Balloon Concerto Gramophone Federico Picci

In this digital work of art, Florence, Italy-based graphic designer, illustrator and animator Federico Picci has managed to create an illusion of music in a physical form.

There is a crystal-clear sense of feather-light movement as the spheres appear to billow up from the solitary, fixed gramophone. The black/gold balloons and warm light in the high-ceilinged white room create a peaceful, calm mood inviting we, the viewers, into this meditation on music. Just as the balloons emerge, rise, fall, and appear to be filling the open space so to do musical notes, constantly moving through time and space, never static and harmonising with each other to create a beautiful unified whole as represented in this allegory of music. This is why ‘Balloon Concerto’ 3 by Picci, a pianist, just to add to his already impressive resume, is so intriguing. It seems to be tantalising close to capturing an art form which by its very nature can’t be depicted in a visual.