I have never encountered this kind of art before – I would say I was blown away by it but it would be a really bad pun (ok that’s never stopped me before..). We’ve all seen balloon art at fairs and as part of children’s entertainment, but this inflatable art is just a little bit different. For a start, the artist Joshua Allen Harris is using garbage bags and tape to make these inflatable statues. Now I don’t know if these garbage bags are new bags or used bags – but the effect is mesmerizing and provides a great deal of entertainment whilst making people smile. The animals have life breathed into them, courtesy of subway exhaust air! My favorite is the Loch Ness monster – which I thought was really comical! What do you think of them? A good idea? a bad idea? – which do you like?
Video by NewYorkMagazine Thanks!
PS. THE VAN GOGH POETRY CHALLENGE IS STILL GOING STRONG! TO SEE THE POEMS AND TO PERHAPS ENTER YOUR OWN PLEASE CLICK VINCENT!
Echostains Blog 
wow I love this – was that a minotaur? Clever, funny and unexpected. thanks Lynda!
Hhe fun eh – and a great use for the garbage:) I love the way these bags unfurl and spring to life – fascinating:D
I love this form of art. A local auto repair shop invested in a large plastic sculpture that waves clients in. Almost got in an accident the first time I saw the guy, I was so mesmerized. I turned around and parked in a parking lot across the street from it and watched it flow and wave. These sculptures are more interesting because they are so diverse and don’t appear to me as an ad. Now I know where the idea came from. Thanks, Lynda!!!!
I would love to see some of this art form for myself – you’re so lucky to actually see one Leslie:) I should imagine they’d be a great form of advertising and real crowd drawerer! they can’t cost much to make either (just a libral dose of ingenuity…:D)
Those are great.
They’re very engaging and entertaining. But, I also find them somewhat distressing. When the air leaves the sculptures, instead of an immediate collapse, the figures seem to struggle and falter, as if clinging to life before surrendering to deflation.
As silly as it is, it’s almost poignant.
I see what you mean Steve. perhaps because they unfurl and struggle up to take shape (as if by magic) – only to crumple up and die depending on how much air is fuelling them, their existance seems kind of haphazard…….a bit like us really, makes you think…
Thanks! Great comment!
What I couldn’t get over was how people just kept walking past without a glance at what was rising from the ground right next to them! Pretty cool idea though. Thanks.
They must be well used to seeing garbage bags blowing in the wind:0 I do think this a great idea – wish I could see some (the inflatables, I mean – we’ve plenty of garbage bags blowing in the wind here:()
I tried to think of some other artworks where air might be the main component – other than just empy spaces/galleries perhaps. Duchamp of course gets in there first with Paris air and Koons’s rabbit is obvious. Paul McCarthy’s black inflatables outside the Tate. Dan Flavin’s fluorsecents use a tube of ‘air’ perhaps. More?
Yes Koons giant balloon dog is a good example (not keen on Koons though)…and the notorious McCarthy ‘s ‘Blockhead and Daddies Big head are others I do admire the way these are made from scratch – the way they just rise and fall to and from the ground depending on the airwaves: their almost ‘incidental’ nature. Great examples though kickupthearts! Thanks for visiting – its appreciated!
Nice group of comments with this post! I have seen this artist’s work before. I think he uses new bags, however, the air that inflates them comes from an interesting source…the subway! In undergraduate school we made plastic inflatable sculptures from rolls of plastic and wide tape to join the edges. An ordinary fan would be enough to get them to rise.
Wow fancy being actually able do this! It’s a pity you haven’t got some sort of air source near the river to sustain this type of sculpture Al – I cculd see you making some very interesting ones indeed:) I knew you’d like this post:D
I’ve seen the video before but still foud it interesting to watch,
This artist has a lot of imagination
First time for me – wonder if theres any more?
New to me.
I love it ,mostly the rising up and falling down.
Falling down is the most captivating.
thanks so much for sharing
Its kind of magical the way the way they collapse and then spring up – fun to watch:)