Océan en Voie D’illumination

‘A magical and entertaining exhibition, but this exhibition has above all a purpose.. to send a message about biodiversity’ (Michel Saint Jalme, Director, Ménagerie du Jardin Des Plantes, Paris) Public Art Australia’s brief for Océan en voie d’illumination was to build awareness of ocean biodiversity as a large-scale light walk experience, transcending all cultural and language barriers, and built to tour! Designed for touring flexibility the experience was designed to be both site specific for the launch at Jardin Des Plantes in Paris, and able to be re-composed for all subsequent sites.

To create an exhibition which speaks to all cultures Public Art Australia developed a bespoke international team of specialists to design each piece within the Océan en voie d’illumination collection, comprising of industrial designers, theatrical set and lighting designers, electrical and mechatronics engineers and composers. United in a passion for conservation, this is a unique, border-transcending design team from Australia, Mongolia, China, Germany, England, France and Peru. A state-of-the-art combination of bespoke kinetic systems and custom coded lighting software, embedded within hand-crafted lantern sculpting traditions, Océan en voie d’illumination represents where ancient art meets new technology.

‘We need to raise awareness around the environment... There is nothing better than to show and talk about the beauty of the ocean.’ (Bruno David, President National Museum of Natural History) From a preliminary design process founded within a collaborative base of vital science research, Public Art Australia’s design team achieved a successful narrative ‘light walk journey’ through each ecological/habitat zone of the ocean. By journeying from coastal habitat regions, through shallow waters, and into deep abyss to then emerge in polar ice, an opportunity was successfully created for thorough exploration of biodiversity as magical awareness-raising storytelling.

All sculptures are designed in easily disassembled parts, as a part of a complex travel system of 20 x 40ft containers. This componential approach to the systems design facilitates a unique site design for an equally effective experience of the collection at each tour location. Audience survey results (translated from French): ‘The first time I saw such a light show, it was very very special’ ‘Exquisite!’ ‘A very beautiful and delicate experience’