#ClimateCrisis2024 #DennisMurphy Balloon City

Artist Statement ‘Balloon City’ Project  My artistic value lies in exploring the fragile balance between human progress and environmental sustainability. My work aims to encourage reflection on the impact of urbanisation on the natural world and to make complex issues accessible through visual metaphors. I hope my work helps to highlight the fragility of rapidly developing cities. Balloon City expresses this by placing the balloon at the centre of the metaphor. Through digital illustrations of people living in balloons, the project symbolises the tension between the allure of urban growth and the discomfort it can cause. The soft colours and low colour saturation reflect the illusory nature of our environment, while the tension in the images reflects the pressures of urban expansion. The choice of digital media allows me to subtly manipulate texture and colour to convey the instantaneous balance I want to express. A recurring theme in my work is the fragility of the environment in the face of human development. Balloon City’ addresses this issue, showing the danger of cities bursting like balloons under the pressure of climate change. Influenced by my experience in Shaoxing, where the temperature is still high despite its coastal location, I wanted to reflect on the tension between nature and urbanisation. This project is both a personal exploration and a public commentary that encourages viewers to rethink their impact on the global environment.