We tend to experience gravity as a consistent, persistent force, both on our bodies, and in the world around us. It is so constant, so ever present, that we typically don’t even give it a second thought. We take it for granted that when a thing is dropped, it will always fall to the ground in a predicable way. And yet, on occasion, what goes down must sometimes go up. A balloon is such an example.

We began this exercise with the following prompt:

Can you create a “floating sculpture” that balances in space somewhere between the ceiling and the floor? Can you calibrate the system to float in stasis? Can you find equilibrium? What conceptual and formal possibilities does that stasis suggest to you? As you work to master this technical criterion, be aware of how the piece speaks to you (and to the viewer). What is being said? Explore various materials and the arrangement of those materials in relation to one another.