Balloon Art By William Lamson

"Emerge" by William Lamson.

Your first reaction to this footage may be something like: "Huh?"
And your second reaction: "Anyone can string bananas to a tree!"
But let's be honest. Have you ever thought to do it? That's William Lamson's strength — creating unlikely pairs in simple but surprising ways. He's a Brooklyn based artist, interested in photography, sculpture and performance. Using inexpensive materials and simple structures, he creates visuals that are mesmerizing and, in one word, playful.

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Lamson is interested in dueling forces, in movement and material, in how people interact with space. The photo series above, called "Intervention," emerged as a side project. He had been working with black balloons in a white studio and wanted to play with color and public space. He was also running low on materials, and wanted to experiment with things that anyone can use.

When I asked him about this first video, called "Emerge," I was expecting a fairly simple explanation like, "Oh, I just had scuba-diving friends holding balloons beneath the surface." But the response I received was far more technical, with an understanding of force and mechanics — and an obvious fascination with how things work, and a knack for experimentation.

"3/33" from the series "Actions" by William Lamson.

Lamson is currently preparing for an upcoming solo show at Pierogi, an exhibition space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which opens in May. Until then, check out his Web site for more video and photos.