can take ages, particularly at this time of the year as I can’t rely on the sun to shine. We don’t have any heating at the moment either. It would be futile with all the holes we still have in the floors and walls. To keep warm we have to put additional layers of cloths on.
Lil’ Sculpture has finally made his decision. He was sitting up on his bookshelf observing the Dedes closely and you should have seen the Dedes’ faces when he announced his decision. His choice was Deutsch Fraulein (German girl). How on earth did Lil’ Sculpture come to the conclusion she would be an outsider? Beats all of us really. But anyway, he is convinced and stuck to his guns. Deutsch Fraulein played hard to get and didn’t want to answer in the beginning. She doesn’t want to have her photograph taken either. We don’t have many pictures of her, even though she was one of the earliest Dedes and she has this wonderful smile.
Recently she has taken up photography as a hobby and she definitely prefers to be behind the camera rather than in front of the lens. So she made a deal with Lil’ Sculpture. She will answer his questions if he puts up one of her photographs instead of a picture of her. Lil’ Sculpture didn’t have a problem with that at all and so the deal was sealed.
Here are the questions and her answers:
1. What makes you unique?
Deutsch Fraulein: Oh dear, can’t you tell? I am different! I have this birth mark on my forehead. It is very clearly a German flag. You know, I should have been someone else but this birth mark has ruined everything. It really hindered me from becoming what I really should have been. Did you know that originally I should have been the Dede Princess?
2. Do you consider being unique a curse or a blessing?
Deutsch Fraulein: In my case it is a curse. I have to carry an historic load through no fault of my own. If I’d been the princess it would be a blessing. People would respect me for my status.
3. What is the most difficult thing for you to cope with?
Deutsch Fraulein: I have no home. I have no roots. I was born here, but I am a foreigner. People take one look at me and know I am not from here. But funnily enough, if I moved to Germany I would be a foreigner too.
4. What do you like most about your uniqueness?
Deutsch Fraulein: I could do without my bloody uniqueness. I want to be like everybody else. I saw a doctor to find out whether the birth mark can be removed, but no, there was nothing he could do. I have to live with it forever.
5. If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
Deutsch Fraulein: A magic cap! An invisibility cloak. Something I can wear to become invisible.
This week I’ve seen the first promotion for the Dede puppet exhibition, which will be at the end of June in the Depot at Devonport (Auckland, New Zealand). It was printed in the Gallery’s quarterly magazine. The blurb reads as follows:
Dietlind Wagner, Dede puppets 22 June to 4th July. Opening Saturday 22 June 3pm to 4:30pm
In a hyper-communicative world Dietlind Wagner slowly transforms old news into her vibrant colourful character heads, Dede puppets.
For Wagner, these sculptures are a vehicle to express introspective views on interpersonal communication. Her puppets are designed to charm, bewilder and even repulse thus inspiring reflection within the viewer. The puppets uniquely sculptured and collaged faces allude to the fractured personalities in the fast paced world of modern-day communication. The stories they tell are homage to real friends and real people with all their flaws and idiosyncrasies. Being a very private person Wagner has not exhibited extensively but her puppets have managed to tease her out into the public. An installation of five puppets was selected into the finals of the 2012 Wallace Art Awards.
I’d better get back on track…I am meandering a bit at the moment!
When I arranged the exhibition, I knew I was cutting it a tad fine with the renovations that are going on in my house. The Dedes didn’t even exist, when we started planning the extension two and a half years ago, but the physical build started in February this year. Silly me, I didn’t expect the actual build to impact on my psyche. The whole thing is supposed to be finished at the beginning of June. Has anybody ever finished in time?
The pictures here are two weeks old and the build has progressed since. In the meantime everything is wrapped in building paper and the cladding is nearly completed. Soon we will have a staircase going up to the first floor. The floor boards are still missing though. And yes, we are really living on the site. Under the remaining black tiled roof.
The first set of questions L’Artiste had thought up were clearly geared towards me. I thought the idea was to ask non-specific questions, but then, I am not taking part so it is none of my business. Anyway, L’Artiste disappeared again to come up with new questions for Lil’ Sculpture. No, L’Artiste isn’t the fastest runner out of the blocks but finally, finally, he was ready to present our mascot with his questions.
1. You are obviously an outsider, but having said that, is there anything you have in common with the Dedes?
Lil’ Sculpture: We are all made from recycled materials.
2. What sets you apart from the Dedes?
Lil’ Sculpture: I am cut from a different cloth. I am made from polystyrene and twigs, while they are made from newspapers. I am just dumb padding, while they carry the knowledge of the world in them.
3. Outsiders often have a better insight. What do you think about the Dedes?
Lil’ Sculpture: They are a great lot. I certainly wouldn’t say anything bad about my hosts. It was generous of them to take me in, otherwise I would have landed in the big skip. I will always be grateful!
4. What is your biggest problem being a minority?
Lil’ Sculpture: I can’t really complain. I have become their mascot. I have found my place. I am convinced this is the best job I could have landed here. On the other hand, to be really honest, it can be a little depressing to think that this is the best job I can achieve here. It is very clear this is the pinnacle of my career. This is how close I can get to the Dedes. I will never be one of them. I am only their mascot and when I am depressed it feels belittling. They obviously don’t trust me to make a good decision. As a mascot I get blamed when things don’t work the way they should and I am not allowed to offer any suggestions.
