Sophie Semenza
University of the Arts
1800s living room
27x9x22
Mixed Media
2022
1980s bedroom
27x9x22
Mixed Media
2022
Artist Biography
Sophie Semenza is a sculptor from Hamburg NJ who is a Senior at the University of the Arts. She is interested in marionette puppets and is influenced by the work of Jim Henson because of the color, textures, and variety of his works. Semenza has received an Associate's degree in 2D animation from the Delaware College of Art and Design and has exhibited at the Delaware College of Art and Design, the Joe Kubert School, and the University of the Arts. Semenza has worked with sculptor Miguel Antonio Horn for his public work ContraFuerte located in Philadelphia PA. She plans to pursue a Master's degree in art education at the University of the Arts in the future.
Artist Statement
My marionette puppets represent the history of American women in a variety of ways. On a technical level, the puppets are made using a tinfoil base, covered in epoxy sculpt clay, held together by earring loops and embroidery thread, and stationed together with a balsa wood handle. The puppets feature a coat of acrylic paint in a natural fleshy palette, recycled fabric clothing (that is sometimes painted), and intricately styled yarn hairdos.
The puppets heavily incorporate recycled or repurposed materials for many reasons, including environmental impact, affordability, accessibility, and aesthetic value. Using found or repurposed materials prevents unneeded trash from ending up in a landfill or on the side of the road. Turning an old, tattered, stained pillowcase into an 1810s inspired dressing gown breathes new life into the material and adds a natural story and history behind the piece itself. I find repurposing materials to be more affordable, therefore I can afford certain essential pieces or props more easily. For example, if I purchased every swatch of fabric I needed (rather than dyeing recycled white fabric) I wouldn’t be able to afford a statement broach as a headpiece. I believe using recycled materials makes my process of creating more accessible and inviting to viewers. When a viewer notices I’ve sculpted a couch for a puppet out of paper towels and beads they can connect with it more. When art can be made with household materials, it can be more fun and welcoming to try yourself. The look of an old pillowcase transformed into a gown also adds a visual feeling to the piece. That feeling differs from if I were to use a piece of fresh, factory-made craft store fabric.
I hope viewers can spot the found objects in my puppets; hopefully, it inspires them to create, recycle or do good in some way. I also hope my puppets help viewers to understand the history of women a bit more. Each puppet symbolizes a different decade in women's history, encapsulating “what the ideal woman would have looked like at the time”. I focus on an accurate yet stylized representation of body type and aesthetic appearance. When viewed together the puppets show a timeline of the way America has wanted women to exist, highlighting the contrasts of beauty standards, expectations of consumerism, and the battle American women have faced in order to present themselves as what society has deemed “a woman”.