Barcelona's Bou is forever blowing bubbles

A Spanish artist has turned the fun of creating soap bubbles into an art form, Shi Yingying reports.

Remember the fun you had with soap bubbles when you were a kid? Well, it seems like Pep Bou just can't seem to let it go. So much so that the Spanish artist has created the world's only Soap Bubble Theater.

And Expo 2010 Shanghai visitors will have a chance to catch his extraordinary performances in the art of soap bubble blowing.

In Bou's hand-blown transparent kingdom, soap bubbles take on a variety of shapes, colors, sizes and forms of movement. Sometimes they are delicate pearl-sized globules that dance with flair and grace to the enchanting music; sometimes they are turned into giant fun-house mirrors or even huge works big enough to envelop a person. With spotlight highlighting the Catalan artist standing in the center of the stage, Bou lights a cigarette and puffs the smoke into transparent bubbles to turn them creamy white.

"Each bubble is a planet on its own," said Bou, explaining the name of his debut show, Bufaplanetes, which he created in 1982. "In Spanish, bufa means puff (or blow). For me, blowing a bubble is like creating a new planet.

"I don't want to show people something that already exists. Instead, I invite them join me in the experience of creating something new out of nothing," said Bou, who has been creating bubbles on stage for the last 28 years.

Fleeting and fragile, the volatile nature of soap bubbles is hard to manage, but Bou dazzles audiences with his mastery of bubbles. When asked why he chose bubbles as his medium, he said: "To watch the bubble burst is also part of the show, which tells a sense of beauty - the fact that the beauty won't last forever."

The bubble's fragile texture has also brought him inspiration for new shows. "I'm never 100 percent sure about how long will my bubble last, although I have a rough estimate. The bubble might burst in 60 seconds or it just won't come out. Because it's never totally under my control, it might come up with something that surprises us," he said.

Bou admits his inspiration for new performances sometimes comes from "accidents" in his previous shows. Since he first started performing Bufaplanetes, Bou has developed a unique theatrical idiom, combing the bubble's special texture with light and music. He has performed on five continents and is one of Europe's leading exponents of the spectacle.

Coming from a background in architecture, Bou said creating bubbles shares a similarity with that discipline. "I gave up my identity as an architect because I feel uncomfortable earning money by designing buildings. However, I enjoy the creative part of the process and people's reaction to the creativity. My bubble performance makes me feel the same way - and I guess that's why I think they're connected."

Although it is a one-man show, Bou is a fan of collaboration. He has worked with many artists, including inviting the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra to accompany him during his bubble-creating performances.

"There're three important elements in my show: light, music and soap bubbles. I think different art forms can be presented on the same stage at the same time and bubbles have helped me to open the door to art, and make it easier for me to access more artists."

In his recent show, Clar de llunes (Moonlight), with Spanish pianist Jordi Maso, Bou created a background wall made from a soap bubble. Using a special illumination technology, Maso's piano keyboard was reflected on the bubble's surface, creating a fusion of both art forms.

When talking about the difference between creating bubbles in Shanghai and Barcelona, Bou said: "Normally, bubbles last longer if it is humid. However, the air-conditioning here affects the life of bubble."

Other elements like wind and atmospheric pressure also affect Bou's bubbles. That's why it's impossible for him to hold the show outdoors.

Bou's soap bubble performances will be held at 10:30 am, 11:30 am and 4 pm on Sept 3 and 4 at the Lecture Hall on the 3rd floor of the Future Pavilion in Urban Best Practices Area of the Expo Garden. Entry is free.

(China Daily 09/03/2010)