John Kirby The Blind II, 1990

The paired paintings, The Blind and The Blind II, both include a blindfolded adult alongside a nude child. In 'The Blind II', a woman wears a black dress with heels, clutching the strings of helium-filled balloons, which bobs in the air in front of her. Although she is blindfolded, she looks up towards the balloons, ignoring the child who pulls on her dress.  

In Kirby's work, the balloon often symbolizes hope. The adult is blinded, representing their denial and a refusal to face the truth; the child remains perceptive and aware of the most painful rites of human passage.