Rong Bao is an artist who creates unique inflatable sculptures using materials like PVC, silicone-coated fabrics, nylon mesh, and electronics. Her work is characterized by its odd yet personable appearance, drawing inspiration from the absurd, tender, and unstable nature of inflatable structures.
According to Rong, inflatables have a sense of humor and vulnerability that resonates deeply with her. She describes her creations as alien-like creatures that blur the lines between humor and discomfort, abstraction and representation, and cuteness and existential instability. Each sculpture is meticulously crafted over several weeks to months, involving sketching, prototyping, testing inflation behavior, and finally fabricating the final piece.
Rong’s work has been featured in various exhibitions and commissions, including a recent appearance on the BBC children’s television program “Go Get Arty” and a commission for Harper’s Bazaar China using traditional Chinese silk fabric. She sees her practice as a playground of contradictions, balancing seriousness with silliness, desire with failure, and monumentality with deflation.
One of Rong’s recent projects was a large-scale commission titled “Carnivorous Bloom” for Pinacoteca Agnelli in Torino, Italy. Her work was also displayed in Selfridges’ windows as part of the “New Age” series showcasing emerging artists. Rong’s sculptures are meant to be interactive, inviting viewers to touch, enter, or play with them, eliciting a range of emotions from laughter to unease.
To see more of Rong Bao’s work, visit her website and Instagram page. Experience her whimsical and thought-provoking inflatable sculptures that challenge perceptions and create a sense of emotional wobble in the viewer.
