Artist Statement

Artist, activist and puppet-maker, Brant Bollman, helms Uplifting Puppet Co. out of Oskaloosa, Iowa. He builds and performs giant puppets (that he calls ‘Uppets’) for parades, marches, and the stage. He aims to tap into the primordial myth-making role of the shaman, summoning masked dancers about the campfire. 

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

Uplifting Puppet Co.’s ultimate goal is to bring people together and create culture with papier-mâché.