BLOW UP explored the imaginative ways that air and unusual materials can be used to create large-scale figurative and abstract sculptures. Accessible, yet rich with meaning, the artworks used perception of space to open a dialogue about pop culture and social norms.

About

Organized by Bedford Curator Carrie Lederer, BLOW UP featured several large-scale artworks by a diverse roster of internationally renowned artists.

“Inflatable structures connote fun and whimsy, and challenge our everyday, feet-on-the-ground perspective. The show creates a spectacular, immersive environment and taps into our fascination with inflatables with artworks that are surreal, humorous and poetic,” says Lederer.

BLOW UP was supported by a National Endowment for the Arts grant and traveled to 11 venues throughout the U.S.

Artwork Credits

1. Momoyo Torimitsu, Somehow I Don't Feel Comfortable, 2000, inflatable nylon balloons, 16 x 10 feet.
2. Andy Warhol, Silver Clouds, 1966, silver plastic film, helium and air, 15 x 31 x 12 feet.
3. Clair Ashley, Thing Two, 2012, spray paint on PVC coated canvas tarpaulin and fan, 5 x 3 x 1 feet.
4. Lewis deSoto, Paranirvana (Self-portrait), 2012, painted nylon, fan, 6 x 26 x 7 feet. Photo courtesy of Chandra Cerrito Contemporary, Oakland, CA.