Pinocchio and other puppets of modern art.

This article examines the role of puppetry in modernist art, focusing on its capacity to convey knowledge through embodied movement beyond linguistic and conceptual limits. Central to the analysis is Carlo Collodi's *Pinocchio*, which illustrates the tension between agency and control inherent in puppetry and modernity. The article explores how European avant-garde artists, notably Futurist Fortunato Depero with his *Balli Plastici*, used puppets to investigate themes of bodily autonomy, material agency, and the uncanny, aligning with Theodor Adorno's concept of "non-identity"—knowledge beyond fixed concepts. Contemporary artists Annette Messager and Nigerian–American Derek Fordjour continue this tradition, employing puppetry to address complex social and political issues, demonstrating the medium's enduring relevance in expressing experiences that elude conventional artistic representation.