INFLATABLE ROCK ART INSTALLATION CONTRASTS PRAHRAN'S URBAN SURROUNDS
21 Aug 2025
Melbourne-based art and technology studio ENESS has installed Iwagumi Air Scape, a large inflatable rock garden, in Prahran Square for its Australian premiere. The inflatables contrast the urban setting, appearing as realistic rock formations in the day and turning into a vibrant lighting display once the sun sets.
Inspired by the Japanese concept of Iwagumi, which expresses a cultural reverence for natural rock formations, the installation introduces a sculptural landscape that contrasts the city’s urban fabric with a representation of wilderness. By day, the inflatables are textured and shaped to resemble real rocks, surprising visitors with their inflatable nature. At night, the installation is illuminated with vibrant lighting, transforming the space into a glowing, immersive environment.
The installation by ENESS comprises sixteen air-filled inflatables textured with photographic prints of granite, creating the optical illusion of massive rock formations. Visitors can walk among these oversized forms and explore crevices and narrow passages up to 10 meters long, simulating the experience of traversing a canyon.
As daylight fades, Iwagumi Air Scape shifts through a vibrant lighting display paired with an interactive soundscape. Sounds of native birds, frogs, crickets, monkeys, bats and mountain streams are triggered randomly as visitors move through the space, heightening the immersive quality of the installation. Ambient urban noises subtly intrude within the formation, underscoring the dialogue between natural and urban environments.
Artist and ENESS founder Nimrod Weis describes Iwagumi Air Scape as a work that surprises visitors when they realize the rock-like sculptures are in fact inflatable. The installation celebrates the Japanese tradition of closely observing natural compositions, particularly rock formations, that have inspired artforms such as rock gardens and aquascaping.
By translating these forms into inflatable structures, ENESS explores the boundary between the virtual and physical, creating artificial objects that reconnect urban audiences with nature. Through its scale and presence, the installation invites contemplation of nature within a public urban setting, encouraging reflection on the relationship between city life and the natural environment.
IWAGUMI AIR SCAPE
LOCATION Prahan, Melbourne
DESIGNER ENESS
PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Weinstein
