A Question: “If Pinocchio has no ears, then...?”

Franziska Füchsl (author and founder of Buchprovisoria) and I, Yeongbin Lee, set out to explore translations and figurations in response to this fragmented question. We aim to dissect and reassemble a story everyone knows—one that has been repeatedly instrumentalized and simplified.

Franziska approaches Pinocchio through language, words, and narrative. As a visual artist and collector of sounds, I explore audible movements and develop visualizations of sound. From distinct perspectives and across various media, we closely read and reimagine Pinocchio’s body, movements, and behaviors.

Our goal is to reveal the complexity and poetic depth of the original text—to liberate it from Disney’s smoothing hand and from literal, uninspired translations.

Since 2020, Franziska and I have been developing The Pinocchio Project, and we are now nearing the end of this long journey. After a detailed process of dismantling and reinterpretation, we have completed the script for a new theater piece.

Franziska wrote the text for the play Collodi’s Schit, while I created choreographic and acoustic scores in response. Together, we aim to make the poetic textures of the material resonate again—away from the polished surfaces of pop culture.

Ultimately, this project will culminate in a full theatrical performance with a uniquely designed stage concept.