Sculptress, restorer and fine arts educator Mateja Ocepek and puppeteer Katja Povše present the AEIOU theatre for infants and toddlers, a unique theatre and independent artistic group established in 2010 by the two artists in cooperation with puppet theatre director Katja Kähkönen and others. Since 2013 the theatre has had a sister group in Finland. The AEIOU creates performances of visual and physical theatre, and theatre of objects, mixing theatre with various artistic forms of expression. Its content, sound and images are harmonized and adapted to the psychological and physical developmental stage of small children. In dialogue, Katja Povše and Mateja Ocepek reflect on creativity made for children and its foundations, both on the level of narrative and theme as well as dramaturgy and directing. They shed light on the aspects of play and safe space, especially when watching/listening/reading alongside the infant, toddler, baby – together.
MATEJA OCEPEK graduated and received her MA in sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts in Ljubljana. She also completed her pedagogical education at the University of Ljubljana. She works as a freelance sculptress and teacher. Since 2005 she has been creating performances together with Katja Kähkönen. In 2003, Mateja Ocepek received the special achievements award of the ALUO academy and participated at the student section of the Venice Biennale VV2, and in 2010 received the award for best curatorial work at the Eksperimenti! triennial of contemporary youth creativity in Tallinn.
KATJA POVŠE graduated in ethnology and cultural anthropology at the University of Ljubljana. She acquired her puppetry skills at the Youth Studio of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (LGL), at the Warsaw Drama Academy, at the Puppetry Department in Białystok and at the summer schools of the Puppet Institute of Charleville-Mézières. Between 2001 and 2007 she was a member of the acting and animation ensemble of the Ljubljana Puppet Theatre. Since 2007 she is a freelance cultural artist: puppet animator, actress, director and storyteller. She runs her own Narrative Theatre of Mrs. Bazilika, animates, acts and directs puppet shows in the Puppet Theatre Ljubljana, FruFru Puppet Theatre, Mini Teater... while assisting lectures of the puppet theatre animation courses at the Ljubljana Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television.
