Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, made an appearance in Decatur Square yesterday, Oct. 10.
Drawing huge crowds, this large scale participatory public art project seeks to engage the public in dialogue about the migrant experience and confront preconceived notions about refugees.
Between Sept. 7 and Nov. 26, Amal will trek 11,000 miles across the United States and Mexico. Since July 2021, Amal has traveled over 6,000 miles, visited 97 towns and cities in 15 countries, and has been witnessed by more than a million people worldwide.
Her urgent message is “Don’t forget about us,” and the experience of witnessing Amal in person serves to compel us to consider the plight of refugees. The event in Decatur began at the MARTA station, meandered across Church Street, and made its way onto Decatur Square. Controlled by three puppeteers, one of whom was inside the body, Amal was accompanied by live music by Black Sheep Ensemble, a chorus, and even large interactive puppet ice creams and dogs.
Flux Projects partnered with Center for Puppetry Arts, the Decatur Art Alliance, the City of Decatur, the Decatur Arts Alliance, and MARTA Artbound for this moving once-in-a-lifetime art event.
Prior to last night’s stop in Decatur Square, the last in the area for this traveling performance series, Amal also visited Buford Highway, the Woodruff Arts Center, and the Atlanta BeltLine.
