Lions and tigers and bears – oh my! But no need to fear because these larger-than-life beasts in Manhattan are literally full of air.
With the help of more than 30 workers and 100 volunteers, “Balloon Story,” which runs through Aug. 24, uses 600,000 balloons to transform a historic hall on the Upper East Side into a mesmerizing experience that expands the imagination – and it only took nine days.
“We worked here from nine in the morning to nine at night,” said Kobi Kalimian, the exhibit’s artistic director.
Past the giant wooden doors of the Park Avenue Armory in Manhattan and inside its 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall, sits a brilliantly colorful and immersive art exhibit of wild animals, iconic statues, pop culture and family fun — made up of more than a half-million balloons.
Upon entry, visitors are greeted by a colossal bald eagle, seemingly soaring through the sky and backdropped by an equally big American Flag. Then walk into the selfie room where several balloon sculptures, such as a yellow cab and a swing on a cherry blossom tree, allow guests to immortalize the moment with a photo.
Welcome to the jungle where a lion with a gaping mouth and friendly face greets exhibit-goers, along with a waving gorilla, a massive toucan and large ball pit, deep enough to make even the oldest adult feel like a kid.
Fierce polar bears stand on their hind legs in the North Pole and a gargantuan, animatronic Octopus hangs overhead in the undersea portion where the intimate space gives the feeling of submersion.
The Betallic balloons by Sempertex use a special liquid called HI-FLOAT, two of the exhibits sponsor’s, which allow them to stay inflated up to 25 times longer than average, according to the product’s website. There are also employees going through the exhibit, collecting deflated balloons and replacing them with new ones.
When asked how often this is done, one worker replied, “Every day.” And the exhibit is a consistent work in progress, adding more sculptures and installations as time goes on, like the labyrinth which was not part of the show when it opened on July 3.
Kalimian is one of the foremost balloon designers in the world, but 13 years ago, he “didn’t have anything to do with the arts at all,” he said.
One afternoon, while walking the streets of Tel Aviv, where Kalimian lives, he saw a street artist twisting simple balloon animals for children and was inspired. He immediately bought a pack of balloons, an air pump and began watching how-to videos on YouTube.
Kalimian put countless hours of practice into his craft with a desire to push the boundaries of what people believe can be done with this simple piece of rubber. It wasn’t before long that he gained recognition; one day, he was invited to share his talent at a wedding in India at the behest of the groom.
The father of the groom, a billionaire, dismissed Kalimian and insisted that his work was infantile, not aware of the full scope of Kalmian’s talent. Instead of being discouraged, Kalimian ignored the father and worked to turn him into a believer.
“And after I made the balloons at the party, he told me, ‘You made the wedding,’” Kalimian told amNewYork Metro.
He has made sculptures more than 40 feet tall for shopping malls in the likes of a dragon and a giant pirate ship, but he still wanted to go bigger. He envisioned an entire world of balloons and with the help of a generous sponsor, Zev Eizik, his dream became reality.
In 2023, he put together a 200,000-balloon exhibit in Israel and its public reception was so positive, it inspired him to make these design spaces worldwide. First stop: New York City, presented by Fever, an events and experiences platform.
And even though there is currently nothing in the works for the future, Kalimian hopes to take his balloon environments global, bringing smiles to children of all ages.
On Aug. 24, the last day of the exhibit, there will be a popping party where visitors can pop the balloons in what is sure to be a loud and exciting affair. All the rubber will then be recycled and donated to Dur — a company by Sempertex that makes rubber dog toys.
When asked which piece was his favorite, Kalamian laughed and insisted he loved them all, but he later gave in.
“If you must have an answer, the eagle,” he said. “Because it’s the first thing everyone sees, it’s the ‘wow’ – and this is what makes people understand immediately that balloons are not just a dog and a sword.”
Visitors can expect to receive a dog, a sword, a flower or any of a variety of other balloon sculptures at the end of their visit with a separate pre-purchased ticket.
For more information, visit balloonstory.com/new-york.
