This defensive dress can release a plume of ink-like custom helium ballons mimicing the defense of cephalopods including the cuttlefish. Cuttlefish are squid-like marine mollusks known for their ink-squirting defense mechanism and rapid color-changing abilities. The dress hides a dozen helium balloons in the folds of a full navy skirt. When the wearer raises her arms in alarm the balloons are released allowing the wearer to make a quick getaway while her pursuers are lost in a bubbly fog. Two fans resting near her waist blow the balloons toward the attacker as the wearer quickly backs away into a safer area. This dress was created for the 2011 Pittsburgh Biennial at the Andy Warhol Museum and is camouflaged in the guise of a cocktail dress.
This piece was funded by a grant from The STUDIO for Creative Inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University.
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