DioramART Art Activation

In 2019, Katy Williams Design was selected as one of five artists invited to participate in DioramART at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. This unique event challenged local artists to activate and bring to life the museum's animal dioramas. Each artist was randomly assigned a geographic area, which served as inspiration for their work. Katy was assigned the exhibits representing New Zealand and Australia.

To activate the dioramas, Katy employed two distinct forms of shadow puppetry. On the Australian side, she utilized front-facing shadow puppetry to narrate the fable of "How the Kangaroo Got Her Pouch." In an effort to engage a broader audience, Katy employed Julia Fournier to Translate and record the piece in Spanish. The show would alternate between Spanish and English Perfomances.

On the New Zealand side, Katy showcased a unique form of puppetry known as a crankie, which involves creating moving images inside a box with the assistance of shadow puppets. This piece narrated the fable of the Taniwha and her journey to learn how to fly. Similar to her Australian piece, this work featured an original composition by Drew Bradley and was translated into Spanish, with a recording by Julia Fournier.

The activation also featured Shadow Play corners where participants could handle real artifacts from the region and explore their silhouettes. There was also a shadow puppet craft available for those who wanted to take the fun with them.

Katy's activation received the Audience Choice Award at the conclusion of the event, which was attended by 5,000 people. The fabrication and performance of her pieces were supported by Rhen Hirsh.