Blue ring, meet RedBall: Giant inflatable art project rolls through Calgary
Oddball public art installation evokes joy, curiosity and confusion from passersby
Move over, giant blue ring. There's a giant red ball parked smack dab in the middle of the Peace Bridge footpath, and it's here to steal some of your thunder.
The world famous street art project will make its home in Calgary until Canada Day as it rolls through seven of the city's most recognizable locations over seven days.
A playful public art installation, the RedBall Project was created by American artist Kurt Perschke in 2001. Since then, it has travelled to more than 25 world cities, including Paris, Abu Dhabi, Chicago, Taipei and Barcelona.
The inflatable, 4.5-metre ball typically spends one to two weeks in any single city, and it finds itself in a new spot within that city each day.
"It's usually interacting with the architecture or landmarks of the city in some way, kinda giving you a new perspective on things that you see every day living in the city," said production manager Joseph Wolfslau.
Big red ball blows up peace bridge - ok, in peace bridge. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/redballproject?src=hash">#redballproject</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Beakerhead">@Beakerhead</a> <a href="https://t.co/vQRioMmRRa">pic.twitter.com/vQRioMmRRa</a>
—@DannyPicolina"It's a nice little surprise for everyone as they go about their day."
Some passersby were eager to touch the art, while others attempted to push it out of the way as confused onlookers stared from a distance.
"Because it's such an odd and kind of fun thing, because it's in the way a little bit, or it's a bit of surprise to people, we get this full scope of reactions, from joy to curiosity," Wolfslau said.
Here is where you'll find the RedBall during its stay in Calgary:
- Poppy Plaza River Pathway, June 25.
- Peace Bridge, June 26.
- Encana Plaza (Centre Street and Seventh Avenue S.E.), June 27.
- Shaw Millennium Park, June 28.
- The Bay (First Street S.W. and Stephen Avenue), June 29.
- Eau Claire Plaza, June 30.
- Olympic Plaza, July 1.
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With files from Jenny Howe and The Homestretch