tadao cern's black balloon installation establishes a hypnotic balance

tadao cern‘s ‘black balloon‘ installation builds upon the artist’s exploration into opposing contradictions. his previous work saw him fill one single balloon with helium and the other sulfur hexafluoride. the different gases caused the two inflated materials to both float and sink in opposite directions which in turn established an hypnotic monochromatic sculptural piece. 

explaining his process tadao cern says: ‘for the first test I used two regular latex balloons and two different gasses: helium and sulfur hexafluoride – the light and the heavy ones. later on, I worked out how to make the balloons float in the middle of a glass tank without connecting them to anything… compositions started to grow more complex and bigger when eventually I was working with 3-meter big custom made balloons.’

the installation which has been proposed in various formats, including an art gallery in new york, plays upon contradictory elements such as heaviness and lightness. this is further exaggerated by the solid nature of the balloons which bring about a hypnotic trance. cern’s series of intriguing concepts go further to show how the installation can engage an audience and how it can work within a gallery space by guiding visitors around the imposing volumes.