Ephemeral | Institute for Molecular Bioscience & Atelier Sisu

Ephemeral is a pop-up art installation presented by the Institute for Molecular Bioscience and Atelier Sisu. The Institute for Molecular Bioscience partnered with Brisbane Festival to explore the similarities between science and art. It is pretty astounding to think about scientists as artists, with the same curiosity and drive artists have. My definition of art is constantly evolving and shifting, perhaps science has a place in the artistic world even though I previously thought they were polar opposites. When experiencing the art installation, you are encouraged to reflect on the fragility and limited time we have on this planet. The extravagance of the gigantic bubbles littered along Southbank and the BOQ Festival Garden stand out amongst the green and concrete. I went at night and enjoyed the holographic colours reflecting off the seemingly delicate bubbles.

I can’t help but think of the ephemerality of the Brisbane festival that lights up Brisbane for a month with all kinds of art forms and is gone as soon as it comes. One of the things I love about Brisbane Festival is that it makes art more accessible and available for your average person. I’ve seen lots of people engaging with Ephemeral on my social media with pictures and videos, and these people might not necessarily actively engage with art normally. It creates an active engagement in art for a more passive consumer. There are so many ways to engage with this installation as well, through social media pictures, following the installation like a map through Southbank, touching it or simply noticing it when walking past. Some people might not actively think about the ephemerality of their lives and our existence but will notice the absence of the installation once it is gone.

At first it felt like I was stepping straight into a magical world being surrounded by lights and a soft sound scape. After a while I felt a bit isolated. I was surrounded by families, and couples and groups of people while I was alone. I was swept up in the dark feeling that all of this would be gone soon, and I was left to deal with it by myself. These feelings were soon interrupted when I was asked to take a photo for some people and I was connecting with another human and felt part of the social community again. In the grand scheme most things we deal with are only temporary. Living and engaging in your current circumstances is the only way to approach life. Otherwise, we get swept up worrying about our eventual end rather than enjoying the beauty we have right in front of us.