Addi Somekh

Addi Somekh (born August 1, 1972) is a self-taught balloon artist who has been twisting balloons since 1991. Best known for his balloon hats, Somekh's other signature pieces include the balloon flower, balloon ring, and large-scale balloon sculptures. In addition to his balloon twisting, Somekh is an author, university philosophy instructor, and musician. With photographer Charles (Charlie) Eckert, Somekh traveled around the world creating balloon hats for people of various backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs in an effort to demonstrate the power of joy and laughter. These journeys have been photo-documented in calendars, books, and films.

Background

Somekh was born in Hollywood, California, in 1972. As an undergraduate, Somekh attended UC Santa Cruz, where he met painter Mary Holmes, who became his mentor.

In the early 1990s, Somekh's balloon twisting began as a means to “pay his car insurance” and make extra money when he was 19-years-old. While attending graduate school at the New School for Social Research, where he majored in human resource management, he continued developing his talents and made a living twisting balloons at bar mitzvahs, elementary schools, and corporate parties. Somekh said he enjoyed balloon twisting as a profession because he didn't have a boss and could make cash improvising balloon hats and keeping the job interesting without having someone looking over his shoulder. In a 2018 TEDxPaloAlto talk titled "Balloon Art and the Mysterious Nature of Joy," Somekh claimed that balloon hat improvisation leads to joy, which he describes as an instinctive and therapeutic reaction. Somekh credits the NYC jazz quartet Sex Mob and the photographer James Nacthwey as his improvisational inspirations.

Travels and publications

Somekh met amateur photographer Charlie Eckert in 1995. After witnessing the effect they had when wearing balloon hats to a Halloween party, they planned to travel the world making balloon hats for people of divergent cultures and backgrounds. During their travels, they tested their theory of the universal response of joy and laughter. the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly and Bizarre (magazine). Somekh and his Balloon Bass appeared on NPR on September 3, 2003, in an interview and segment produced by Rory Johnston.

Exhibits

Somekh's balloon art has been displayed in several museum and cultural center exhibits. In 2008, the Skirball Cultural Center hosted The Inflatable Crown, a show of Eckert's photographs of Somekh's balloon hats and a documentary highlighting their travels. Balloon sculptures by Somekh were later displayed at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History for a fall 2017 show. Ballooniverse featured three changing installations crafted entirely out of balloons: Balloon Garden, The Elephant and Six Blind Men, and Balloon Graffiti with Spray Paint Artist Cernesto. At the end of 2017, Somekh also helped produce The Great Mystery Show, an exhibit at the American Visionary Art Museum featuring the work of blind South Korean balloon artist HongSeok Goh. Together, the artists collaborated with seven other balloon twisters to create a giant sculptures of turtles, elephants, and dragons.

Teaching

During an art residency at Cowell College of UC Santa Cruz in 2012, Somekh founded the Balloon Art Brigade, an organization aiming to teach people how to make balloon art and use it to spread joy in their communities.

In 2014, Somekh began teaching a philosophy course at Cowell College. His course, "Meaning, Paradox, and Love: Mary Holmes and Beyond", has grown from 13 to 130 students in four years.

Balloon Music

Somekh credits his balloon twisting to his lack of talent as a musician and childhood dream of becoming a jazz musician. In 2014, the band released an album called The Unpopable Trio with Alfredo Ortiz, and in 2018, they released an album called Tunnel Buddies with several percussionists. Somekh has since created other balloon instruments, including drums and flutes, and has composed music and improvised with a variety of balloon and non-balloon musicians, such as New York-based jazz drummer Kenny Wollesen, Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, Money Mark, Alfredo Ortiz, The Balloonhat Movie, released in 2005, follows Somekh and Eckhert for two years as they traveled through Brazil, Bosnia, Serbia, Israel, and on to Egypt and the American South. The film won several awards including the 2005 Creative Spirit Award at the Santa Fe Film Festival and the 2006 Best Feature Documentary at the Durango Independent Film Festival.

On Monday, February 7, 2011, The Learning Channel (TLC) debuted The Unpoppables, a reality show detailing the exploits and adventures of Somekh and his balloon decorating company, New Balloon Art. The team of Somekh, Katie Balloons and Brian Asman are recorded taking on an array of challenging balloon commissions. The show was produced by Authentic Entertainment.