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. The installation has been, and will be touring, in many places in Europe and beyond, reminding us of the precious nature of childhood: joyous, full of wonder, and present in the here and now.

During Make Music Day, the worldwide festival of music-making held annually on the summer solstice, Baby You, created by the Przekrój Foundation, was inflated and rise over Milwaukee. It was accompanied by a new a cappella choral work by composer Michael Schachter. 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.

Baby You—a spectacular sculpture floating in the air—is a symbol for the potential in all of us that’s waiting to be awakened, unlimited, and endless as the sky. It is a reminder of the precious nature of life—joyful, full of wonder, and present in the here and now. Baby You 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.

As the sun sets in Milwaukee, hundreds of singers gathered in Veterans Park on the shore of Lake Michigan to perform the new composition, while behind them the balloon is inflated, takes shape, and begins its tethered ascent. 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.