See Hear Speak Inflatable by Paul Robles, Winnipeg

A barrel full of monkeys is popping up in Old Market Square… Don’t miss out or you’ll get caught red-handed!

Run, walk, ride, or roll through the Exchange where inflatables created by local artist Paul Robles will light up Old Market Square. The curved forms will lead you through a snake-like path and make you wonder, why are monkeys building pyramids in the Exchange? Why are their hands red? Are they ghosts of a pre-pandemic social scene?

See Hear Speak was conceived of during the pandemic and is intended to interrupt the quiet of a once thriving gathering place. It is an oddity calling for attention, conjuring a magnetic contradiction that highlights and denies the human experience of contact, folly, and closeness. The playful shapes are layered with monkeys and meaning to suggest team bonding exercises, sporty cheer(leaders), religious divination, and even fraternity hazing. Echoing society’s current unease, the title invokes the proverb of the Three Wise Monkeys and how the threat of isolation and despair can lead to compulsive diversion.

The temporary inflatables, commissioned through Winnipeg’s Public Art Program with support from the Winnipeg Foundation and presented by Winnipeg Arts Council, were installed September 25 – October 3 2021 in Old Market Square.

Tallman.Promo is proud to have partnered with the artist on this project. Thanks to the Winnipeg Arts Council for supporting the collaboration with the artist and to True North Sports and Entertainment for the loan of production supplies.

From the initial design to the 3D models, from the LED lighting to the blower locations, this project was a delight.

If you are looking to develop an inflatable art installation, we would be happy to discuss the various options with you. Reach out to one of our account managers to start the process.