New artwork by Whatshiosname combines elements of classical design as well as modern POP art.
The figure’s height is approx 18 cm / 7 inches.
It is made of resing combined with a 100% pure love for art and commitment to creating great work.
It is a limited edition of only 150.
Each one is signed, numbered and comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity.
Why is it called Jeff Balloonski?
The name itself is a combination of a few things. The first name Jeff is a nod towards everso popular and successful Jeffs of this generation.
The surname – Balloonski is a mixture of two things. The first part Balloon is a direct reference to my previously released series of balloon dogs and the balloon dog universe in general.
The suffix “ski” is much more interesting and it derives from the Polish language and is very common in Polish surnames.
The “-ski” is a suffix typical for many Polish adjectives, like e.g. “niebieski” (blue), “polski” (Polish), “damski” (female, ladylike) and many others. The surnames ending with “-ski” were originally adjectives. Most of them are ancient surnames of the Polish nobility. Often it derives from the place of family origin. The meaning is simply “of, from, connected with, pertaining to.”.
For example, the owners of the village “Kowale” (“kowal” means a blacksmith) might have the name “Kowalski” also meaning “the blacksmith’s kin”. Another example Piekarski might refer to a place named Piekary or something similar, but most of the time it probably started out meaning “the baker’s kin.” (“piekarz” means baker in Polish)
Hence the noble character Balloonski is a combination of Balloon which is transformed into kin of Balloon which results in the surname Balloonski. I hope I haven’t lost you with this elaborate explanation. 🙂
Why a Bust?
The initial idea was to create something that combines elements of classical design with modern POP art.
The bust seems to be a bit of a lost form these days. Historically busts were reserved for nobility, people of high status and those who deserve recognition, therefore it seemed to be a perfect match for my new artwork. The clothing was inspired by the busts of Mozart as well as Beethoven (mostly Beethoven). Unlike many of the busts, The head is not looking straight, it is not tilted or rotated towards the side or looking downwards like you would find it on many of the ancient busts ie. Roman or Greek. The balloon head looks a little upwards and slightly to the side representing the character’s pride and a sense of deep thought and reflection.
The off-white color was custom mixed for this artwork and resembles the classical sculptures but at the same time, the glossy finish makes it look like a modern artwork.
