February research residency – A study on the dramaturgy of materials in contemporary shadow theatre

Artist, post-doctoral student, research professor, Paulo Balardim (Brazil) will conduct bibliographic and videographic research at the Documentation Center of the Pôle, from February 2 to 20, 2026, as part of the preparation of his thesis ” Between projected shadows, moving screens and the artist of shadow theater, from kinetics to poetics “.

The postdoctoral research will take place at the Università degli Studi di Padova (Italy), under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Cristina Grazioli, from August 2025 to August 2026. Entitled “Between projected shadows, moving screens and the shadow theatre artist, from kinetics to poetics”, the study explores the dramaturgy of materials in contemporary shadow theatre.

The central objective is to analyse how the kinetics of materials can be exploited to enhance poetic and dramaturgical expression, thus transcending its simple technical function. Scenic materiality is considered a fundamental narrative element capable of transforming the viewer’s perception. This work aims to develop a model for analysing the kinetics of materials for researchers and creators in the field.

Paulo Balardim is a full professor in the Department of Performing Arts (DAC) and the Postgraduate Programme in Performing Arts (PPGAC) at the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC) in Brazil. His academic and artistic career revolves around the poetics of puppet theatre, mainly within the research area “Body, Performativity and Puppet Theatre” (UDESC). Balardim coordinates the Poetic Theatre Research Group (CNPq), is a member of the editorial board of the journal Móin-Móin, and teaches subjects related to puppetry, masks, and shadow theatre. In addition to his academic career, he has worked for 25 years as an actor, director and set designer with the Caixa do Elefante theatre company.