What comes to immediately when you think of ginormous inflatable objects? Bouncy castles, cute cartoon characters, and most importantly, innumerable Instagram opps? Yes, we know it all too well — that impulse reaction to immediately whip out one’s phone to Instagram every giant floating object you come across. But Floating Utopias, ArtScience Museum’s latest exhibition, wants you to rethink these poufy voluminous objects beyond their photogenic qualities, and examine their part in art, architecture and even social activism throughout history.

As visitors drift away into imaginative realms at the exhibition, they’ll soon realise the pieces aren’t only ’grammable, they’ve got fascinating back stories as well. Culture vultures will have a fab time poring over more than 40 artworks, videos and photographs by more than 15 international and local artists scattered throughout the museum’s sun-drenched galleries. Insta-fiends, too, will have a field day snapping away these larger-than-life inflatable sculptures that are great for the ’gram.

What would conversations between these two camps be like when they’re walking through the exhibition together? We imagine convos between Culture Connoisseur and Instagram Addict about the highlights of the airy wonderland that is Floating Utopias.

Instagram Addict: OOTD backdrop! Think I can buy something similar from Daiso?
Culture Connoisseur: The piece, made up of 18 individual inflatable foil cubes, were used in a protest in Germany to form barricades. The art of putting them together and then tearing them apart is so poetic, it’s like a barricade ballet.

Instagram Addict: Should’ve worn pink to match these adorable giant rabbits in the photo.
Culture Connoisseur: At first glance, your mind tells you you’re meant to associate rabbits with cuteness. But the Japanese artist supersized them and then cramped them in small spaces, which makes it all very uneasy to look at. The rabbits even look a bit sinister.

Instagram Addict: I saw this at Singapore Art Museum before, and I’ve already taken so many pics. Never mind, now I’ll Boomerang it instead. Fresh content!
Culture Connoisseur: I like to think of it as the artist’s cheeky take on ‘Bring your pet to work day’. She’s taken it to SAM, kopitiams, car parks and other everyday spots in Singapore. But this 10m x 6.6m version, commissioned by the ArtScience Museum for this exhibition, is the biggest iteration of Walter so far.

Instagram Addict: This looks like a giant xiaolongbao. Cute.
Culture Connoisseur: But they’re actually satirical inflatable versions of hazmat suits, to shield corporate customers from climate change.

Instagram Addict: It’s so dark in here, very bad for photos. Let’s go.
Culture Connoisseur: ​​​​​​​I'm staying. This is 29 minutes of pure documentary magic. The artist pieced together footage of inflatable projects from the 60s and 70s. It’s so hypnotising watching the public interacting with the pieces and nature’s elements.

Instagram Addict: So colourful. Help me take photo!
Culture Connoisseur: You’re missing the point of this solar sustainability themed gallery. This is meant to be a workspace for visitors to make their own contribution to the piece, okay? You cut up a used plastic bag to add on to giant reels of used bags, which will then be put together into a mega patchwork balloon that’ll be solar-powered and launched by the end of the exhibition.

Instagram Addict: Wish I had an architectural giant TV stand like that at home. Imagine all the product shoots I could do with them.
Culture Connoisseur: Pay attention to the video on the screens, which are aerial views taken from a floating balloon. It’s all about how inflatable objects play a part in exploring the Earth from above, ever since the first hot air balloon flight in the 18th century.

Instagram Addict: Everybody has been Instagramming this. I have to have a photo here! Should I do a yoga pose under the moon?
Culture Connoisseur: I’m going to moon-bathe on this deck chair and admire this piece. Check out how the artist acquired imagery of the moon surface in ultra-high resolution! It was commissioned by the museum in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing.

PHOTOS: Mark Lee

Floating Utopias: The Transformative Power of Inflatable Art is on from May 25 to Sep 29 at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, 6 Bayfront Ave. Tix from $16. More info at https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum.html.