Express yourself with golden balloons.
The first truly global art project.
Open and free for everyone.
About
Silence Was Golden is an on-going global performance series. Across the world, performers chose a word or a short phrase that expressed something important or meaningful to them, and then spelled it out of golden letter balloons in relevant locations.
So far thousands of people have taken part, creating a global tapestry of self-expression. The project is open and free to participate. To see every individual video, you can either use the map above or visit the archive below.
The meaning
This site-specific and participatory project gives individuals and communities the opportunity to express themselves on multiple platforms and to collaborate with others. The ultimate goal is to inspire people of all backgrounds to communicate through art and connect with one another through their unique expressions. The project subtly touches on pressing issues such as freedom of thought, freedom of expression, equal rights and more.
All balloons are re-used and recycled.
Who is behind it?
The entire project is financed by Public Delivery without any outside institutional or corporate sponsorship. This is a deliberate decision: Any external financial support has the potential to take away from the overall message. Silence Was Golden unfolds at a grassroots level and in equal partnership with performers around the world.
The project is curated by Martin Schulze and presented by Public Delivery.
Background
Silence Was Golden is inspired by Marcel Duchamp’s readymades, turning everyday objects into art. It also drew upon Erwin Wurm’s One Minute Sculptures, which were very short and often funny-looking performances. Lastly, the core of the project was inspired by graffiti, using both bold letters and an audacious approach towards public space, frequently working without permission.
Take part for free. We provide the material.
Pick any English word or short sentence.
No other requirements.
All countries
Countries done
Africa
- Cameroon Limbe
- Cape Verde Praia
- Egypt Matruh, Taba
- Ivory Coast Abidjan
- Morocco Erg Chebbi, Ouarzazate
- Senegal Dakar
- South Africa Lothair (Mpumalanga), Mooi River
Asia
- Afghanistan Kabul
- Bahrain Manama
- Brunei Limau Manis
- Cambodia Phnom Penh
- China Bayingolin, Beijing, Bijie, Binzhou, Chengdu, Dunhuang, Guilin, Hangzhou, Hezuo, Hong Kong, Jiayuguan, Kunming, Longsheng, Menghai, Sanya, Shanghai, Tianshui, Wuhan, Wuxi, Xiahe, Xiamen, Xishuangbanna, Xuchang, Yanoda Rainforest, Yinchuan, Zhangjiakou, Zhangye, Zhuzhou
- India Ahmedabad, Bodhgaya, Kochi
- Indonesia Bali, Batam
- Iran Tehran
- Israel Kirjat Schmona, Tel Aviv
- Japan Tokyo
- Jordan Amman, Petra
- Kazakhstan Almaty, Astana
- Kuwait Kuwait City, Shuwaikh
- Kyrgyzstan Bishkek, Töö Ashuu, Tosor
- Laos Vang Vieng, Vientiane
- Lebanon Kfifan
- Malaysia Miri, Pulau Rawa
- Mongolia Baganuur
- Myanmar Yangon
- Oman Maskat
- Pakistan Islamabad
- Qatar Singing Sand Dunes
- Singapore Singapore
- South Korea Gangneung, Gwangju, Incheon, Jeongdongjin, Seoraksan, Seoul, Sokcho
- Sri Lanka Colombo
- State of Palestine Jerusalem
- Taiwan Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taichung, Taipei, Tainan
- Tajikistan Sarigon
- Thailand Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Phanom, Nonthaburi
- Turkey Ankara
- Turkmenistan Yerbent
- United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ra’s al-Chaima
- Uzbekistan Buxoro, Samarkand, Xiva
- Vietnam Hanoi, Hội An, Nha Trang, Vịnh Hạ Long
Europe
- Albania Kukës, Tirana
- Armenia Yerevan
- Austria Graz, Salzburg, Vienna
- Belgium Hallerbos, Verviers
- Bosnia & Herzegovina Mostar, Sarajevo
- Bulgaria Sofia
- Croatia Varaždin, Zagreb
- Czech Republic Prague
- Denmark Aabenraa, Esbjerg, Ribe
- Estonia Pärnu
- Finland Turku
- France Chalon-sur-Saône, Metz, Montbéliard, Nancy, Orléans, Paris
- Germany Berlin, Bochum, Bonn, Bottrop, Bremen, Detmold, Dortmund, Duisburg, Dülmen, Düsseldorf, Essen, Freiburg (Kenzingen), Gelsenkirchen, Halle, Haltern am See, Hamm, Heidelberg, Herford, Herten, Hüttenberg, Kamen, Kiel, Köln, Ludwigslust, Mülheim, Münster, Oberhausen, Osnabrück, Tecklenburg, Teutoburg Forest, Wetzlar (Ehringshausen)
- Greece Athens, Thessaloniki
- Holy See Vatican City
- Hungary Budapest
- Iceland Godafoss, Jökulsárlón, Mývatn, Skagaströnd
- Ireland Dalkey
- Italy Alberobello, Lecce, Manfredonia, Milano, Paestum, Procida
- Kosovo Pristina
- Latvia Jūrmala, Riga
- Liechtenstein Vaduz
- Lithuania Vilnius
- Luxembourg Medingen
- Malta Mdina
- Moldova Chișinău
- Monaco Monaco
- Montenegro Kotor, Podgorica
- Netherlands Ketelhaven, Roermond, Zoutelande
- North Macedonia Skopje
- Norway Kabelvåg, Skjervøy
- Poland Warsaw
- Portugal Porto
- Romania Constanța
- Russia Moscow, Sochi
- San Marino San Marino
- Serbia Pančevo
- Slovakia Bratislava
- Slovenia Maribor
- Spain Barcelona, Figueres, Madrid, Portlligat
- Sweden Kiruna
- Switzerland Grindelwald, Kandersteg, La Chaux-des-Fonds, Murten, Staad, Stoos
- Ukraine Kyiv
- United Kingdom Edinburgh, London
Oceania
- Australia Sydney
- Kiribati South Tarawa
- Micronesia Chuuk
- Nauru Yaren
- New Zealand Dunedin, Raglan, Wellington
North America
- Belize Corozal
- Canada Banff, Edmonton, Toronto
- Costa Rica Puerto Jiménez
- El Salvador Caserío El Coco
- Guatemala Antigua, Tikal
- Mexico Chihuahua City, Ciudad Juárez
- Panama Bocas del Toro, Paraíso, Pedro-Miguel
- Paraguay Asuncion
- USA Alaska, Atlanta, Birmingham, Calimesa, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Coloma, Detroit, Disneyland, El Paso, Forest Grove, Fredericksburg, Gaffney, Galveston, Hawaii, Hollywood, Houston, Iraan, Jackson, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Los Altos, Los Angeles, Manhattan, Miami, Miami Beach, Monterey, New Jersey, New Orleans, Newark, NYC, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Placerville, Portland, PortMiami, Primm, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Francisco, Tampa, Truth or Consequences, Valentine, Washington D.C., Webster
South America
- Brazil São Paulo
- Colombia Bogotá, Cartagena
- Peru Machu Picchu, Tarapoto
2015
2016
2017
2018
