Traditional Puppetry as an Aesthetic Framework for Contemporary Digital Animation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29070/5z34br90Keywords:
Puppetry, Digital animation, Visual aesthetics, Cultural heritage, Storytelling, PreservationAbstract
Contemporary visual storytelling continues to be shaped by the traditional puppetry aesthetic system. Our research focused on the aesthetic principles of five traditional puppetry styles (Kathputli from India; Tholpavakoothu from India; Wayang Kulit from Indonesia; Piyingxi from China; and, Bunraku from Japan) and involved qualitative comparative analyses of scholarly works, visual documentation, and performance records. The findings identified six aesthetic principles common to all five styles: kinesthetic stylization; structural characterization; exaggerated gesture; symbolic interpretation; rhythmic pacing; and performative quality; thus, demonstrating that traditional puppetry is a transferable means of expressing emotion and that it can maintain its cultural authenticity in a digital, 21st century context. This paper makes a significant contribution toward visual arts and animation studies by illustrating how traditional puppetry can provide inspiration for culturally relevant digital narratives and can assist in conserving intangible cultural heritage.
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