Pāvils Šenhofs (1924.05.01 – 2011.03.03) was born in Liepāja, but spent his school years in Rēzekne. In 1950, he graduated from the Monumental Painting Workshop of the State Academy of Arts of the Latvian SSR. Already in 1946, in parallel with his studies at the Art Academy, Šenhof started working as a set designer in the State Puppet Theater of the Latvian SSR, which was founded on October 4, 1944, created by poet Mirdza Ķempe and writer Jānis Žigur.
Paul Shenhof
Photo: Latvian Puppet Theater archive
In 1950, Pāvils Šenhof became the main artist of the theater and spent 54 years working at the Latvian Puppet Theater. During this time, he created puppets and scenography for more than 300 shows, as a guest scenographer he also created shows in other Latvian theaters, many former USSR and several foreign puppet theaters.
Schoenhof is characterized by purity of style and visual beauty. “Devils” by R. Blaumaņi (1969), “Cinderella” by J. Schwartz (1989), “Thumbnail” by HK Andersen (1994), “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by the Brothers Grimm (1995), “Hedgehog Fur” by V. Plūdonis (1998 ) – selected combinations of colors and textures, references to a specific time in the history of world art – in these shows everything connects, harmonizes, every detail resonates with each other. Also, the proportions and disproportions of the doll have always been in the artist’s attention.
“Three Grasses Opera” at the Latvian Puppet Theater (at that time – the State Puppet Theater of the Latvian SSR, 1960)
Photo: Latvian Puppet Theater archive
Schenhof’s grotesque and romantic puppets and the maximally functional arrangement of the stage space are revealed in director T. Herzberga’s first shows for adult audiences – I. Štok’s “The Devil’s Mill” (after J. Orda, 1955) and the play “Oh, heart!” (V. Grēviņš after V. Polyakov, 1957). With these productions, the tradition of staging shows for adults begins in the Puppet Theater. In cooperation with the director Arvīdas Cepurītis, a play about the good soldier Šveiks is created – “Šveiks” (1974) and “Šveiks at the Front” (both after J. Hašek, 1975). In the show “Interlellis – 67” (1967) Pāvils Šenhoff participated not only as an artist, but also as a co-author of the script. This stage work becomes the quintessence of all previous creative pursuits. Here, the dolls (and there are 120 of them!) are made of springs, wires, ropes, foam, allowing for eclecticism, which is not a classic choice in the artist’s stylistics, but in this production becomes a deliberate and purposeful key to the form. The 1983 production “And again Pifs…” became a legend, for which the artist also became the author of dramaturgy and direction. The show has been performed in the repertoire of the Latvian Puppet Theater for 40 years without a break.
The performance “Interlellis-67” at the Latvian Puppet Theater (at that time – the State Puppet Theater of the Latvian SSR, 1967)
Photo: Latvian Puppet Theater archive
For those who want to learn more about the life and creative biography of the artist, it can be found in the monograph dedicated to the artist “Honorary Citizen of the Doll World” written by Alda Line, published by the publishing house Neputns in 2014. In honor of the centenary of Pāvil Šenhof, two exhibitions are currently on view – at the Sabile Art, Culture and Tourism Center, as well as at the “Vidzeme” branch library of the Riga Central Library.
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2024-01-05 05:06:19
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