History on a String

At the 12th annual Black Doll Exhibit, mute puppets transcend time and continents to tell stories of African experiences.

In one room, the wooden head of a turn-of-the-century puppet from Mali bows gracefully. Another wooden figure rides a red horse with a bobbing neck, while a miniature Moorish soldier in shining armor does battle with his Italian counterpart. There are also puppets depicting Martin Luther King Jr. and President John F. Kennedy.

Crafted in wood, clay, paper, cloth, tin, rubber and plastic, more than 90 pieces hang from the walls and ceilings at the William Grant Still Arts Center in West Adams. Life-sized marionettes, rod puppets, hand puppets and masks are featured in the exhibit titled, “Moving Parts: Puppet Images of the African Diaspora.”

For Beverly Johnson, a UCLA theater professor and one of the exhibit’s curators, the ancient art of puppetry is a dynamic form of entertainment as well as an effective record of history and social attitudes.

“Puppets are not just for children,” Johnson said. “Puppetry is a form of theater that has become a reflection of our communities and our culture.”

The exhibit, which is sponsored by the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, includes a guided tour, a series of Sunday afternoon performances, a short animated film and workshops in puppet making.

“Moving Parts: Puppet Images of the African Diaspora” through March 7 at the William Grant Still Arts Center, 2520 West View St., West Adams. Open Mondays through Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Information: (213) 734-1164 .