Art: Penique transform spaces with huge balloons and it's amazing

You may have seen the mindbogglingly great work of Barcelona-based Penique productions before; it’s the nature of the blogosphere that things come round weeks, months or even years after they first pique the design world’s interest. But that does not mean work as good as this doesn’t deserve some love from us, because quite simply this is splendid.

Formed in 2007, Penique’s work is consistent in that they are interested in “ephemeral installations,” using inflatable balloons that “expands and invades the space completely by itself.” The results though are anything but uniform, because the unique nature of the space, and the particular features that the coloured material clings to – from fluted arches to tables and chairs – creates something singularly astonishing on each occasion.

Penique say in their artist statement: “Conquered by the inflatable, the place is transformed through the new texture, light and monochrome colour. The original site loses its routine to become part of the work getting a new identity. The balloon acts as a border and frames a new space; the container is also the content blurring the idea of the art object.”