Hotzenplotz
‘Robber Hotzenplotz, a participatory exhibition‘, as seen in Das Junge Schloss / Landesmuseum Württemberg, Stuttgart, Germany
Räuber Hotzenplotz (Robber Hotzenplotz), the protagonist of a series of children’s books, is world-famous in Germany. For a children’s exhibition in Stuttgart, Bernotat&Co translated the world of the first book, which was published in 1962, into a life-sized puppet theatre, based on the original illustrations. Lots of activities and games from grandma’s times are hidden behind and between the scenes. I was asked to bring the characters to life, for several animations that are part of the exhibition.
The exhibition was winner of the German Design Award 2020 Gold, Category ‘Fair and Exhibition’.
Photography: Marleen Sleeuwits
Zauberkreis Gemälde (‘The enchanted paiting’)
This ‘animated painting’ on the wall, shows the magic power of the sorcerer Zwackelmann - how he can summon people with his magic hat, and change them into animals!
Flug nach Buxtehude (‘Flight to Buxtehude’)
At first you might think that this is just a window, with a view of a lovely landscape from the books, but if you wait long enough, and watch closely, you may catch the sorcerer Zwackelmann flying on his broomstick!
Feenkraut (‘Fairy Herbs’)
The fairy Amaryllis, who has been turned into a toad by the evil sorcerer Zwackelmann, begs little Kasper to bring here magic herbs, so she can change back and magically appear as her normal self again.
Kasper falling down the well.
This is an ‘interactive animation’: visitors rotate the drum (the ‘Kinotrommel’) to set the animation in motion. By viewing through the slits in the cilinder, you can see poor Kasper falling down and down and down…