Dorothy Anderson Wasserman: The Carnival of the Animals
May 7 - 30, 2026
First Thursday Art Walk - Thursday May 7th, 5-8pm
Artist Talk & Reception - Saturday May 9th, 5-7:30pm
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 delight.
Artist Statement
The wall sculptures in “The Carnival of the Animals” were inspired by Camille Saint-Saëns’ 1886 musical composition of the same name. Written when Saint-Saëns was on vacation in Vienna, it shows a playful, light-spirited side to this composer who was considered one of the most important and influential figures in French 19th century culture. It is a humorous musical suite in fourteen movements. My wall sculptures continue this playful sensibility, portraying the characters with sophisticated whimsy and an old fashioned aesthetic.
The incentive to create this new version of “Carnival” stems from my fifty years in the fields of dance and the visual arts. A spark was ignited when I saw Saint-Saëns work performed as a ballet. Drawing on my many years choreographing, I set out to make sculptural vignettes of performers dressed in animal costumes which followed the sequence of the music. All of the figures' positions are loosely based on the movement qualities of well-known choreographers as well as from my own experience. For example, my interpretation of “Hens and Roosters” is influenced by the Twyla Tharp Dance Company who I studied with in the 1970s.
The mixed media artwork is composed of thirteen framed relief sculptures and one photo collage, matching each of the musical suite sections. The heads and hands of the figures are made from bisque-fired hand-painted clay. The bodies are made from wire, plaster, and cotton batting. To form the figures I stitched together hand-painted fabrics, hand-dyed threads and photo transfers. The background in the shadow box frames are collaged, hand-painted silk panels.
The photo collage captures the culminating spirit of the finale while paying homage to my impossible—yet deeply felt—collaboration with Camille Saint-Saëns.
I began work on “The Carnival of the Animals” in October 2019 and completed it in March 2022.