5-minute listening: Up, up and away at the Balloon Museum art exhibition

2. Based on your understanding, what was used to make the “inflatable artwork”?
A. pool toys
B. exercise balls
C. bubble wrap
D. balloons

3. Which word can replace “in awe” in the podcast?
A. amazed
B. surprised
C. terrified
D. overwhelmed

4. Complete the following sentence using information from the podcast.

The (i) _____ is an inflatable labyrinth by (ii) _____ artist Cyril Lancelin that looks just like a (iii) _____ at a carnival.

5. How does “Flying Maze” differ from a typical bouncy house?
A. Participants crawl through tunnels.
B. Participants navigate a narrow maze.
C. Participants bounce on trampolines.
D. Participants slide down inflatable slides.

6. According to the podcast, how do the installations contrast the weightlessness of air and the heaviness of gravity?
A. by using virtual reality technology
B. by emphasising the importance of exercise
C. by taking the spectator on an immersive journey
D. by focusing on historical scientific discoveries

7. What can visitors do in the enormous ball pit at the Balloon Museum?
A. play a virtual reality game
B. take a refreshing swim
C. relax on inflatable lounge chairs
D. jump into a ball pit

8. What is the aim of the Balloon Museum according to Karina Smigla-Bobinski?
A. to showcase traditional art forms
B. to educate visitors about historical events
C. to create a space where artists and the public can meet
D. to promote physical fitness through interactive exhibits

9. Which of the following is true about Smigla-Bobinski’s installation?
(1) It features a ball inflated with helium.
(2) It honours a mathematician.
(3) There are pieces of charcoal glued to holders on the ball.
(4) Participants can make their own binary codes by rolling the ball around.

A. (1), (2) and (3) only
B. (1), (3) and (4) only
C. (1), (2) and (4) only
D. (2), (3) and (4) only

10. Which word has a similar meaning to “psychedelically” in the podcast?
A. surprisingly
B. vibrantly
C. fantastically
D. energetically

11. According to the podcast, which of the following is not true about the Balloon Museum?
(1) Each city’s Balloon Museum features unique exhibits.
(2) It has a limited run in New York.
(3) It has toured through Europe.

A. (1) and (2) only
B. (1) and (3) only
C. (2) and (3) only
D. none of the above

12. Where was the Balloon Museum first exhibited??
A. Venice
B. New York
C. Rome
D. Brazil

1. C
2. D
3. A
4. (i) “Flying Maze”; (ii) French; (Iii) bouncy house
5. B
6. C
7. D
8. C
9. A
10. B
11. D
12. C

Adapted from Associated Press

Voice 1: The first thought that comes to mind when you enter the Balloon Museum for the Let’s Fly exhibit is the massive scale of the art. The adventure of a theme park attraction can awaken the childlike wonder in all of us.

Voice 2: That’s definitely the intention, according to Chiara Caimmi, who serves as the artistic production coordinator. She wants every installation to provide the audience with interaction. She calls it an immersive experience through inflatable artwork.

Voice 1: Some installations are introspective, some put you in awe, while others are about the journey. Take the Flying Maze, an inflatable labyrinth by French artist Cyril Lancelin, as an example. This large green inflated structure resembles a bouncy house you would encounter at a carnival or kid’s birthday party. Yet, it differs because you’re bouncing off the tubular walls while making your way through the narrow maze, with a disco ball awaiting you in the centre.

Voice 2: Whether physically or mentally, each installation takes the spectator on an immersive journey that contrasts the weightlessness of air and the heaviness of gravity in ways that would make Sir Isaac Newton proud.

Voice 1: Hyperstellar strongly emphasises this concept. The signature installation is an experience for the mind and body with a dash of whimsy. The massive space looks like a rooftop pool party where sound and vision affect the senses. And if that’s not enough, a jump into the enormous ball pit – with more than one million balls – provides a rejuvenating feeling without getting wet.

Voice 2: German-Polish artist Karina Smigla-Bobinski said the idea of the Balloon Museum is to create a space where artists meet the public, including everybody from the smallest to the oldest.

Voice 1: Smigla-Bobinski’s installation honours the contribution of Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician whose work with Charles Babbage discovered the groundwork for how binary code could provide instructions for computers. Using a 3.6-metre ball inflated with helium and 300 pieces of charcoal glued to holders on the ball, participants bounce the large floating sphere in a space of white canvas to make a gigantic drawing.

Voice 2: Other works include the outdoor setup of structures called A Quiet Storm. This array of colourful buildings resembles an inflatable village and, more importantly, will be heated on cold winter days. Inside, Lava Lamp by Michael Shaw is a psychedelically coloured snake-like sculpture on the venue’s upper level.

Voice 1: While the exhibition’s content varies in each city where the Balloon Museum takes up residency, there’s one constant, Balloon Street, where guests can be fully immersed and become part of the installation. Whether that means taking pictures with your head in the clouds made of balloons, or putting yourself inside a large red balloon, this section is dedicated to the guests.

Voice 2: Started in Rome in 2020, the Balloon Museum has toured through Europe with its curation focused on inflatable art installations. Its limited run in New York City at Pier 36 lasts until January 14, 2024.