Big Red
Inflatable Suit
2008
The suit is powered by a 12v blower motor, freeing Kuehnle to squeeze though narrow streets and dodge oncoming cars and pedestrians without the need to be plugged in. The performance will continue his message of, "Stop. Talk to me. We are both people."
Kuehnle makes his art 50% for himself and 50% for the viewer. The bright color of the red suit should attract the attention of pedestrians making nonsense of common sense. The handmade inflatable suit is about 16 feet tall, 24 feet wide and 15 feet long. Using about 160 yards of fabric and countless meters of thread, the suit engulfs Kuehnle in a conflagration of inflated cones.