Beautiful inflatable egg-shaped objects by Marcel Wanders

Displayed at the Oita Prefectural Art Museum in Japan, the ‘Eurasian Garden Spirits’ is a site-specific installation by designer Marcel Wanders, composed of seven inflatable balloons depicting unique flower patterns. Influenced by the historical narrative of Dutch explorers first arriving in Japan in the 16th century, this artwork symbolises the cultural union and exchange between Holland and Japan.

Marcel Wanders‘ egg-shaped objects at the are an homage to both the free-spirited original travellers and the Dutch ideas that have spread across the world. Furthermore, the ‘Eurasian Garden Spirits’ is a contemporary re-interpretation of Vanitas — a 17th-century conception in Dutch art — which has gained worldwide recognition. Looking closely at the artwork, the flower patterns remind visitors of nature’s cycle and the inevitable passing of time. In parallel, the designer blends abstracted representation of faces with his floral motifs to illustrate the mortality of human beings.

To create a stable structure, the designer collaborated with Dutch company Buitink technology which manufactured and powered the inflatable objects of the installation. Reaching five meters in height and filled with air, each balloon is heavy enough to stay grounded in one spot but still manages to gently sway from side to side. This effect is created thanks to bowl-shaped weights that have been placed on the bottom parts of the inflatable objects.

(Source: Designboom. Images and video courtesy of Marcel Wanders).