Faerie Bloom

This project was made possible by the Australian Government Regional Arts Fund,
which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia. #RegionalArtsFund #RegionalArtsAust

The magical, kinetic flower awakens…

Faerie Bloom is an immersive, interactive art installation that invites participants into a world of wonder, play, and collaboration. Powered by three see-saws — a childhood favourite reimagined — this giant bio-mechanical flower comes to life through human play and joyful motion.

As six people ride the see-saws, the flower responds with dramatic, graceful movement. Its massive petals unfurl and oscillate, while the central stamen spins, creating a hypnotic kinetic spectacle.

The see-saws fulcrums are replaced by negative space, forming an optical illusion at the heart of the flower’s interior.

The elaborately decorated bio-mechanical flower utilises a diverse vocabulary of materials and lighting effects to produce an interactive spectacle that promises to inspire and entertain audiences across Victoria’s regional landscape.

The interior and lower stamen will be decorated with a palette of vivid fluorescent colours and textures, amplified by 30W of 365nm UV floodlights at night. 

The top of the stamen will feature a translucent reflector lens dome, decorated with dichroic film streamers that refract light, creating a mesmerising optic effect. As night falls, we will project 18W of rainbow floodlights into the lens, amplifying the light play. At 3 metres tall, this feature will be visible from a distance, drawing people in to play.

The petals will be formed from multiple layers of chrome and coloured tent skins and bubble wrap, giving a light, soft texture that will ripple with the wind and from the sculpture’s own movement. Each petal will feature a translucent, ribbed mid-vein containing a programmable RGB LED that will pulsate light effects in rhythm with the experience.

The six chromed flower stems will be crowned with comfy white bicycle seats for a luxurious ride. The end of each stem will be fitted with a 10W rainbow ball floodlight — highlighting the flower’s impressive scale and ensuring that the large moving parts are clearly defined by light for safety.

The curved handlebars will be wrapped in colourful tennis racket grips and will each feature a 3W rainbow floodlight at their tip, adding both visibility and whimsy to the overall form.