The Janis Project

The idea for The Janis Project was conceived on Easter Island but begun with a three-month  voyage from Istanbul, Turkey to Tallinn, Estonia, with the support of Frank Del Rio, former CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line.  Daily, spontaneous placement aboard a luxury Oceania cruise liner and its ports of call surprised cruisers and locals with its presence, stimulating dialogs in many languages.  Since its maiden voyage in 2015, The Janis Project has traveled the world. 

The air-filled, huge inflatable heads reference the  Moai and Olmec heads and the ancient Roman god of new endeavors, Janus.  The Janis sculptures also have their roots in street art and inflatable toys.  Janis carries a message of equality and goodwill and dares to step out of the conventional world of art museums and art galleries to be amongst us.  Janis has found a place to make us all consider issues that often divide us – usually with a smile.

The Janis Project has evolved to include inflatables, paintings and sculpture in a variety of media, including acrylic, oil, watercolor, bronze, concrete, fiberglass, glass, resilient nylon and wood.  Pieces have been placed in numerous private and public collections globally.