Adrian Kohler (b. 1957) is widely recognized as one of the word's foremost experts in puppetry, serving as the esteemed Co-founder and Artistic Director of the renowned Handspring Puppet Company.
Kohler's foundation passion for creating moving figures was nurtured from a young age; his mother; an amateur puppeteer, alongside his father, a yacht builder and cabinetmaker, instilled in him a deep understanding of woodwork and kinetic artistry. He further honed his artistic skills, earning a BA in Fine Art from the University of Cape Town. His early career included significant stints at The Space Theatre in Cape Town, the city's sole non-racial venue at the time, and a year in the U.K. at the Canon Hills Arts Centre and Weld Community Arts Centre in Birmingham. Kohler then dedicated three years to running the National Popular Theatre Program in Botswana.
His groundbreaking puppets for Handspring Puppet Company have garnered widespread international acclaim and extensive exhibition. Kohler has been honored with a solo retrospective at the National Gallery in South Africa, and selections of his works have been showcased at prestigious venues globally, including The Barbican Art Gallery in London and The Museum for African Art in New York. His exceptional puppets are part of significant public and private collections, notably including the Constitutional Court in South Africa, the Munich Stadt Museum in Germany, and the Old Mutual Art Collection.
In recognition of his profound contributions to the arts, Kohler received the Michaelis Prize, a lifetime achievement award from Tshwane University in 2006, and an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Cape Town in 2012.
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Adrian Kohler (b. 1957) is widely recognized as one of the word's foremost experts in puppetry, serving as the esteemed Co-founder and Artistic Director of the renowned Handspring Puppet Company.
Kohler's foundation passion for creating moving figures was nurtured from a young age; his mother; an amateur puppeteer, alongside his father, a yacht builder and cabinetmaker, instilled in him a deep understanding of woodwork and kinetic artistry. He further honed his artistic skills, earning a BA in Fine Art from the University of Cape Town. His early career included significant stints at The Space Theatre in Cape Town, the city's sole non-racial venue at the time, and a year in the U.K. at the Canon Hills Arts Centre and Weld Community Arts Centre in Birmingham. Kohler then dedicated three years to running the National Popular Theatre Program in Botswana.
His groundbreaking puppets for Handspring Puppet Company have garnered widespread international acclaim and extensive exhibition. Kohler has been honored with a solo retrospective at the National Gallery in South Africa, and selections of his works have been showcased at prestigious venues globally, including The Barbican Art Gallery in London and The Museum for African Art in New York. His exceptional puppets are part of significant public and private collections, notably including the Constitutional Court in South Africa, the Munich Stadt Museum in Germany, and the Old Mutual Art Collection.
In recognition of his profound contributions to the arts, Kohler received the Michaelis Prize, a lifetime achievement award from Tshwane University in 2006, and an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Cape Town in 2012.
