Weather balloon trapped in a shopping cart

American Joel Morrison, born in Washington in 1976, is known for his composite sculptures, which are often made from found objects. His sculptures are made from fibreglass or high-gloss stainless steel.

His ‘Weather balloon trapped in a shopping cart’ is made of shiny steel. As the name of the work suggests, it is an inflated weather balloon caught in a shopping cart, ready to escape from its metal prison. Morrison uses the weather balloon as a symbol for human dreams and ambitions. The balloon, which seems to strive for freedom, is held back by an ordinary shopping cart, which can be seen as today’s society.

The artwork is not only a technical feat due to the combination of different materials and techniques, but it also raises questions about materialism, consumer society, identity and the human condition. Morrison says about it: “At first glance, the cart looks fun and funny. But in Los Angeles, you also see homeless people pushing shopping carts. The extreme wealth of some people is in stark contrast to the bleak existence of others.