Exhibitions » Traveling » Traveling Exhibition Archive

BLOW UP II: Inflatable Contemporary Art

National Tour: 2020 – Mid-2024

  • Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts
    Montgomery, AL
    Oct. 31, 2020 – Jan. 31, 2021

  • Dennos Museum Center
    Northwestern Michigan College
    Traverse City, MI
    Feb. 27 – May 16, 2021

  • Krasl Art Center
    St. Joseph, MI
    June 11 – Oct. 3, 2021

  • Museum of Art | Fort Collins
    Fort Collins, CO
    Oct. 29, 2021 – Jan. 9, 2022

  • Oklahoma State University Museum of Art
    Stillwater, OK
    Feb. 8 – May 1, 2022

  • The Jepson Center at the Telfair Museums
    Savannah, GA
    May 27 – Sept. 18, 2022

  • Appleton Museum of Art
    College of Central Florida
    Ocala, FL    
    Oct. 15 – Dec. 18, 2022

  • Art Museum of South Texas
    Corpus Christi, TX
    Jan. 19 – Apr. 9, 2023

  • Neville Public Museum
    Green Bay, WI
    May 20 – Oct. 8, 2023

  • Gregg Museum of Art & Design
    North Carolina State University
    Raleigh, NC
    Nov. 4, 2023 – Jan. 28, 2024

  • Portsmouth Arts & Cultural Center
    Portsmouth, VA
    Feb. 24 – May 4, 2024

blow-up-II-1140x700-A

blow-up-II-600x820-B

blow-up-II-600x820-C

In response to the immense popularity of our 2015 exhibition BLOW UP, Bedford Gallery is excited to present a second exhibition of inflatable art.


About

Featuring a brand new roster of artists, BLOW UP II explores the imaginative ways that air is used as a tool to create large-scale sculptures.

Curator Carrie Lederer states,

“Tapping into this idea with humor, scale and surprise, the artworks in BLOW UP II harness the power of air and our imaginations to take us on extraordinary journeys, exploring subjects as varied as anime, superheroes, history, politics, and even our mortality. In some cases, the super-sized sculptures investigate the contradictions of a soft, pillowy object uncannily coupled with subject matter that in reality is the exact opposite—like a skull. Other works convey a surreal sensibility or channel spiritual inspiration. The unique artworks in BLOW UP II create a spectacular, immersive environment that will certainly have wide appeal for all visitors.”

Six out of ten of the artists in the exhibition including Jen Stark, Josh Harker, Susan Lee-Chun, Matt Ritchie, FriendsWithYou and Lizbeth Rossof have created new work specifically commissioned by Bedford Gallery for the exhibition. 

Many pieces in the exhibition have never before been seen, and several of the artists in the show such as Rossof and Ritchie have never before worked in the medium of the inflatable. 

Participating Artists

  • Chromaforms (Oakland, CA)
  • Nicole Banowetz (Lakewood, CO)
  • Sharon Engelstein (Houston, TX)
  • FriendsWithYou (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Joshua Harker (Ann Arbor, MI)
  • Susan Lee-Chun (Miami, FL)
  • Matt Ritchie (San Francisco, CA)
  • Lizabeth Rossof (Denver, CO)
  • Jen Stark (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Max Streicher (Toronto, Canada)

Exhibition Details

  • Curated by Carrie Lederer
  • 11 large-scale inflatable sculptures/installations
  • 10 Artists

See More Exhibition Images

Artwork Credits

  1. Left, Lizabeth Rossof, 5 XI'AN AMERICAN WARRIORS, 2019, nylon fabric, dimensions vary. Right, Sharon Engelstein, Seeker, 2012, nylon fabric, forced air, 14 x 9.4 x 18. 6 feet.

  2. Matt Ritchie, rat 136, 2019, nylon fabric, 9.4 x 6.5 x 9.8 feet.

  3. Chromaforms, Jack, 2016, weleded clear vinyl, sealed air, 10.9 x 13 x 18.6 feet.

For More Information

Alesha Colberg Martinez
Traveling Exhibitions Manager
colberg-martinez@bedfordgallery.org
Tel. 925-295-1435