Ildikó Novák

Home Institution: University of Arts Targu Mures
Host University: University of Connecticut
Field: Animation Theater
Type of Grant: Research

The University of Connecticut (UCONN) is one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, and the only one which has a Puppetry Arts Program for more than 50 years.
As a Fulbright Visiting Scholar researcher I had a great interest for the Contemporary Art of Animation and I was sure to have a valuable professional experience, but the reality was more generous and colorful than my expectations.

Beginning with the 15th of September 2023 – and for the next five months after – I had the opportunity to live my life`s most fulfilling professional and human experience. Even overcoming the hurdles of finding a suitable housing situation and even having a minor health scare, thanks to the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Award I had the chance to experience the everyday life of the contemporary American people, who are also often dealing with these same kinds of problems, and I could also see and feel all the benefits of the Exchange Visitor status – feeling every second the respect and interest for my person, my work and also for the prestige of Fulbright Scholarship from all academic and non-academic persons I have met during my research in Connecticut/and generally in the US. Finally even my housing situation was also solved with the help of a Fulbright alumnus (retired professor emerita, Laura Crow, and the actual mayor of Storrs Mansfield, Antonia Moran).

During my stay I have spent most of the time participating at the Puppetry Arts Program`s activities in the amazing campus located in Storrs Mansfield, CT. I have met the preeminent personalities of the Department of Dramatic Arts, my mentors: Bart Roccoberton Jr., the Area Head of the Puppetry Arts Program and his colleagues: Dr. John Bell, Matthew B. Sorensen, Dr. Matthew Isaac Cohen and the Department Head of Dramatic Arts, Megan Monaghan Rivas. They not only became professional contacts, but friends, who constantly gave me all the help I needed to solve my everyday life issues and made me feel comfortable in this very different and mesmerizing “new world”.

My research was focused on exploring contemporary forms of Animation Art in the American Cultural Field, that is the reason I have studied the structure of the Puppetry Arts program.

Beside the University’s programs, an important part of my research was to participate in the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry’s programs – located in Downtown Storrs -, where many interesting and important activities were organized by the Museum Director, Dr. John Bell, and his staff: Emily Wicks and Anthony Sellitto-Budney, the program managers of the Ballard Institute. I had the opportunity to see the Tradition and Revolution in Indian Shadow Puppetry from Kerala, curated by the twelve-generation puppeteer Rahul Koonathara, who is currently a UCONN student, studying Comparative Literature. The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry also offered the possibility for many puppeteers and for puppetry students to present their performance in front of the audience. During this period at their stage, I had the opportunity to meet Stevens Puppets, Madison J. Cripps, the Puppetry Arts Program`s MFA students: Thomas Tuke, Harley Walker, Carrie Fowler; and all the performers of UCONN Fall Puppet Slam.

I have participated as an observer in the puppetry debate programs too, for example events entitled: Puppetry and Digital Animation, The Indian Shadow Puppetry, The Wayang Thithi, Translating Pinocchio, Tony Sarg: Genius at Play, the Indian Performing Arts; and have met artist and scholars who are important personalities of the Contemporary Animation Art: Hamid Rahmanian, Dr. Claudia Orenstein, Anna Kraczyna, dalang Aneng Kiswatoro, Museum Director Daniel Haryono, puppeteer Dwi Woro Retno Mastuti, Rob Sanders, Dana Samborski, Museum director Stephanie Plunkett.

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry also organized workshops led by the well-known puppeteer and director Sara Peattie of Boston’s Puppeteers Cooperative with the intention of building puppets for the Celebrate Mansfield Festival (30th of September). The puppets were created for the event and the participants collaborated to create puppets and masks representing what they appreciate most about Mansfield. The Puppetry Arts Program also made possible for students to participate in the Winter Celebration, another festival organized by Town Hall and the Ballard Institute, with a giant Polar bear puppet and a performance by Matthew Sorensen, Visiting Assistant Professor in Residence at University of Connecticut.

The Puppet Slams, originally initiated by The Jim Henson Foundation, are very popular puppetry-events, I have also participated in one, organized by puppetry artist Anatar Marmol-Gagne in New Haven.

Since I was at UCONN located in Storrs, CT, I was very close to New York, hence the La Mama Festival in East New York organized in November (between 2nd-18th) was also a great opportunity to study the Contemporary American Puppet Theatre. I have visited the festival and I have seen performances analyzed in my research.

I have also often visited the Homer Babbidge Library for studying the specific literature and to analyze the content of the daily press, according to my research plan. I had also meetings with important preeminent personalities of the Puppetry Arts (and with MFA students), made interviews and had professional discussions.

I have been invited by the Fulbright Alumni Association in New Haven and I have participated at two gatherings. These events gave me the possibility to visit the Mashantucket Pequot Reservation for the first time and, for the second time on my trip, the prestigious Yale University, where previously I have also participated as an observer at Early European Puppetry Studies Conference (13-14th October). In these events I have met and had professional conversations with other Fulbright Scholars and alumnae, and I had made professional connections for the future.

The Exchange Visitor status made it possible for me to visit New York, Boston, New Haven and Hartford, places with strong influence on the American Culture. It was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to develop and use my language skills and to enlarge my professional connections, also it was a great experience to see wonderful places and meet new people. The visit to the Museum of Moving Objects in New York served as fantastic proof of how wonderful the Art of Animation is.

Another important event for my research – beside the workshops lead by Sarah Frechette and Jimnappy Napolitano for the students of Puppetry Arts Program – was the Jerry Rojo Festival, organized by UCONN Department of Dramatic Arts, which gave the students opportunity to present their work in front of the audience. Puppetry Arts MFA students: Abigail Baird’s, whom I have also participated in the creation process, Thomas Tuke’s, Harley Walker’s and Carrie Fowler’s performances were very appreciated by the audience and by their teachers.

During my stay I have made strong connections with students and colleagues, and we had long discussions about the cultural similitudes and differences. Thanks to the Head of Department of Dramatic Arts and the Area Head of Puppet Arts Program, I got the opportunity to speak and make a presentation at the Puppetry Arts Complex of UCONN about the East European Puppetry Culture, including the Romanian and Hungarian Puppet Theatre history, with special focus on Transylvania and Targu Mures, where the 75 years old Puppet Theatre is still working, and of course also about my university`s history.

Thanks to the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program my experience was beyond my wildest dreams. When we hear about the “American Dream” we could only imagine what it takes or how one could be “good enough” to be part of that dream. But this journey offered by the Fulbright Commission seems to be not only a bridge between cultures, but also one between reality and the realm of dreams, because once you find yourself on that bridge, you can feel the most important values of humanity: trust, kindness, stability, honor, care, responsibility and hope. Even if the world is full of pain and loss, even if the future often seems to be hopeless, when I remember all the friends I have made, all the bright eyes I have seen, and all the kind words I have heard, I can be more confident that maybe there is hope for peace and harmony in the world. My Fulbright experience was not only a journey to another continent, to another world, it was also a journey to myself, and I can’t be grateful enough for having the opportunity to experience it.

I have learned that the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program isn’t just an award, but a bridge to a better world, and I truly can’t encourage everybody enough to apply and take part in it.