Figures del desdoblament. Puppets, machines and marionettes

This exhibition is dedicated to the concept of otherness through an exploration of puppet and visual theatre. Puppets, as figures that represent humankind's interior longings, battles and realities, can be understood in many different ways – from the representation of realistic characters created in wood to the conceptual challenges of robots made from synthetic material. 'Figuras del desdoblamiento' ('Figures of Duplication') is part of Barcelona's IF Festival – Puppets, Machines and Marionettes, a wide-ranging event that takes place each year. This year, it's made up of three elements: the exhibition; a programme of signature performances and stage shows, some aimed at adults and others at the whole family; and a schedule of research and development. The show takes up two floors of the Arts Santa Mònica venue – on the first floor, you can see 'The 7 Doors of Otherness', a themed tour around seven spaces that create a route through the idea of figurative duplication. On the second floor is 'The Puppet's Storeroom', a display of the various fields, techniques and specialisations of puppet theatre. A good number of the pieces that are on show come from creators who are currently active, individual artists, companies and associations. As puppets are also a form of living history, there are also items on display that come from museums, especially the MAE (Museu of Scenic Arts) of the Barcelona region Theatre Institute, and from TOPIC International Puppet Centre of Tolosa (Guipúzcoa).