A phenomenon around town

Early morning (moderately early) and a last minute run was my experience of Skywhale and Skywhalepapa.  Skywhale appeared in this blog years back and the recent arrival of hubby Skywhalepapa with his caring responsibilities has caused quite a stir.  I didn't bother to book tickets, but listening to the radio in bed, I heard a report from the Parliamentary Triangle of the good weather and the last flight before a 2-year tour of Australia and the possible takeoff time.  I had 45 minutes and it was just a 5 minute drive, so I went.  The dark was lifting.  The sky was glorious and the weather still.  When I arrived, the pair of Skywhales were jovial and inviting.  They are a strange pair, but that's their attraction.  Just look at Patricia Piccinini's other hyper-real unrealities and you know what to expect.  They are all diverse and deeply touching.  It's a strange encounter but positive and heartening.  Anyway, the sun gradually rose and the balloons were readied and the crowds waited calmly and ABC666 invited the artist to make a welcome and then Jess Green's Pheno performed their piece, We are the Skywhales, with a children's chorus and the pair departed, off to the west and then off to Australia.  Like kids leaving home.  This is emotionally satisfying art that says something to us; I'm not sure quite what, other than to be open and generous and welcoming and honest.  The skywhales have such lovely eyes, even if they are branded with a flight registration number.  It was a lovely morning.

Patricia Piccinini (artist) created Skywhale and Skywhalepapa.  Jess Green (guitar, vocals, composer) wrote the associated tune and her band, Pheno, played it with a children's choir.  Pheno comprised Jess Green (guitar, vocals), James Hauptmann (drums), Alyx Dennison (synths, vocals) and Lachlan Coventry (bass, guitar).

Skywhale vanquished

It’s a big piece of art and it’s caused considerable controversy and the inevitable ridiculing of Canberra. I originally thought it’s pretty odd but I’m warming to it. I saw it from a distance today, and it’s a little petite thing next to a standard globular balloon. I guess the hot air is distributed horizontally, so it’s lower and wider than other balloons. I later saw it landed, with crowds gathering around, and it was fun and attention seeking. Nobody would pay it much attention if not for the boobs, of course. Symbolism is not my interest, but there must be some subconscious meaning is this. Bring out your Freud. Two things occur to me. This is not designed by a man, so we can ignore those implications. This is the week that Angelina Jolie announced she’d had a double preventive mastectomy, so there’s the breast cancer angle. Also the predominance of females in the political line: designer, arts festival director and Chief Minister, and, being Canberra, we could throw in Prime Minister and Governor-General for good measure. Whatever, ignoring cost (the perennial attack on most things that don’t suit you these days), it’s an odd and cute thing and I’m coming to like it.

Patricia Piccinini designed Skywhale for the Canberra 100 celebrations, under Robyn Archer (Artistic Director).