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Puppet Accessory - Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre, Costume Hat, 1960s
Reg. No: SH 911478
- Summary:
- Alternative Name[s]: Apokriatiko
This costume hat was made in the 1960s by the Greek puppeteer and popular artist Abraam (Antonakos) in his Athens workshop, and used in performances in Greece during the 1960s. This and most of the puppets in the collection were brought to Australia by Abraam Antonakas for his performances at the Astor Theatre in Melbourne in 1977. He then left the collection with Dimitri Katsoulis who used them in all his subsequent performances in Victoria and in South Australia from 1978 to 1991.Dimitri Katsoulis migrated to Australia in 1974 to escape a regime that repressed Greek artists. He had trained in Greece with theatre and film companies as an actor and technician. A master of the traditional Greek shadow puppet theatre, his performances explored contemporary issues such as the isolation of migrant women and children. Unable to obtain funding and support, he returned to Greece in 1991, leaving his entire collection to the people of Victoria. It includes 32 shadow puppets and around 170 props, set backdrops and technical tools and stage equipment. Dimitri has since returned to Melbourne and assists the Museum to continue to document this rich art form within both local and international contexts.
This costume hat is worn by Kolitiris, a character in the centuries-old Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre (Karaghiozis) tradition. Kolitiris wears it in the Introduction of every performance as part of his costume in order to change his appearance to make it more comical. An 'apokriatiko' is a fancy dress hat, relating to the festival just prior to Lent [Christian religious festival].
Information supplied by Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre master Dimitri Katsoulis, 2007. - Description:
- A piece of stiff brown cardboard cut in the shape of a conical hat. Holes have been drilled in the crown to form a decorative pattern. An additional strip of reinforcing cardboard has been attached to the base of the hat with one rivet at one end, two at the other.
| Discipline: | History |
| Dimensions: | 13.60 cm (Height), 10.30 cm (Length) |
More information
| Tagged with: | cultural maintenance, greek communities, greek immigration, karaghiozis theatre, shadow puppetry, theatres, working life |
| Themes this item is part of: | Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre - Dimitri Katsoulis, Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre - Lighting Technology, Greek Shadow Puppet Theatre - History, Cultural Diversity Collection, Migration Collection, Working Life & Trades Collection |
| Primary Classification: | CULTURAL IDENTITY |
| Secondary Classification: | Ethnicity - Creative Practice |
| Tertiary Classification: | puppetry |
| Inscriptions: | On one face, handwritten in textacolour ink,in Greek script, "FBOYPAE" |
| Maker: | Mr Abraam Antonakos, Athens, Greece, 1960-1969 |
| User: | Mr Abraam Antonakos, Athens, Greece, 1960-1977 Abraam made the puppet in Greece, and used it in performances during the 1960s and 1970s; and then in Victoria in 1977. |
| User: | Mr Abraam Antonakos, Victoria, Australia, 1977 Abraam made the puppet in Greece, and used it in performances during the 1960s and 1970s; and then in Victoria in 1977. |
| User: | Mr Dimitri Katsoulis, Australia, 1978-1991 Dimitri was given the accessory by Abraam in 1977 and then used it in his performances in Australia until 1991. |
| References: | http://www.cv.vic.gov.au/#; Malkin, Michael, R. Traditional and Folk Puppets of the World, A.S. Barnes & Co., Inc., N.J., 1977; Simmen, Rene, The World of Puppets, Elsevier, Phaidon, London, 1975; Hogarth, Ann & Bussell, Jan, Fanfare for Puppets!, David & Charles Publishers Ltd, USA, 1985; Yayannos, A & Ar and Dingli, J. The World of Karaghiozis, 1976 |
Themes
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