Dorothy Anderson Wasserman: The Carnival of the Animals
May 7 - 30, 2026
First Thursday Art Walk - Thursday May 7th, 5-8pm
Fourteen wall sculptures inspired by each movement of Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of the Animals” weave a history of choreography into works of whimsy and old-fashioned aesthetic.
The fourteen wall sculptures in “The Carnival of the Animals” are inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns 1886 musical composition — a suite showing a playful, light-spirited side to the composer who was considered one of the most important figures in French 19th century culture. My wall sculptures continue this playful sensibility, portraying the characters with sophisticated whimsy and an old fashion aesthetic.
The inspiration for “Carnival” came from the culmination of my fifty years in the fields of dance, music, and the visual arts. A spark was ignited when I saw Saint-Saëns work performed as a ballet; I fell in love with the music’s narrative quality.
The characters in the artwork portray dancers in animal costumes, each loosely based on a well-known choreographer. For example, my interpretation of "Hens and Roosters" pays homage to the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, who I studied with in the 1970s.
The mixed media artwork is composed of hand-painted fibers, hand-painted bisque fired clay, photo-transfers, wire, plaster and cotton batting. The background panels in the shadow box frames are collaged, hand-painted silk landscapes. The work was started June 2019 and completed spring 2022.