As part of an art event, a 25-metre tall hot air balloon will fly over Thamesmead in southeast London over the next couple of months. It’s part of an art project between the Royal School of Needlework and artists, Neil Musson and Jono Retallick who have created a high-flying artwork that brings stories of a local community to life through needlework.

The project, ‘Fields of EveryWhen’ by musson+retallick, has engaged with the community of Thamesmead, over a period of two years and takes the historic form of a 25-metre high hot air balloon. The artwork consists of two parts, local stories converted into embroidery and the hot air balloon displaying those embroideries.

The hot air balloon showcases 200 designs which have been collaged together and digitally enlarged onto 800 metres of balloon fabric to form a ‘floating gallery’.

With the top of the balloon rising to 45 metres above the ground, Fields of EveryWhen is designed as a performance rather than to carry passengers and will be tethered to the ground. The process of setting up, inflating, and deflating the balloon are all part of the theatrical presentation – the artworks are dramatically revealed as the vast canopy fills with air. As well as floating overhead, the balloon will be inflated lying sideways on the ground, and you (may) be allowed to walk inside the balloon in its part inflated state to see the art, and a hot air balloon from a very unusual angle.

Side inflation of the balloon will take place during the afternoon on the day of the flight. The hot air balloon will be flying over Thamesmead for five evenings – weather permitting — from 6:30pm to 9pm.

If making a special trip – check here before leaving in case the weather causes that evening’s flight to be cancelled.

All the locations are a short walk or bus ride from Abbey Wood station, save Gallions Reach, which is easier to get via a 20-minute walk along the river from Woolwich station on the Elizabeth line.

A tip – maybe try to arrive just before dusk, as you can see the art lit up by the setting sun, but also as it gets a bit darker, illuminated from within by the basts from the hot air burners.

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2 comments
  1. Geoff m says:

    Have they looked at the grass in the parks nearby? This looks more inappropriate than arranging a barbecue for a hundred in the current state.

    • ianVisits says:

      What do you think’s going to happen if a hot air balloon is in the sky above the park?

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