These whimsical 'inflatable' dinosaurs aren't actually inflatable at all
For years, artist Brett Kern has been melting brains and delighting imaginations with his sculpted dinosaurs, which look just like opaque balloons. Don't try to pop them, though — these dinos are made of clay.
Kern, who is infatuated with nostalgic memorabilia, created these prehistoric pieces as an attempt to "fossilize" the pop culture influences of his youth. (His website mentions Jurassic Park: The Lost World.)
"Movies, television, toys and games dominated the cultural landscape of my youth," he says in his artist's statement. "I am a product of this specific time period, and I like to think of my artwork as the fossils that will help preserve it."
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Kern hand-sculpted some of the original models from clay, creating the lines and curves of their bodies by hand. For other dinosaurs, he cast models directly from actual inflatables, preserving the temporary moment of a balloon to create a lasting work of art.
Check out more of Kern's work, including his new Hellenistic Series, on Instagram. Ready-to-ship and made-to-order dinosaur models are also available from his Etsy shop.
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Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.
