Perseverance inflatable sculpture in Ghent asks visitors to pump
Discover the seven-meter-high inflatable sculpture Perseverance (Goddess of Democracy) by Austrian artist duo zweintopf at Ghent's Gravensteen castle until October 14, 2026.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- A seven-meter-high white inflatable sculpture titled Perseverance (Goddess of Democracy) was created by Austrian artist duo zweintopf.
- It is installed beside the moat of Gravensteen castle in Ghent, Belgium, and will move to Design Museum Gent on October 15, 2026.
- The sculpture remains upright only through the continuous physical pumping effort of visitors, collapsing if the air supply stops.
- The work reinterprets the original Goddess of Democracy erected by Chinese art students in Tiananmen Square in May 1989.
A striking white inflatable art installation in Ghent, Belgium, is challenging passersby to physically sustain a symbol of democracy. Created by Austrian artist duo zweintopf, the seven-meter-high sculpture floats on a platform inside the moat surrounding the medieval Gravensteen castle, requiring continuous human effort to keep it from collapsing into an empty shell.
Titled Perseverance (Goddess of Democracy), the monumental artwork pays homage to the original Goddess of Democracy statue constructed by Chinese art students on Beijing's Tiananmen Square in May 1989, prior to the military crackdown. At the historic Belgian castle site, the structure stays inflated solely due to an active pumping station powered by participation.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Visitors are invited to actively pump air into the artwork under the prompt to train their perseverance. If the pumping stops, the figure gradually deflates and collapses. The installation deliberately reimagines democracy not as a permanent given, but as a fragile system reliant on ongoing maintenance, active participation, and collective responsibility.
This interactive art piece brilliantly contrasts ephemeral human effort with permanent stone fortifications. By tying the physical survival of a monumental sculpture to the voluntary labor of everyday citizens, the artists create a powerful metaphor for civic duty, highlighting how democratic institutions require constant active engagement to prevent deterioration.
Constructed from textile, plastic, wood, and metal components, the sculpture stands in sharp visual contrast to the heavy masonry and defensive architecture of the 12th-century castle. While its monumental scale echoes the traditional authority of public monuments, its complete reliance on air makes that authority visibly unstable and precarious.
The artwork has traveled to several exhibition contexts since debuting in 2019, including UNIKUM's Europapark in Klagenfurt, steirischer herbst's Sculptures in Exile, Kunstverein Graz, and the Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn. For its current engagement in Belgium, the recently reopened Design Museum Gent commissioned an exact replica of the installation.
"Train your perseverance!"
zweintopf
The inflatable installation is currently positioned next to the Gravensteen fortress and will remain accessible there through October 14, 2026. Following this outdoor stint, it will relocate to the inner courtyard of Design Museum Gent starting October 15. The exhibition forms part of Public Matter(s): Democracy Workout, an engaging civic program designed to help visitors practice vital democratic skills such as active listening, conflict resolution, and finding their collective voice.
Source: designboom
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