"Cannibal" Marionette c. 1937

James McLellan made this "Cannibal" Marionette out of wood, string, and fabric, at an undetermined date. The materials speak volumes about the history and cultural significance embedded within this object. Carved from wood, its black limbs and face suggest a caricature of race, amplified by the puppet's wide, white smile. The contrast between the roughly carved wooden elements and the soft, green, hand-knitted sweater is striking, a clash of material and texture. The visible strings attach the puppet to the puppeteer, literally controlled like an object on a string. McLellan skillfully employed carving and sewing techniques, rooted in craft traditions, to imbue the marionette with symbolic meaning. The title itself forces us to think about primitive or colonial history, and the politics of consumption. By considering the material, making, and social context of this Cannibal Marionette, we gain a deeper understanding of the complex issues it represents, challenging the established hierarchies of art and craft.