Balloon #62 got a bit happy on sake and came to a sad (but very cute) end...
Balloon #38 has been highly active in New Zealand, and took some time to reflect on family history and the olympics.
12 August, 2008
04 August, 2008
Exhibition Opening
Project Red Balloon had its exhibition opening on Friday August 1st 2008
The 99 original watercolours used for this project were up on the wall, and up for sale. There were also several small oil paintings and two large oil paintings. This website/blogsite was able to be accessed for people to browse through and look at all the responses people have made as the balloons traveled the world. There were also a few funny little videos that will be posted up on the blog shortly.
There was a great crowd all having fun with real red balloons... they drifted around on the floor, getting kicked, tossed and popped all night. A balloon contortionist was there to make balloon animals and he even made a portrait of one girl out of balloons. We're not going to comment on how successful the likeness was!
People were invited to take balloons home and create stories, situations or images with them to send in and be posted on the blog. Hopefully we will see some fun and creative responses.
People were also invited to put down their email address for the second launch of these original cyber-balloons... all of the balloons that were sent out in the original batch that have not yet received any response at all will be re-launched, sent to new people and hopefully start to travel the world!!!
The 99 original watercolours used for this project were up on the wall, and up for sale. There were also several small oil paintings and two large oil paintings. This website/blogsite was able to be accessed for people to browse through and look at all the responses people have made as the balloons traveled the world. There were also a few funny little videos that will be posted up on the blog shortly.
There was a great crowd all having fun with real red balloons... they drifted around on the floor, getting kicked, tossed and popped all night. A balloon contortionist was there to make balloon animals and he even made a portrait of one girl out of balloons. We're not going to comment on how successful the likeness was!
People were invited to take balloons home and create stories, situations or images with them to send in and be posted on the blog. Hopefully we will see some fun and creative responses.
People were also invited to put down their email address for the second launch of these original cyber-balloons... all of the balloons that were sent out in the original batch that have not yet received any response at all will be re-launched, sent to new people and hopefully start to travel the world!!!
30 July, 2008
Recent Adventures
Balloon #78 made it to Pasadena, California, United States
Balloon #71 was photographed in Sweden
Balloon #79 went the not for profit route
Balloon #9 witnessed some snow raking in Glenorchy
Balloon #84 distracted and entertained a whole office in Germany
Balloon #97 made it to Tel Aviv and seemed to be seeking some beach fun
Balloon #71 was photographed in Sweden
Balloon #79 went the not for profit route
Balloon #9 witnessed some snow raking in Glenorchy
Balloon #84 distracted and entertained a whole office in Germany
Balloon #97 made it to Tel Aviv and seemed to be seeking some beach fun
22 July, 2008
Recent Adventures
Balloon #24 was frolicking in the sky with aeroplanes at Barwon Heads
Balloon #60 was found in a part of town experiencing a rash of tyre deflating incidents... lets hope it quickly moves on to a place more friendly towards air filled objects.
Balloon #79 was slowly drifting to the bottom of an inbox when a random dog and a soccer ball managed to give it a future once more.
Balloon #81 was spotted by a dog walker and some local youths
Balloon #60 was found in a part of town experiencing a rash of tyre deflating incidents... lets hope it quickly moves on to a place more friendly towards air filled objects.
Balloon #79 was slowly drifting to the bottom of an inbox when a random dog and a soccer ball managed to give it a future once more.
Balloon #81 was spotted by a dog walker and some local youths
18 July, 2008
Recent Adventures
Balloon #78 has been sighted and photographed twice! Once in Hong Kong and once in Tibet!!!
Balloon #22 flew through Chelsea for some kisses before journeying on to East Melbourne where the various disadvantages of being a balloon in todays society became apparent.
Balloon #22 flew through Chelsea for some kisses before journeying on to East Melbourne where the various disadvantages of being a balloon in todays society became apparent.
15 July, 2008
Other Balloon Projects
This is an amazing project! These guys have been traveling around releasing a bunch of balloons with a camera attached and chasing it on bikes! So you get an aerial view of a city - plus lots of great bike action!
"The Berlin Balloon Project
It was a rainy afternoon in Berlin and our last chance to do The Berlin Balloon Project since Luca (one of the co-founders of The Balloon Project) was leaving the next day. We strapped more than 30 helium balloons to a video camera and sent it up all by itself over the city some few hundred meters. We then proceeded to chase it down with bikes as the rain slowly brought it back to earth.
If you look carefully you can see that our "Message in a Balloon" traveled from East Berlin, over the historic Berlin Wall (at 4:00 minutes (bernauer str), and into freedom in West Berlin."
Chasing it:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND06VRnuelY
Recovering the camera:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81TPfSpKXrA&feature=related
Flight of the Red Balloon
I went to see the movie "Flight of the Red Balloon" yesterday. I have been trying to get to see it for weeks and I was really looking forward to it! Unfortunately it didn't quite fulfill all of my fantasies...
