Real Life Consequences for Pitiful Arts Funding: World Class Artist Could Lose Life Work in 7 Days

DamnThatOjeda

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday November 05, 2013 · 10:31 AM PST

2013/11/05 · 10:31

Ralph Kipniss with Bill Clinton marionette

UPDATE: Thank you for your recommendations and support! It means a great deal to us and to Ralph!

Disclosure: I am the co-founder of The Underground Multiplex and coordinator for the campaign referenced in this piece.

It's almost a given that funding for arts and arts education in the United States is a pittance. What happened to me and my co-hort Joe Lewis during the summer only reinforced just what tragedies can bestow onto those who selflessly commit to a life of art and entertaining thousands of children and adults across the country.

In June 2013 Joe was informed of "strange wooden dolls" in an otherwise empty apartment building in our neighborhood of Wicker Park in Chicago. A tour of the building with its owner uncovered a remarkable discovery--dozens of trunks filled with beautiful hand-carved wooden marionettes such as these:

Only a few of the 1000+ marionettes discovered in June

A Google search led us to the creator of these marionettes, a man named Ralph Kipniss. Below the fold: the incredible career and tragic life of an American master in danger of losing his entire life's work in one week's time.

RSS