‘Emotion Air: Art You Can Feel’ – Balloon Museum London
The world’s first inflatable museum has finally arrived in London and it’s absolutely popping! Balloon Museum aims to explore the relationship between art and human emotions through giant inflatable art installations.
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What’s Poppin’?
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Following the huge success in Rome, Paris and Milan, Balloon Museum finally arrived in London and opened its gates just after Christmas on the 27th December 2023.
The museum is taking over 78,000 square feet space at 1 Old Billingsgate and promises a one-of-a-kind experience with giant interactive inflatable artworks.
Balloon Museum’s first exhibition is called ‘EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel’, featuring artworks of 20 artists from around the globe. The exhibition’s aim is to explore the relationship between art and human emotions.
‘EmotionAir’ promises a whimsical journey through large-scale inflatable installations with unexpected shapes that invite visitors to interact with them, feel them, touch them, and live with them.
In the centre of the exhibition is the giant ball pit filled with smiling yellow balls. Projections, sounds and movements of different elements accompany the experience representing the sky, the sea, and the earth.
Just make sure you keep your and your kid’s belongings safe because if you lose something in the ball pit, it’s gone forever. Including your shoes… 👟
EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel
Photo: Urban Adventurer
As we mentioned earlier, ‘EmotionAir: Art You Can Feel’ is an art exhibition with artworks representing different human emotions.
Please, note: Some of the artworks are interactive while others are not. Please, make sure you don’t touch those that are for the eyes only.
Here are some our favourite installations at Balloon Museum:
Hyperfeeling by Hyperstudio, Sila Sveta and Kissmiklos
Emotion: Sentience
Photo: Urban Adventurer
This giant pall pit is set to represent all the human emotions while visitors can touch, perceive and see the complexity of them.
The ball pit provides a fully immersive experience. Visitors are encouraged to submerge into the ocean of balls while enjoying a sound and light show curated by Sila Sveta. The show, which is projected on a large sphere, invites visitors for a journey through human emotions from joy to surprise to fear and anger.
The ceiling is covered with hundreds of yellow balloons to represent the sky while the walls are covered with mirrors to make you feel you’re in an eternal space.
Playground of Love by Michela Picci
Emotion: Amazement and Wonder
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Playground of Love is a colourful playground with giant inflatable balls visitors can interact with. By playing with the balls and teaming up with others to roll them, clash them and move them from one place to another, visitors will re-discover their childlike innocence while lose themselves in the pure joy of enjoying simple things.
Cannonballs by Motomichi Nakamura
Emotion: Anger
Photo: Urban Adventurer
In the centre of this installation are eight large cannonballs portraying faces of angry imaginary monsters. The artist chose the title ‘Cannonballs’ to emphasise the paradoxical nature between the heaviness of cannonballs and the weightless air the eight inflatables are filled with.
The faces are brought to life with projection technology and are monstrous, enchanting, conflicting and playful at the same time. Thus, the cannonballs are functioning as mirrors upon us, reflecting the complexity of our own emotions.
Kaleidoscope by Karina Smigla-Bobinski
Emotion: Layered
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Kaleidoscope is an interactive multisensory artwork. Colourful inks are floating on large, illuminated tables creating surfaces in separate levels. By interacting with the artwork, visitors explore how colours can be an amazing way to discover the world and make connections.
By touching and making dynamic movements, the liquids transform into different shapes and blend colours, providing users a freedom of creativity.
While interacting with the artworks, cameras capture the movements and project them on the walls.
Synchronised Chaos by Miranda Makaroff
Emotion: Trust
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Synchronised Chaos is an infinite repetition of brightly coloured faces representing the complexity of human mind. In the centrepiece of this artwork is self-awareness and the journey of individual growth.
The repetitive faces with constantly changing colours represent the continuous dialogue with the voices inhabit our minds.
The GINJOS by Rub Kandy
Emotion: Joy and Extasy
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The GINJOS are a series of characters (a tribe) with different colour and shape waiting to be tossed and pushed. When one pushes them, they bow a couple of times from one side to the other before finding their balance again.
Each GINJO is unique, representing diverse emotions and stories. They communicate not with words but with their vivid colours and expressive eyes.
This installation reminds us that life is much more than just things our eyes can capture. They remind us of the pure happy moments in our lives that make us feel alive. The GINJOS invite visitors to join them in a game of joy and connection.
Fun Photo Ops, Balloon Bar and Balloon Shop
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Your whimsical journey ends with a series of fun photo ops. You can take photos in a yellow photo booth filled with matching-coloured balloons, fly away with rainbow balloon wings, or pose with Mona Lisa inside an inflatable living room.
Now you’re probably hungry, so why not eat something at the Balloon Bar? They have a healthy selection of wraps, bagels, sandwiches and cakes, alongside with coffee, soft drink and even cotton candy.
On your way out, there are two shops: the first one offer adorable balloon creations to fall in love with, while the second one sells official Balloon Museum merch for those who want to bring home some memorable souvenirs.
Practical Info
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Address
1 Old Billingsgate Walk, London EC3R 6DX
Opening Times
27 December 2023 – 18 February 2024
The museum is open daily. For opening hours, visit FAQ on Balloon Museum’s website
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased on Balloon Museum’s website
Off peak: Adult (16+): £31.01 | Child (4-15): £19.33
Peak: Adult (16+): £38.45 | Child (4-15): £25.70
TIP: If you become a member of Balloon Museum community, you’ll receive a 20% discount on your ticket. Click here and type your email address in the pop-up window.
Ready for your next adventure? British Library’s new exhibition ‘Fantasy: Realms of Imagination’ invites you for an epic adventure to the world of fantasy. The exhibition follows fantasy creators to discover how they imagined enchanted lands, legendary creatures and invented whole new languages.