Youth-Created 8ft Puppet Symbolizes ‘Hope for Future’ in Exhibition

An exhibition focusing on folk stories, art, music, and customs features a substantial puppet, exceeding 8ft (2.4m) in height, which was created by young individuals. The group Young Folk, composed of teenagers, collaborated with artist Amy Beck to construct the movable puppet, named A’nu. This creation is showcased at Museum and Art Swindon in Wiltshire. According to its creators, the puppet was conceived to embody hope for the future, the environment, and humanity. Michael, aged 16, contributed design drawings and stated that the puppet resulted from “all of the ideas from the young people mashed into one creature.” The young participants’ designs were transferred onto the fabric that covers the willow frame. Ribbons extending from A’nu’s headdress bear lyrics significant to them. The creators characterized A’nu as a “very, very tall creature of the woodland,” drawing parallels to the Green Man figure found in traditional folklore. They explained, “It’s a concept of what I thought it would look like.” They further added, “I included charms and traditional decorations people have used throughout history to act as representation of traditions.” The Young Folk group, which spent 10 weeks designing A’nu, engineered the puppet so it could be worn like a backpack, allowing for control of its arms. This puppet is available for viewing at the museum and gallery in Swindon, forming part of the Un/common People project. Stephanie Howell, the community engagement officer at Swindon Borough Council, emphasized that it was “really important” for the group of young people to have made all the decisions regarding the puppet. A group member authored a text about A’nu, which Ms. Howell described as having “really moved” her. This text clarified that A’nu is not intended to represent a single species, but rather a blend of animal and human characteristics, and is without gender. For updates, follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.