Fashion label Calvin Klein has paid tribute to one of Andy Warhol’s most iconic installations by turning its Madison Avenue flagship store into a balloon-filled free-for-all.
The interactive instillation in New York is part of an ongoing partnership between Calvin Klein and the Andy Warhol Foundation. It features hundreds of silver mylar balloons printed with some of Warhol’s most iconic paintings including macabre imagery from his Death and Disaster series.
The original piece consisted of 15 pillow-like balloons bouncing around Warhol’s famous factory and was created in 1966 as the artist’s ‘farewell’ to painting. The 2018 reimagining has seen Raf Simons, chief creative officer for Calvin Klein, using many more balloons to create the effect for the installation, titled ‘Paintings That Float: Warhol’s ‘Silver Clouds,’ Revisited.’
The balloons – which are filled with a mix of ambient air and helium- are allowed ‘free rein’ throughout the store and hover freely in mid-air, until they are interrupted by shoppers, who are encouraged to play and interact with them throughout the day.