I thought it was a good movie and had some brilliant acting and interesting arty type shots, and it achieved a harsh realism. But it went on for a bit too long and nothing really resolved and the red balloon didn't really mean much or contribute to the story.
But I am still looking forward to seeing the original red balloon film, Le Ballon Rouge (1956)
Maybe after I've seen that I will get the more recent one!
I thought it was a good movie and had some brilliant acting and interesting arty type shots, and it achieved a harsh realism. But it went on for a bit too long and nothing really resolved and the red balloon didn't really mean much or contribute to the story.
But I am still looking forward to seeing the original red balloon film, Le Ballon Rouge (1956)
Maybe after I've seen that I will get the more recent one!
Recent Adventures
Red Balloon #73 showed up in an office and inspired some research into the cultural significance of the red balloon!
Red Balloon #26 was an image sent by txt and simply the words:
"ninety nine red balloons at night!!!"
Red Balloon #26 was an image sent by txt and simply the words:
"ninety nine red balloons at night!!!"
02 July, 2008
Recent Adventures
Balloon #41 wafted from the tranquility of Holywell Manor in England to the smoggy skies and political unrest of Seoul, South Korea... and all in 1 hour!
Balloon #30 found itself some shelter from the rain
Balloon #1 got a thumbs up for good condition in Ringwood
Balloon #49 became quite the attraction at Jan Juc
Balloon #63 has the winds of serendipity moving it along
Balloon #30 found itself some shelter from the rain
Balloon #1 got a thumbs up for good condition in Ringwood
Balloon #49 became quite the attraction at Jan Juc
Balloon #63 has the winds of serendipity moving it along
01 July, 2008
Recent Adventures
Red Balloon #8 Was seen at a farm where it got charged by cows, barked at by dogs and almost caught!
Variation on the original song
Follow some of these links:
Nena creates a new version in 2002:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRZ1RPf_d_E&feature=related
hahaha
the youths of today!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-16Ny57Fgg&feature=related
Scrubs do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwBtWBN30cw&feature=related
Goldfinger do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8R9PQsPpvA&feature=related
Nice contemporary, post 9/11, war on terror etc etc overlay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyqixVUMD4&feature=related
Nena creates a new version in 2002:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRZ1RPf_d_E&feature=related
hahaha
the youths of today!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-16Ny57Fgg&feature=related
Scrubs do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwBtWBN30cw&feature=related
Goldfinger do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8R9PQsPpvA&feature=related
Nice contemporary, post 9/11, war on terror etc etc overlay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyqixVUMD4&feature=related
red balloon #97
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 12:02pm, 28th July 2008, Tel Aviv, Israel by Yaron Regev
"Balloon #97 was just spotted from the 18th floor of the toyota building, in Tel Aviv. The balloon was spotted making it's way north west. Though it traveled a long way, the balloon seemed to be in a good shape, and looked invigorated to continue on his journey."
Sighted: 30th July 2008, Tel Aviv, Israel
"Balloon #97 was last sighted floating about over the Tel-Aviv City hall building at The Rabin square in Tel-Aviv, Israel, when suddenly out of no where a great wind came along and carried the red balloon with it westward towards the beach."
Sighted: 31st July 2008, Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil "I'm at Porto Alegre , Rio Grande do Sul , Brazil, a small town at the deep south of Brazil. i saw the ballon from my house's terrace. The ballon floated toward south , going to Argentina. This is a picture from my house"
red balloon #91
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 23rd July 2008, Fitzroy North, Vic Australia
red balloon #89
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 15th July 2008, Aikenhead Wing, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
red balloon #87
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 15th July 2008, Blackburn South, Vic, Australia
"This balloon just floated through my laptop in School Street, Blackburn South!"
red balloon #84
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 28th July 2008, Bedford Rd, Ringwood, Melbourne, Australia
"I have just released the red balloon from the childen's bedroom window, it is bouncing around the outside of the house, saying goodbye, kissing the windows, and hovering over the flowering camelia trees, past the beautiful smelling daphne. Finally it floats down our front drive way, past the two bunches of party balloons tied to the front gate. The family of balloons waving goodbye to their little red baby.... and off into the wind down Bedford rd and off into the sky.........."
Sighted: 28th July 2008, Hamburg, Germany
“It arrived in Synarc, Hamburg Germany on a hot sunny summer’s day. Every one was in a good mood as the sun was finally shining. Then out of the window we spotted a red balloon. As if pulled by magic it floated directly into Tamara’s window. As the office mood was great and also that she is a big kid her office started playing with the balloon. 20 minutes went by before they realised, “Hey I should be working!” With one final laugh, the balloon was realised out the same window it came in and floated on to………….”
red balloon #81
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 23rd July 2008, Melbourne, Australia
"I saw red balloon 81 hovering over the park where I take my dog for a walk. A bunch of kids saw it too."
red balloon #79
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 22nd July 2008, Brunswick St, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
"Red balloon #79 came floating through the ether to me in Brunswick St, Melbourne. I was busy at work, so it languished forgotten in a corner of the computer for several days - which would have been much longer except a dog wandered past chewing a soccer ball. I'm not sure what the mental connection was exactly - a balloon and ball are both round and full of air i guess... Anyway, in case your wondering, its not unusual to see pets here as the building is owned by an animal lover who encourages people to bring their dogs etc to work. The journey of a real balloon would have ended right here after about 10 seconds of the "canine factor" - so its a good thing this cyber balloon is a bit more robust and is still intact as it floats off with a pack of barking dogs trailing behind..."
