This month saw the launch of a brand-new piece of public art by the artist Barbara Anna Husar. “FLYING UDDER” is a 3,500 cubic metre hot air balloon in the shape of the udder of a cow.
The bright pink vessel could be seen this month soaring above the skyline of some of the most iconic buildings of the artist’s hometown – Vienna, Austria. The artwork has been created with the support of the Women’s Museum in Hittisau, Austria and the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art.
A piece of public art – meaning that it occupies the public realm, as opposed to being exhibited within a gallery – FLYING UDDER is what Husar calls a “social sculpture”, intended to reflect and question the consumerist values of the 21st century.
Husar hopes that by displacing the udder and sending it up to the skies, her work might provoke discussion about sustainability and humans’ interactions with the natural world, providing a catalyst for more ecological ways of living.
FLYING UDDER will travel around the Austrian skies, being photographed against the picturesque landscapes that the country is so famous for, as well as its historic urban landmarks. Eye-catching and unique, Husar’s work is also playful, and is certain to delight people on the ground who encounter it overhead.
In the UK, there are also eye-catching sights that can be enjoyed from the comfort of a hot air balloon basket. A hot air ballooning adventure over the skies Bath, Bristol and other areas of the south west will provide equally picturesque countryside views.
