Permanent Parade is a performance and visual art collective founded by:
Nikki Calogne
While studying wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) in Bali Nikki Calogne lived with the renowned family of Pak Made Sidja of Bona. It was there that she was deeply touched by the tight bonds of family and rich connection with nature. On a daily basis, she would both witness and participate in using what the earth has to give to make offerings.
In this sunny and vibrant setting she discovered that the dalang (puppeteers) must not only know how to manipulate and speak through the puppets but also master the music, create the puppets themselves, study the hundreds and thousands of stories as well as the levels of languages they come in.
In Bali she hoped to become more adept in using techniques of wayang kulit only to discover that a puppet master is more than puppets and a screen. If the puppet master is a true dalang they are also a teacher, a priest and an entertainer. She wanted only to observe and understand what it means to be one, in the hope that its integrity and magic would influence her work.
Although theatre cannot be accomplished alone. It is fascinating that a single person, the dalang, exerts such control. This single performer represents God as the screen (kelir) represents the universe, the banana tree trunk that keeps the puppets up (gedebong) represents the earth, and the oil lamp (damar) represents the sun.
Puppets are given a voice, they are inanimate objects brought to life and given a personality. This serves as a reminder that puppets are merely puppets. It is up to the puppeteer to encourage the transformation.
Rithika Merchant
Rithika Merchant was born and brought up in Bombay, India. She has always been exposed to cultural pluralism, as she has spent time traveling, working and studying all over the world. As a result of an extensive period of time spent in Greece, the Galapagos Islands and the United States of America, she has come to value the ephemeral yet enriching nature of meeting people and experiencing life while in transit.
Her work focuses on the emotional complexes and relationships between people. She has an ideal vision that takes the shape of a patchwork quilt of different world experiences which inform and inspire each other. She is drawn to the idea of being part of a cultural exchange and engaging in a dialogue that is purposeful.
As a Fine Artist she strives to use her art to inject the world around her with a dash of whimsy.
Anton Yupangco
Anton Yupangco earned his BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, concentrating in directing and design for the stage. While there he also studied art history, architecture, and received the Minor in Applied Theatre with a focus on site-specific/community based performance.
Anton has worked on numerous off-off Broadway stage productions in New York City, and his designs have also been seen at The Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland, and in the Philippines. Though primarily a theatre artist, he explores other design applications including visual merchandising, interior design, and sculpture. He currently works at the Asian American Arts Centre, and on various projects with Martha Bowers' Dance/Theatre/Etcetera.
