Article #264214

Patricia Piccinini’s bulbous creation first took flight in 2013, and was joined by a partner in 2021. They’ve inspired tattoos, crafts and wedding vows – and they’re coming to a region near you

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All around Australia, Patricia Piccinini has been approached by people who are rolling up a sleeve, tugging at a trouser leg, or even lifting their T-shirt. They’re revealing their tattoos of the Skywhales, hot air balloon creatures Piccinini dreamed up more than a decade ago when imagining what whales might look like if they’d evolved to live in the air.