Frank Hyder

Frank Hyder’s works presented in Mash Gallery’s À GOGO Exhibition are all elements of “The Janis Project”. The first element in the Janis Project are the inflatable heads. Hyder’s involvement with inflatables comes from ten years of installations. His early inflatables were more or less thirty feet tall.

The Janis Project represents a focus of the inflatables . Artistically they are designed to travel easily, expanding the notion of a monumental sculpture in a few ways.  One is in the choice of material, being made in Denier nylon. Second, in how and where they are set up. The Janis figures are self-contained inflatables. They are monumental in scale but temporary in placement. They have two distinct faces presenting in different directions. Each face is a different color, representing the different skin colors that humans have. They have ornamental face painting which represents  the cultural differences globally. They carry their concepts in their form; and when encountered in a pop-up situation, they imitate real-life encounters with diversity. They, as well, have a lightness which comes through their air filled nature. For the past four years Hyder has been traveling around the world doing set ups and engaging people in this Project.