5. What is your biggest dream?
Lil’ Sculpture: I hear I am not the only polystyrene sculpture. There are other ones out there just like me. One day I would like to catch up with some of them. But then, I am also a bit scared as we grew up in different places. We might look the same but there is a chance that we have absolutely nothing in common. As long as I don’t meet them I can dream on!
We all know now that L’Artiste doesn’t cope well with rejection. After I declined to answer his questions on Sunday night he went away and I thought that is it… He broke the link and this means the game came to an end. But last night he showed up again and said: “Okay then, if you are such a spoil sport, I am going to tag Lil’ Sculpture instead!”
“Oh L’Artiste,” I said surprised, “Lil’ Sculpture isn’t a Dede either. You are pushing it a bit here. Why do you want to do that?” I was sure he did it to spite me.
“Isn’t that what I am meant to do? Push the boundaries?” L’Artiste answered unwavering. “Anyway, I see it slightly differently. Lil’ Sculpture is our mascot and this makes him part of our society. If we include him in our games rather than make him watch from the book shelf I am sure he will feel more welcome, more integrated, don’t you think?”
Before I could answer, Lil’ Sculpture had jumped down from the shelf and given L’Artiste a hug.
L’Artiste wanted to tag me and he had thought up some curly questions. Unfortunately I had to disappoint him and decline. I was busy sanding wooden window frames yesterday. Admittedly not one of my favorite past-times and therefore I wasn’t in the mood to answer anything last night. Thankfully I have a good excuse. The game they are currently playing is called “Tag-a-Dede” and I am not a Dede, or am I?
Socialite was a bit slow coming up with questions and telling us who she wants to tag. We should have guessed, really. She was after L’Artiste. She had been so keen on interviewing him ever since his film “Life of an Artist” was posted. This time she got lucky. It took her a while to find him, though, to present him the questions. But then he couldn’t hide forever.
1.Why are you an artist?
L’Artiste: I think I have answered this question before. I just am, there is no reason for it!
2. What would you be if you weren’t an artist?
L’Artiste: Dead!
3. What would you consider a must read for every artist?
L’Artiste: “Josephine the singer, or the mouse folk” by Kafka. I only read it recently when the blogger Eva-d recommended it after I had released my film. It deals with the perception of the arts by the audience and the artist. It made me think a lot.
4. What was the most intriguing piece of information you have heard lately, not sourced from the internet?
L’Artiste: I read a very interesting article about fraternal polyandry in a Western Chinese province.
Socialite: You’ll have to explain that.
L’Artiste: No, I only have to answer the question! And I think I have.
5. What are you currently working on?
L’Artiste: On a “Stair spirit” for the new stairs we will have in the house soon. It is sort of like the Saints that were placed at bridges to ensure a safe journey across. My one will of course look totally different, but has the same function.
We were very suprised that Witch wanted to tag Socialite. It is an open secret: there is no love lost between the two of them. Socialite is an outgoing champagne kind of gal, while Witch is a staunch teetotaller who loves to stay at home. There are worlds between them. Anyway, Witch presented the questions to her nemisis. And Socialite jumped right into answering them.
1. Describe yourself in three words?
Socialite: I am outgoing, it is easy for me to make friends and I have a great fashion sense. I know what’s hot.
“Three words” Witch reminded her.
Socialite: Mhm outgoing, driven, sharp and gorgeous of course.
2. What don’t you like about yourself?
Socialite: I like myself. There is nothing that needs changing. Oh, my big nose maybe. Yes, definitely my big nose. One day, I will fix it.
3. What would you save if your house was on fire?
Socialite: That is not difficult. My big collection of lip sticks. I feel naked without my lippy. I wouldn’t go anywhere without it.
4. What is your biggest dream?
Socialite: I want to do something really, really big. Something I will be remembered for forever. What exactly… I don’t know yet, but it will come to me!
5. If you would volunteer, what organisation or job would you choose?
Socialite: This question isn’t fair! I don’t have the time to volunteer right now, so I haven’t really thought about it. Sure, I will do it one day. But I know already I couldn’t volunteer in an old peoples home. This really would depress me. Nor could I help out in an animal shelter where it stinks. Help migrants settle maybe? No, I am not patient enough. That rules out anything with kids as well. What a silly question! I don’t know, I’ll have to think about it.
Socialite couldn’t wait for her turn and Witch went away to think of some questions. By the time I left she hadn’t come back.
“Tell me,” Socialite asked nobody in particular, “does Witch really think she is good looking?” As there was no response from anybody she answered for herself. “No, she must have been joking. She has a crooked nose with a big wart on it and she is all wrinkly. No, she can’t have been serious.”
“I think for her age she scrubs up nicely” Mouse said now.
“But Mouse, we don’t know how old she is!” Socialite replied.
“But you can see she has life experience. I love the look of her wrinkles. They are witness to a life spend laughing rather than crying. I want to look like her when I am old” Mouse continued.
“No way” Socialite waved the idea aside. “Who wants to be old? Of all people, a witch really doesn’t need to be old. With her magical powers and potions she could make herself look stunning and young!”
“If she wanted to, maybe, “Devil chipped in. “But after all she is a witch. If she looked too young would anybody take her seriously as witch? It is her trademark after all, isn’t it? Maybe she is too coy to tell us her age because she is much younger than we all assume!”
“Now you are getting silly!” Socialite said angrily. She was sure Devil was taking the mickey out of her now.
dedepuppets 