Giant inflatable works have taken over The Hague

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) – There is a giant pot of stew in a small lake in the center of The Hague.

Floating on the water in front of the prestigious Mauritshuis museum, home of the “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, the 7-meter-tall pan is part of a month-long open-air art exhibition. BlowUp Jubilee features 24 inflatable artworks installed in parks, buildings and even a train station in the Dutch city

The project is the brainchild of curator Mary Hessing. “What I really wanted to do is show the area and show the arts to everybody,” she told The Associated Press.

In 2021, the Dutch government began a massive renovation project at the Binnenhof complex, which includes the Mauritshuis as well as the Parliament building. The historic site, which dates back to the 13th century, was closed to the public and the city wanted to host art events while it was inaccessible.

The first BlowUp Art exhibition in 2022 included works by six artists, installed near the Binnenhof. Subsequent events also featured a handful of inflatables, but for the 2026 anniversary edition, all previous installations have been brought back and new ones added.

“For me it was important to show the real Curacao in this artwork, and that’s our holidays, our food and our lifestyle,” artist Eugenie Boon told the AP. The 21-year-old is from the former Dutch colony of the Caribbean and her work, Concha pa dilanti, referring to a board game played on the island, features scenes from local life.

British artist Steve Messam is known for his large-scale inflatable works that have been installed in locations in the United Kingdom, China and The Hague. The crest, a mass of red spikes, is perched atop the entrance to a parking garage nestled among 100-year-old buildings on a tree-lined boulevard.

“The idea was for this piece to hold its own among this wonderful architecture that we see around us,” he said.

BlowUp Jubilee runs until June 21st.

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By MOLLY QUELL Associated Press