There’s something playful about anything inflatable. Blown-up objects remind us of a birthday party balloon animals, childhood bounce houses and bubbles of Bazooka Joe. Yet when artists work with inflatable sculptures, these tokens of childhood morph into high art.
This year, Paul McCarthy’s balloon sculpture sat like a watchdog over New York’sFrieze Art Fair, Christo created an inflatable mega-installation in Germany, andHong Kong was charmed by an enormous giant rubber duck.
From art world hot shots to local balloon artists, these inflatable enthusiasts have proven that balloon art isn’t just for the kids. Scroll through the slideshow below to see some of the best blown-up sculptures across the world, and savor them even after they’ve gone pop.