yellow inflatable installation squeezes into void space in barcelona

inflatable ‘nest’ by Penique Productions

Art collective Penique Productions introduces ‘Niu’, an inflatable ephemeral installation inside the semi-open atrium of Llanterna de L’Auditori in Barcelona during the parallel program of MODEL festival (see more here). The temporary structure completely occupies the void space spreading a set of giant plastic sheets that blow outwards within the boundaries of the built form through the use of high-powered fans. designboom wanders inside the inflated nylon balloon that blends the realms of sculpture and performance.

The public artwork counteracts the ‘Ordinance on Measures to Promote and Guarantee Citizen Coexistence in the Public Space of Barcelona’, one of the most restrictive regulations imposed in Spain, which prohibits painting, singing, playing, drinking, begging, selling, undressing, showering, lying down and sleeping. Through the immersive volume of vibrant yellow color, the piece aims to restore the freedom of individuals to reclaim public spaces and be active and present.

nylon structure as a container of transformative experiences

The yellow inflatable nest challenges the city’s ordinance on public space. ‘In Niu, prohibition is prohibited’, comments the international art collective Penique Productions on the installation that ‘respects the freedom of others and the integrity of the work’.

The installation consists of a massive, inflated nylon structure that is customized to fit the space and the theme of the festival taking up an entire room, and creating an immersive environment that envelops visitors in a sea of color. The yellow balloon is made of low-density polyethylene, with a fireproof certificate, 100% recycled and at the end of the activity it will be reprocessed by Penique Productions. ‘Niu’ acts as a barrier from multiple realities serving as a container of new transformative public experiences. Having lost its original function the site is given a new identity. 

‘We want a clean city, but a not sterilized one. We want a city that is inclusive and not exclusive. We want a city to live in, to use, but we also want to be able to transform it. We want to inhabit our city and we want to do it our way’.

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project info:

name: NIU
designer: penique productions | @peniqueproductions

location: la Llanterna de L’Auditori, Barcelona, Spain