Kooky inflatable art installation coming to WA first time

Perth Now

14-05-2025

If you've ever wanted to know what a giant inflatable doing a backflip off the second floor of a building looks like, well, you won't be guessing for much longer.
Claremont Quarter is just six days away from welcoming Airship Orchestra, a 16-strong cast of kooky inflatable characters — the largest up to 8m tall — for four weeks, fresh from its last stop in the San Francisco Balloon Museum.
Alongside the installation by award-winning Melbourne studio ENESS is a 6m long floor mural, where children (and grown-ups) can colour in the mystical tribe of otherworldly characters, the first time the interactive aspect has been introduced as part of the exhibit.
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The characters will be waiting for visitors indoors and outdoors in Claremont Quarter and, in full, extends over a 500sqm area.
The sound experience is its own spatial environment, immersing visitors in a score synced with light, creating an adventure that is aesthetically dynamic both day and night.
ENESS artist and founder Nimrod Weis, who will be making his maiden voayge to WA for the exhibition, said Airship Orchestra was a truly collaborative and experiential moment that demonstrates art and technology colliding.
'Pieces like Airship Orchestra completely transcend the boundaries of language and age and demographic and create this intriguing and innocent world of wonder for people to enter,' Weis said.
'The connection between people and the characters — the connection between families, friends, and strangers — is incredibly pure and an essential proposition to explore particularly given the saturation of screens in our lives.
'We've been wanting to find an exhibition opportunity where people can colour in one of our installations for a long time. We are particularly excited about children's contribution to our artwork where they have the chance to get involved and work together to form something big and meaningful of which they can be proud.'
If the charming and enchanting inflatables seem familiar, ENESS first made its mark in Perth with a pack of illuminated canines that took over Hillarys Boat Harbour for the WA premiere of interactive art installation, the Lost Dogs' Disco — a key attraction at the 2022 Joondalup Festival.
Festivalgoers delighted in playing among the litter of bull terriers, dachshunds and poodles, where sensors brought the hounds to life with music, sound and light.
ENESS also showcased another creation at last year's Subi Blooms Festival.
With this being Airship Orchestra's debut at a shopping centre in WA, Claremont Quarter hopes the event will be a memorable experience filled with magic, wonder and delight for visitors.
'We cannot wait for everyone to get involved in the Airship Colour Zone,' Claremont Quarter senior marketing manager Claire Ridley said.
'Finding opportunities to pause, to engage with our friends and family and just explore that child-like sense of wonder no matter your age is incredibly special and very important these days.'
Airship Orchestra can be viewed 8am-9pm every day at Claremont Quarter until June 17.