A Monumental Collision of Tradition and Technology
Marina Bay has always been a spectacle, but this year, it transforms into something even more surreal. At the heart of the i Light Singapore festival, the art collective ENESS unveils Iwagumi Air Space, a luminous, inflatable installation that reimagines an ancient Japanese art form. The piece pays homage to iwagumi, a refined technique in aquascaping where stones are arranged to convey balance, harmony, and flow. Yet, in a delightful twist, ENESS swaps solid rock for airy, towering forms—an ephemeral reinterpretation of permanence.
Floating Boulders and an Urban Aquarium
At first glance, these sixteen mammoth structures—some soaring up to 13 meters—appear as weighty monoliths, a testament to nature’s raw strength. Yet, as the city breeze stirs them, it becomes clear: these boulders are impossibly light. The result? A paradox of presence and absence, where gravity-defying sculptures invite urban wanderers to step into a dreamscape.
Visitors navigate the installation like fish weaving through coral reefs, their presence completing the tableau. A curated soundscape of birds, frogs, and mountain streams layers an organic rhythm onto the visual symphony, transforming this temporary space into an oasis of sensory exploration. This delicate combination of nature-inspired sounds with the ethereal visual display creates an immersive experience, where the environment seems to breathe along with the visitors.
Art as a Catalyst for Human Connection
ENESS is no stranger to crafting immersive worlds that dissolve the boundary between spectator and spectacle. Just weeks before Iwagumi Air Space, the studio debuted Forest Dancer at Quoz Arts Fest in Dubai—an otherworldly landscape of pixelated trees, glowing fungi, and abstracted natural forms. Whether within galleries, public parks, or repurposed urban spaces, ENESS pursues an audacious mission: to inject joy, wonder, and tactile engagement into the everyday.
“Art should exist everywhere. We respond to architecture, but we also create environments where people feel connected—to the space, to each other, to something beyond themselves.”
—The ethos behind their work, best captured by founder Nimrod Weis.
A Timely Reminder in a Disconnected Age
As digital screens monopolize attention spans and geopolitical unrest shifts global priorities, installations like Iwagumi Air Space feel almost radical. They remind us that art—especially in the public sphere—can be a salve, a playground, and a meeting point. In a cityscape defined by steel and glass, ENESS offers something softer, stranger, and deeply human.
Their installations urge the viewer to step away from the frenzy of modern life, and into a space that encourages reflection and serenity. In a world obsessed with speed and efficiency, Iwagumi Air Space offers a slower, more thoughtful pace—where visitors can simply be. It is a space where art brings people back to a state of wonder, reconnecting them not only to nature but also to one another.
At its core, Iwagumi Air Space is more than a sculptural marvel. It is a momentary rupture in the routine—a fleeting invitation to pause, listen, and rediscover a sense of childlike wonder. And in today’s world, that might just be the rarest and most necessary art of all.
Conclusion:
Iwagumi Air Space serves as an embodiment of the transformative power of public art—an artwork that not only offers an aesthetically captivating experience but also invites the public to reconsider their connection to their environment and to each other. In an era where digital interfaces dominate our lives, ENESS provides a refreshing and grounding experience.
Their work reminds us that art should not be confined to galleries but should be an intrinsic part of the living world, accessible and interactive, with the potential to change our perceptions and enrich our urban spaces.
Editor’s Choice
Iwagumi Air Space is more than a sculptural marvel. It is a momentary rupture in the routine—a fleeting invitation to pause, listen, and rediscover a sense of childlike wonder. And in today’s world, that might just be the rarest and most necessary art of all.