2025 UP IN THE AIR
Nare Filiposyan, Gil Sunshine, Zhicheng Xu
The mystery of their origins has fueled rich oral traditions, blurring the lines between fact and fiction. Visually, the megaliths evoke tension: the massive stones, often precariously balanced or leaning, creating an unsettling yet awe-inspiring presence. Despite their apparent instability, these structures have endured for millennia, remaining grounded through time.
The proposed installation, Standing Air, draws inspiration from ancient megaliths but contrasts them in form and material. Unlike traditional dolmens made of stone, Standing Air consists of inflatable megaliths that shape air, transforming invisible forces like pressure and breath into tangible, visible, and inhabitable forms.
Located in Yerevan's English Park, the installation creates public spaces defined by walls of air. These inflatable megaliths add a playful, whimsical element, offering a fresh way to experience the space. By contrasting the material and immaterial, the installation explores themes of balance, uncertainty, and the tension between stability and transience.
This installation's interaction with air through the wind mirrors the ancient dolmens' connection to their environment, both in movement and visual presence. The shifting shadows and shapes created by the inflatables evoke the wind's ephemeral nature, inviting visitors to reflect on the unseen forces that shape our environment.