In the next 10 days, New Yorkers can travel the world – no, the universe – without ever leaving the ground, courtesy of an Insta-worthy art installation conceived in Israel.
Balloon Story, an exhibition of large-scale balloon art on display at the Park Avenue Armory through August 24, is an interactive “It’s a Small World”-style tour of various “countries” made entirely of inflated balloons — 700,000 in all. The many themed rooms in the massive 5,000-square-foot space include a jungle area with oversized animals and an interactive ball pit, an “underwater” room, a space area and a room dedicated to monuments from around the world.
The aim of the exhibition is to “make families happy,” said Kobi Kalimian, the exhibition’s artistic director. “The real idea is to turn adults into children again,” he added.
It is true that a visit to Balloon Story is a joyful experience for even the most hardened New Yorker – and a cool one at that. (That is literally meant: the temperature is kept at 69 degrees to keep the balloons from losing air.) But the story behind “Balloon Story” is perhaps the most exciting aspect of all: The first “Balloon Story” exhibition was conceived in Israel and shown in Tel Aviv last summer, when much of the country was deeply divided over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s planned judicial reform.
One of the exhibition rooms is dedicated to global monuments – all made of balloons. (Lisa Keys)
Despite the palpable tensions on the street, this first Balloon Story was put together by a diverse group of designers. “Muslims with Christians (and Jews), the left with the right, ultra-Orthodox and non-religious in general,” Kalimian said. “We set up the entire exhibition and were in complete agreement. It was amazing to see all sides of the political and religious map together.”
When Kalimian and producer Yonatan Eizik brought a new, more expansive “Balloon Story” to New York this summer, the plan was motivated in part by another crisis in Israel: the aftermath of October 7 and the difficulties artists face in finding paid employment.
By bringing “Balloon Story” to New York along with 30 Israeli artists who served as “team leaders” for an international coalition of balloon artists, the exhibition will bring much-needed revenue to Israel, said Eizik, an owner of Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, a concert and event venue that presents family-friendly exhibitions during the summer months.
Here, the mood was a little different from last year’s Israeli installation. For the show at the Armory, Israeli artists collaborated with balloon artists from Spain, Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands, the United States and other countries. “The balloon community is a small community,” Kalimian explained. “We know the best of the best, we know all the artists.”
When a reporter asked Eizik if he had met any balloon artists who did not want to work with Israelis – a dynamic that creatives from many sectors have described in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas – he said no. Then he clarified: Some had to be convinced.
Kobi Kalimian (left) and Yonatan Eizik (right) are the creators of Balloon Story. (Lisa Keys)
“We had some pushback along the way, just from people who were really afraid to work with us,” he said, explaining that they were concerned about safety and not necessarily interested in boycotting Israeli artists. “We try to explain first that the show is not about politics. It’s about balloons, it’s about art.”
Local balloon artist Todd Neufeld, head of entertainment for the Twisted Balloon Company based in Red Hook, Brooklyn, is one of the hundreds of balloon artists who helped set up the exhibit. Neufeld, who is of Jewish descent, spent nearly two weeks earlier this summer helping to design and build the space-themed sculptures. “It was super fun,” he said.
Neufeld was aware of the Israeli connection when he signed his contract, “and I thought it was great,” he said.
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Neufeld, who has worked on other large balloon productions before, acknowledged that there was something special about Balloon Story: During the installation, “we took a break on Saturday for Shabbat,” he said, noting that the creators are observant Jews. “In the middle of it all, everyone had a day off on Saturday. Everyone was grateful for the break because the work in it is definitely pretty intense.”
Eizik and Kalimian are on site at the armory almost every day in case their expertise is needed. Most of the time, however, says Kalimian, I don’t have to touch the balloon sculptures.
The couple has enjoyed their extended stay in New York this summer, where they rented apartments near the Armory and spent several Shabbats with Chabad. Here in the city, “the Jewish community embraces us,” Eizik said. “The (Jewish) community – the communities – are very strong. It’s amazing how much love we get from people.”
One room within the exhibition takes visitors to the bottom of the sea. (Lisa Keys)
Since opening on July 3, about 60,000 people have come through Balloon Story, Eizik said — a solid number, but not quite what the company had hoped for. “We understand it’s not the right time of year, maybe for the locals and tourists and stuff,” he said, mentioning the sweltering heat in July as a possible deterrent, as well as New Yorkers’ tendency to flee the city in August. “But we’re very happy and grateful for the people who have come. We’re getting very good reviews.”
On Monday afternoon, a steady stream of visitors filtered through the exhibit; many appeared to be tourists from out of state, while others were parents and caregivers of young children looking for something to do in the dog days of summer. Families squealed with delight at an oversized sculpture of the Statue of Liberty and took selfies in front of an oversized eagle mounted in front of an American flag – all made from balloons.
“That’s the thing about balloons,” said Kalimian, looking at the scene. “They bring joy. They make people happy, don’t they? And they forget all the problems, all the difficulties of life, don’t they?”
“Balloon Story” runs through August 24 at the Park Avenue Armory (643 Park Ave.). Tickets and information are available here.
