In the 1990s, while studying at the University of Iowa, Brant Bollman became fascinated by the way African masks were treated in museums. These masks, once powerful talismans of community, wrapped in dance, ritual, music, and story, were stripped of their cultural context. The raffia fiber costumes and intricate narratives that gave them meaning were removed, and the masks were placed on sterile white pedestals, isolated from their original purpose. This disjunction between the art’s context and its display sparked a question about the relationship between art, culture, and space that would influence Bollman’s own work for years to come.

Bollman’s large-scale puppetry, rooted in parades, protests, and dramatic performances, exists within a vibrant cultural and communal context. His “Uppets” are not static art objects—they are meant to move, to perform, to provoke, and to connect with people in the midst of collective experiences. In this show, viewers are invited to engage with a selection of Bollman’s puppets outside of their natural environment. Removed from their original settings and placed on pedestals, they are transformed into static artifacts—yet their power is not diminished. Instead, these puppets hold a suspended magic in the gallery, offering a reflection on their origins and prompting new conversations about the intersection of art, activism, and performance.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Artist, activist, and puppet-maker Brant Bollman leads Uplifting Puppet Co. from Oskaloosa, Iowa. He designs and performs with giant puppets (which he calls “Uppets”) for parades, marches, and stage productions, aiming to channel the primordial myth-making spirit of shamans summoning masked dancers around the campfire.

“I see myself as a creator of experiences—a wizard of papier-mâché, cardboard, and wire,” Bollman explains. “I create magical moments, like a ringmaster leading the grand parade at a circus.”

The ultimate goal of Uplifting Puppet Co. is to unite communities and build culture through the art of theatre and papier-mâché.

He also is the Director of Theatre Arts at William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa where he teaches creative arts courses, directs plays and creates giant lighted puppets for the town’s annual holiday spectacular The Oskaloosa Lighted Christmas Parade.