I Am a Balloon
A story of self-discovery and independence. A unique, handcrafted narrative that follows the life of a balloon.
I Am a Balloon was written, designed, printed, and bound by myself. The story follows the life of a balloon, from its conception in a factory to its journey through the air. Reading I Am a Balloon is a melancholic and thought-provoking experience—it is a personal message about self-discovery and independence.
Strewn throughout the book are personal photographs derived from my childhood photo albums. With each spread is a piece of colored film where my story is found. The plastic-like surface allows the reader to look upon my memories through the eye of the balloon itself.
As the book progresses, the photos become increasingly smaller in reference to the balloon floating away into the sky, and watching the world shrink below. It too represents the process of growing up; as one discovers who they are, the memories of their childhood grow increasingly foggy.
I Am a Balloon is closed out by a poem titled ‘Red Balloon Rising’ by Laurel Blossom. It is a fitting final note to the book’s content and theme.