Pop Art? Kerseys Sponsors Balloon Art

Pop Art? Kerseys Sponsors Balloon Art

Kerseys Sponsors Balloon Art exhibition Inflated Inspirations, which is balloon art based on the work of Pop My Mind (PMM). Award-winning balloon artist Samuel Stamp-Dod of VIP Balloons came up with the idea to make the online work physical – albeit just for a couple of weeks.

The former Suffolk College performing arts student said: “I loved the PMM idea, whereby one artist inspires another’s work and so on. I wanted to create a balloon sculpture which also had an artistic message.

“I would like people to see the art first and then notice the balloons. The exhibition would only last a couple of weeks at most because the balloons will deflate.

“But I want it to be as eye-catching and fun as possible during its lifespan.”

Samuel will team up with a dozen other balloon artists and guide them in building the exhibition. The work will take a week to prepare – and the exhibition will run for 11 days.

Pop My Mind

PMM an online hub for artists of all disciplines, sees one artist upload their work, such as a drum beat or the first lines of a story to which other artists respond in whichever medium they wish – known as ‘popping.’

Anthony Wooding, a published artist, said: “This time PMM’s work may indeed go ‘pop’ while in balloon form. I love the work that both Samuel and PMM do and I think it will make for a great event.”

The work will see a full-size tree grow from the centre of the gallery – with its branches leading out to new works inspired by pieces in the PMM collection.

The exhibition will be immersive and interactive – encouraging visitors to walk through, touch and explore the art.

Oliver Squirrell, a musician and photographer, set up PMM for painters, film-makers, musicians, poets and creative artists.

He said: “Most people have seen balloon models at fetes and festivals. But this will be taking things much further and creating designs that tell a story. It will challenge you to think of balloon art in the same way as you might view theatre, pottery or even paintings.”

Samuel added: “We’re really pleased that Kerseys is on-board. I’d met Anthony at a networking event and became aware of his love for the arts. So, Kerseys were the first people I approached to support us and they have been a great help.”

The Exhibition

The exhibition is free to all members of the public. A range of activities will be hosted during the day which will be suitable for children and families, followed by entertainment in the evening geared towards adults.

The exhibition will be held at the Waterfront Gallery, part of the University of Suffolk, this summer, from Friday, July 28, to Monday, August 7.

For more information, http://www.ipswich-arts.org.uk/