Sighted: 25th July 2008, Melbourne, Australia
"I'm at 247 Flinders Lane in Ross House, the only self managed non profit building in Australia."
red balloon #78
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 17th July 2008, Sai Kung, Hong Kong
"I was working at home.. stuck on a program i was working on... looking out of the window as i was idling in my thoughts... suddenly i saw a red dot in the sky.. took a closer look and it's a red balloon~! :D I couldn't resist and took a photo of it~ It made me smile and my program was working again after that~ Hurray~!"
Sighted: 17th July 2008, Taikooshing, Hong Kong
"I was travelling to Tibet a while ago, and i heard some local Tibetans said they had seen a UFO. They asked me to go to their village to see it myself. When i got there and i just realised that it was the red balloon. But some local people started to worship the red balloon. can't believe it!"
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Sighted: 30th July 2008, Pasadena, California, United States
"This red balloon inspires me a lot. It means "Peace to All". Will this red balloon make a difference throughout the world."
Sighted: 31st July 2008, Irvine, California, USA
red balloon #73
Released: 15th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 15th July 2008, NAB Offices, Melbourne, Australia
"Red Balloon # 73 literally popped up in one of the back offices at NAB... at my desk! It was hiding in the computer screen, surrounded by a whole bunch of technology junk. Isn't a nice splash of color in an otherwise dreary office setting?
But really, when I got to thinking about it, I couldn't figure out what to do with it. Balloons are so wonderful, we decorate with them and love to have them at parties, but what do they actually do? I passed it on to my husband, wondering if he'd find it or not, and figured at least it'd brighten someone else's day. Someone I care about.
Then my friend Jennie, because I think she likes red things.
Oh, then I Googled "Red Balloon" to see why I had some innate cultural attachment to the idea of a red balloon. Here's what I found:
1) Nena's (a German techno/pop singer) 99 Red Balloons song as a sort of memorial song after WWII, originally in German and remade into English. (http://www.mp3lyrics.org/n/nena/99-red-balloons/)
2) The 1956 French film Le Ballon Rouge, which apparently has a sentient, yet silent balloon (I have to go see this now).
3) An Australian-based Corporate Incentive company that outsources rewards and recognition. (Cheerful!)
4) http://www.redballoon.net.au/gallery ... (I find this one suspicious...)
5) In memory of... everything. Red balloons appear to be memorials mixed with a celebration.
The cultural attachment doesn't seem to have a realistic explanation, since none of these things was I really aware of before the balloon passed by my computer...
Then finally it turned 5:30 pm, real life intruded, and I decided it was time to go home.
Warm greetings to anyone else who sees one!"
red balloon #71
Released: 8th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 27th July 2008, Oland, Sweden
"We would like to report sighting the balloon off the coast of Sweden, on the island of Oland (there should be two dots over the top of the 'O'). We were taking photos of the lovely windmills which are such an iconic fixture of the landscape of this lovely place and there it was ..."
red balloon #64
Released: 7th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 10th July 2008, Lawrence, Central Otago, NZ
"Balloon flew over from the East into Lawrence. Thought with the low sun that it was a red hottie on out-of-the-sun flight path, following reports of heavy overnight frosts, but no, definitely a balloon. Did get a picture at bottom of the page on my email, but no number evident anywhere. Probably froze off somewhere around the Manuka Gorge and dropped to ground unnoticed by all except puzzled possums. Trace of red last seen disappearing (numberless) towards Alexandra, North North East."
red balloon #63
Released: 7th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 7th July 2008, Lonsdale St, Melbourne, Australia
"I was in a meeting at work, doodling... I was absent-mindedly drawing a balloon floating across the clear sky of A4 paper on the table in front of me.... I returned to my computer at the end of the meeting to discover the balloon had wafted into my inbox, flush full of delicious red skin against a smiling blue sky!
A truly serendipitous balloon this number 63 :)
And now I have blown it on with a gentle whisper and a wish for more safe travels and happy adventures..."
red balloon #62
Released: 1st July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia
Sighted: 7th July 2008, Fitzroy, Vic Australia
Sighted: 4th August 2008, Tokyo, Japan
"After getting full on sake in Tokyo, the little red balloon no 62 flew out into the night going “man, I am so drunk, I need to clear my head” unfortunately the little red balloon 62, in his inebriated state floated too close to Tokyo tower and popped!!
flopping to the ground, little red balloon 62 got eaten by a cute little dog waiting below.
The moral of the story, don’t float too close to pointy things when drunk or you might pop.
The excuse of the story, the dog ate my balloon!"
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