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WGSS Class Explores Feminism through Art at UConn Puppetry Museum

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Students from WGSS 2204 pose with masks at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.
Students in WGSS 2204. Feminisms and the Arts pose with masks they created at the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry on Oct. 24, 2024. (John Bell)

On Oct. 24, 2024, students in WGSS 2204. Feminisms and the Arts participated in a hands-on mask-building workshop at UConn's renowned Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry. Instructed by Ilia Medina, a graduate student in the Department of Political Science, the class focused on the intersection of feminisms and the arts.

To prepare for engaging in this three-dimensional medium, students read about the many uses of masks throughout history and across time. They explored topics such as intersectionality, decolonialism, semiotics, and insights from Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity. Students had the freedom to create their own masks, experiment with different embodiments in brief exercises, and reflect on their experiences at home through a short writing prompt.

Special thanks to the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry staff for coordinating and leading the workshop:

  • John Bell, director and associate professor of puppetry.
  • Emily Wicks, program assistant.
  • Sarah Cripsey, graduate assistant.
  • Allison Free, undergraduate assistant.