Of all the professions we didn’t know we dreamed of, balloon artist flies high. And Robert Moy, who runs the studio Brooklyn Balloon Company, is one. When Garage magazine, the glossy publication of power patron Dasha Zhukova (her space for contemporary art will arrive this coming spring as a full-fledged museum in Moscow), approached Moy about collaborating, the perfect idea popped into his head: a video re-creating Five Dancing Guys (1987), by seminal graffiti artist Keith Haring, only this time rendered in black latex and pinned against a white wall. The SEEN exclusive sneak-peek is below.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Keith Haring and thought his work would translate well using balloons,†says Moy, who started his wildly popular (with the birthdays-under-10 crowd) business a mere three years ago, after being captivated by a clown at his own son’s party. “Haring’s kidlike, playful qualities relate strongly to my balloon sculptures.â€
While calling Moy’s balloon creation a sculpture might be a bit of a stretch, “I think this project has been a stepping stone to exploring the boundaries of balloon art,†Moy says. “I want to take the influence of Keith Haring and make interesting balloon works that people from kids to adults can all appreciate.â€Â After all, he adds, “Haring mastered blending commercial and fine art.â€