The hot air balloon in the shape of a cow’s udder by Austrian artist Barbara Husar is a striking artistic statement exploring the human bond with nature. As a symbol of the primal source of nourishment, the social sculpture FLYING UDDER addresses the pervasive exploitation of natural resources. Magnified to 35 meters this airborne piece of art opens up perspectives that fundamentally transform our perception of nature and our connection to it.
“In this intricate interplay of causes and effects that we experience as vitality, no single element can be considered in isolation,” wrote Alexander von Humboldt. Humans, as part of the vast network of mammals and life itself, are invited to question the anthropocentric perspective and assumptions.
Since 2018, the balloon has crossed the Alps, hovered above St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna, Berlin’s Zoo Station, and Europe’s largest freshwater reservoir. As a peaceful celestial sign for societal transformation, it has unfolded its impressive presence during these aperiodic FLYING UDDER elevations, with a capacity of 3,000 cubic meters. Each subsequent FLYING UDDER elevation becomes a performative expedition that opens up new perspectives on our global interconnectedness.
The presence of FLYING UDDER amplifies pioneering attitudes toward resource-conscious practices and emotional healing. Barbara Husar’s social sculpture thus emerges as a symbol of an “evolutionary leap in consciousness,” repositioning humanity as part of a larger whole and marking a turning point in the human bond with nature.