What's On

“If you can't laugh, there's something wrong. You gotta let it out. If you didn't laugh it would be all bottled up. Then it’d probably come out as anger instead of laughter.”—Sherri Simpson, Flint, Michigan

“Laughing is the smile of the World.”—Weerashon Puttrpadit, Mahasarakham, Thailand

“People can laugh when they can cooperate and share an experience
together.”—Ahwed Abd El Rahwan, El Fayoum, Egypt


Delight in this exhibition of exuberant color photographs that celebrate the art and universal appeal of the balloon hat!
 
Throughout history, hats have made statements about identity, personality, and social distinction. The balloon hat connects people to this universal and time-honored practice. Like a crown, the balloon hat transforms and elevates the wearer. 
 
For three years, professional balloon twister Addi Somekh and photojournalist Charlie Eckert traveled the world introducing balloon hats to the communities they visited. They photographed the reactions of the people they met, with the goal of illustrating that every human being is born with the ability to laugh and have fun. Spanning 34 countries in Central America, South America, Western Europe, Africa, Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East and the United States, the duo’s global odyssey has generated more than 10,000 photographs that are at once amusing and unexpectedly moving. The Inflatable Crown premieres a selection of nearly 70 images from this remarkable and still expanding archive.

The balloon hat experience reveals that human beings are fundamentally more alike than different in their need and ability to experience happiness. The Inflatable Crown shows that balloon hats are more than whimsy; they are a language without words that transcends boundaries and liberates strangers to engage joyfully with one another.
 
Visitors who purchase regular Skirball admission to the may also visit the Hurd Gallery and view additional photographs, original balloon art, and excerpts from the award-winning documentary film Balloonhat, directed by A.G. Vermouth.
  

About the Artists

Addi Somekh was born in Hollywood, California in 1972. At age nineteen, he became a professional balloon twister. He has published two books along with co-author Charlie Eckert: The Inflatable Crown (Chronicle Books, 2001), a how-to guide for creating balloon hats, and Mary Holmes: Painting and Ideas (Very Press, 2002), a biography of the teacher, art historian, and humanitarian Mary Holmes. Somekh also performs in the Los Angeles-based music duo Unpopable.

Photographer and photojournalist Charlie Eckert is a third-generation Queens, New Yorker. After attending various art schools, he found that photography best served as a release for his creative energy. Eckert and Somekh continue to work together on projects including the soon-to-be-released documentary film Shoot to Miss: the Arrowmaster Story.  Eckert aims to continue making art that opens the lines of communication among different peoples.