giant balloon installation by jaemee studio resurrects the extinct pyrenean ibex

The ‘bethany’ project by Jaemee Studio

Located at the Bethany Arts Community in Ossining, NY, Jaemee Studio’s ‘Bethany’ project resurrects the extinct Pyrenean ibex as a large participatory public art installation. Commemorating the now extinct animal, the collaborative art piece is a sculpture made of balloons that is constructed and disassembled by the visitors. 

The design team chose the Pyrenean ibex since it went extinct twice. ‘The first extinction occurred in the early 2000s, trophy hunting caused a sharp decline in populations,’ explains the studio. ‘Although its killing became prohibited in 1913, extinction could not be prevented and it was eventually formalized on January 6, 2000. The controversial cloning program was launched immediately without scientific consent, nor support from NGOs. Three years later, one clone was born alive but died several minutes later.’

project Bethany invites visitors to a collaborative experience to construct the scuplture

all images courtesy of Jaemee Studio

collaborative ARTWORK highlightS the process of extinction

Visitors are invited to collaborate to bring together the extinct Pyrenean ibex, shedding light into Jaemee Studio’s question, ‘Will humanity accept all creatures’ right to exist? ‘ The installation consists of two parts: first, the process of reanimating the Pyrenean ibex by filling the structure with balloons where the participants are asked to contribute a balloon with their own written message to shape the animal; second the process of taking the balloons down by popping them one by one.

The balloons become the ‘flesh’ of the ibex, while the studio invites the participant to become the ‘hunter’ by popping the balloons and dissembling the ‘bones’. Once the cycle of creating the extinct ibex and disassembling it is complete, the stage is left without a trace, as a nod to the animal’s extinction.

the project ‘Bethany’ displayed at the Bethany arts community in Ossining, NY

a large balloon installation of the Pyrenean ibex

the process of reanimating the pyrenean ibex

filling the blanks and forming the structure of the pyrenean ibex

the process of taking the balloons down

the participants are asked to contribute a balloon with their own written message to shape the sculpture

a visitor’s message on a balloon

sketch of the ‘Bethany’ balloon installation

project info:

name: Bethany
designer: Jaemee Studio

Location: Ossining, NY

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: zaha mango | designboom