Baby You, a thirty-four-meter-long hot air balloon in the shape of a sleeping newborn, is a metaphor for the potential that lies dormant in each of us, waiting to be awakened, unlimited and infinite as the sky. Inspired by the common trope of a baby sleeping on a cloud, we took on the challenge of making this idea a reality. The installation has been, and will be touring around the world, reminding us of the precious nature of childhood: joyous, full of wonder, and present in the here and now.

Most recently, Baby You, created by the PRZEKRÓJ Foundation, was inflated and rise over Milwaukee during Make Music Day, the worldwide festival of music-making held annually on the summer solstice. It was accompanied by a new a cappella choral work by composer Michael Schachter. As the sun set in Milwaukee, hundreds of singers gathered in Veterans Park on the shore of Lake Michigan to perform the new composition, while the balloon was inflated, took shape, and begun its tethered ascent behind them. The event marked the launch of the English-language online edition of PRZEKRÓJ, Poland’s iconic cultural magazine, offering global readers an enlightening respite from the intensity of today’s news.

The spectacular sculpture floating in the air— aims to impart that each and every one of us is already enough, that we were born this way. Made of tan fabric, the balloon’s colors change with the sunlight, reflecting the many hues of human skin. The combined aural and visual experience is meant to invoke the shared humanness of all people. Babies are born unprogrammed, naturally inclusive, and free from societal biases. We want to remind humanity of this state—one of tolerance and acceptance for all. Everyone was a baby once: adorable, vulnerable, and full of possibility.