Sol Ramirez, a junior at the University of Connecticut, is the driving force behind 1,2,3 Puppetry, a local group of young puppeteers based in Chapel Hill. The group advances its social justice mission by utilizing performance art, including giant puppets, music, masks, and movement. 1,2,3 Puppetry aims to build community-centered enterprises through puppetry by combining entertainment and activism.
Ramirez said the appeal of puppetry has always been to bring inanimate objects to life.
“Seeing something animated in real time, and the stories it can tell, the messages they can spread, that’s what always draws me to puppetry. “It’s the creativity that exists and how puppetry is an art form that can really engage people,” Ramirez said. “There’s no other kind of creative interest.”
Ramirez has worked with various members and teams over the years that 1, 2, 3 Puppetry has been around. The organization is primarily led by young adults, with the oldest performer being several years older than Ramirez.
From the age of five, Ramirez was surrounded by puppet movies, especially those of Jim Henson (The Muppets, Sesame Street, and Fraggle Rock). When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Ramirez always said he wanted to be a puppeteer.
“I always had to explain that I wanted to be a puppeteer and show that that was my goal from that age,” he said.
His parents emphasized his Mexican-American culture and set him on this path. He draws inspiration from that culture and frequently incorporates it into his art. Specifically, Ramírez remembers the masks and art that adorned the walls of his home as a child, as well as the Mojiganga parade dolls (traditional figures seen on the streets of San Miguel de Allende) that his grandparents sent him. The inspiration came from a postcard depicting a Mexican doll. Mexico.
1, 2, 3 Puppetry productions primarily spread messages of social justice and introduced stories and ideas that are not commonly told or shared. For example, Ramirez’s recent works include a giant effigy called “Justice” installed at the Gaza Solidarity encampment to highlight protests and promote justice.
The group produces and directs the work and holds workshops at various venues. In addition, 1, 2, 3 puppets may be asked to perform specific tasks. On Saturday, Ramirez’s commissioned work, the Cray na Dun Rock, was on display at the Outlandish Hillsborough Scottish Festival.