topic Re: skywhale in Community Spirit

skywhale

karliandjacko — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:14:06 GMT

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-09/is-it-a-bird-is-it-a-plane-no-its-a-skywhale/4679676

At 34 metres long and weighing half a tonne, it is at least twice as large as a standard hot-air balloon.

It took 16 people seven months to make, using more than 3.5 kilometres of fabric and 3.3 million stitches.

It can carry a pilot plus two passengers to an altitude of 3,000 feet.

But Canberrans are divided over the balloon's design, with Twitter users and talkback callers to 666 ABC Canberra expressing dismay and delight.

Artist Patricia Piccinini says her inspiration came from the wonder of nature.

"My question is what if evolution went a different way and instead of going back into the sea, from which they came originally, they went into the air and we evolved a nature that could fly instead of swim," she said.

"In fact coming from a place like Canberra where it's a planned city that's really tried to integrate and blend in with the natural environment, it makes a lot of sense to make this sort of huge, gigantic, but artificial and natural looking creature."

Re: skywhale

karliandjacko — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:15:06 GMT

the face got chopped off by ebay while posting

Re: skywhale

just_me_karen — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:21:31 GMT

Wow, it's enormous. I love seeing the hot air balloons

Re: skywhale

karliandjacko — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:31:06 GMT

at twice the size of a normal balloon it would surely be eye catching :^O

Re: skywhale

serendipityricho — Thu, 09 May 2013 09:38:12 GMT

Lots of hot air in Canberra to keep it aloft............Richo.

Re: skywhale

daydream**believer — Fri, 10 May 2013 05:04:39 GMT

Its the ugliest air balloon ive ever seen.

An ugly looking whale with 10 boobs hanging off it

Re: skywhale

not_an_eloi — Fri, 10 May 2013 07:13:10 GMT

designer of that thing got some strange ideas

can't get tinyurl to work

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&gs_rn=12&gs_ri=psy-ab&cp=11&gs_id=w&xhr=t&q=patricia+piccinini&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.46340616,d.aGc&biw=1280&bih=608&wrapid=tljp1368168988312020&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=J5qMUduwBcnpiAe7g4CABg

Re: skywhale

clair.de.lune — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:24:58 GMT

designer of that thing got some strange ideas

Blimey 😐

Re: skywhale

lionrose.7 — Fri, 10 May 2013 08:35:38 GMT

Looks like it was designed by a 16 year old boy with a fetish LOL