Wayang Kulit: the shadow theater exhibition from Java and Bali at the Musée du Quai Branly

After exhibitions devoted to the kimono, Australian legends, the world of Bollywood, shamanic visions, Mexico and zombies, the Musée du Quai Branly transports us to Indonesia, to discover the'wayang kulit' shadow theater.

Simply entitled " Wayang Kulit, shadow theater from Java and Bali ", this new exhibition awaits us from Tuesday November 12, 2024 to Sunday March 23, 2025. This time, the sublime Parisian museum intends to take us on a fabulous voyage of discovery of one of Indonesia's oldest theatrical traditions, the'wayang kulit'.

Considered a popular and timeless art form, 'wayang kulit' shadow theater is a performance art form that is firmly rooted in Indonesian society. The concept? Puppets are projected onto a screen in Chinese shadow. The flat puppets are cut from cuir-wayang, meaning " shadow ", and kulit, meaning " skin ". During these performances, which usually last an entire night, the puppeteer, nicknamed the'dalang', takes center stage. As well as making the puppets talk and move, the'dalang' is also the storyteller, singer and conductor of the performance. Much more than just a puppeteer, the'dalang' is highly respected.

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Wayang kulit first saw the light of day over 1,000 years ago on the island of Java. At the time, wayang kulit was intended to be a ritualized courtly art form, drawing on the Indian stories of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. But the wayang kulit repertoire has evolved over the centuries.

From November 12, 2024 to March 23, 2025, the Musée du Quai Branly deciphers this art form by exhibiting an exclusive selection of ancient Indonesian puppets. It's also an opportunity to gain a better understanding of shadow theater, through the stories of Rama and Arjuna and the clown Semar. The exhibition also features interviews with two 'dalang' and contemporary Indonesian artist Heri Dono.