In what critics are calling “equal parts daring and delirious,” London‑based multimedia artist Boz today piloted a self‑fashioned hot‑air balloon across the glittering expanse of Monaco Harbour. The impromptu aerial exhibition, dubbed La Traversée de l’Absurd, drew crowds of astonished onlookers both on the quayside and aboard luxury yachts.
Witnesses report that the balloon—crafted from repurposed gallery banners, discarded IKEA curtains, and duct tape—ascended from a secluded dock near the Yacht Club de Monaco shortly after dawn. “It looked like a giant, patchwork lampshade with an attitude problem,” quipped bystander Marie‑Claire Dupont, clutching her morning espresso.
Boz, whose previous works include a life‑sized replica of Nelson’s Column made entirely from stale baguettes, described the voyage as “a soaring metaphor for artistic freedom—and a cheeky jab at overpriced tour‑boat tickets.” In a pre‑flight statement posted on their Instagram Stories, the artist promised “views, ventriloquism, and maybe a minor diplomatic incident.”
The flight itself was punctuated by spontaneous performance elements: midway across the harbour, Boz unfurled a banner reading “Art Isn’t Grounded” and released dozens of biodegradable confetti hearts into the breeze.
After a leisurely five‑minute drift, the craft touched down neatly on a floating platform used for berthing jet skis. Onlookers cheered as Boz disembarked, bowing deeply while cradling a burned‑orange sketchbook. “It’s not every day you see someone redefine the term ‘air mail’,” remarked one astonished tourist.
Having survived the event, Boz plans to auction off fragments of the balloon’s fabric, with proceeds going to his pet dog.
Stay tuned for an exclusive gallery showing this Friday at London’s Neon Loft, where attendees can view charred scraps of curtain, hand‑drawn flight logs, and an installation featuring the ticket stub for the car-park where he parked his Lamborghini during the flight.
