For the second year running, Borealis has returned to the Adelaide Fringe Festival. This art exhibition promises to bring the amazing natural wonders of the northern lights, right into the middle of Rymill Park - and it delivers.

What is Borealis?

Set over Rymill Park Lake near the Adelaide CBD, high-powered lasers and projectors shoot through a layer of fog, floating at tree level, to simulate the Aurora Borealis effect. Complementing this, the exhibition area is immersed in a moody, intense soundscape designed to immerse viewers in the magic.

Entry into this art exhibition gives patrons access to a wide viewing area, where they get a chance to soak in the atmosphere. The open-air venue and viewing area follow the river & provide plenty of room for people to sit, wonder, and enjoy.

Who is behind this?

The exhibition has been crafted by Switzerland-based artivist Dan Acher, under the Happy City Lab.

Initially premiered at Adelaide Fringe 2018 on North Terrace. It has since toured the world, reaching far away places like Japan and the United Kingdom. From 2021, the exhibition has become an open-air installation, inside Adelaide Fringe’s Gluttony venue.

Visiting Borealis

I first saw this exhibition last year and was blown away by the whole experience. Coming back to the Adelaide Fringe for a second year, I knew I had to go back. This time around, I visited with some close friends of mine. I wanted to share the magic, and it’s safe to say, I believe everyone was thoroughly impressed.

Initial Impressions

Despite having previously visited before, and already knowing what to expect, I was instantly hit with a moment of magic; totally blowing away my expectations. It felt like it was the first time that I’d seen it, and I was able to fully appreciate it all over again.

I was drawn to everything about the exhibition. The soundscape fills the void. The beautiful colour-filled clouds floating above us. The wind pushed and pulled everything around in an unpredictable, but also beautiful, fashion. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to an Aurora Borealis, and it makes me want to see the real thing.

Settling In

As a group, we all wandered into the show, following the lit-up pathway and made our way to a viewing area right by the edge of the clouds. We sat down, looked up, and just stared. I don’t think we said much for the first bit, as we all took our moments to enjoy the exhibition and soak it all in.

After a little while, we started sharing our observations and pointing different things out. Mainly, we were seeing differences in how the clouds formed, or how the lasers were lighting them up in a particular way. Someone noticed how, with the right colour fades and movements, the top of clouds resembled fire. This wasn’t something I initially saw, but once it was pointed out, I saw it that way as well. People in the group also noticed how certain colours faded into other ones causing some rather stunning blending effects.

Being an outdoor show, we were at the mercy of our environment. However, this played into our hands. It was a somewhat cold, windy night. However, this wind certainly played a part in pushing around the clouds and fog to add a new dynamic element to the show. This element was unique and meant we were left to interpret the art in front of us, as it randomly evolved throughout the night. I believe this helped in establishing the magic of the illusion.

Personal Takeaways

The biggest theme that resonated with me was how calming and peaceful the exhibition is. It presents a beautiful, slow-moving, not-so-stimulating environment that allowed my brain to wander and get lost in a world of peace and calm. Whilst I don’t engage in meditation, I can see this being an equal comparison in a sense. I found myself getting lost in this environment, and got the chance to let it all sink in.

Shared Experiences & Different Perceptions

Something I find quite interesting about being able to visit this exhibition, in a group, is to see how different people perceive the show. By its very nature, it is abstract and is open to being viewed in many ways. Some people may experience an emotional reaction, others may feel a sense of calm and peace, and some may focus on the technical components of the show.

An example of this is how some of the group were looking at the clouds and pointing out animals and shapes - and of course, once they’re said out loud, everyone can see it. It’s up to our brain to try to distinguish these patterns in clouds and having people pointing out what they can see, helps to engage this level of wonder and exploration.

As a group, I think we all shared a mixture of emotions, but in our ways. Whilst it’s a shared experience, I believe we all perceived it differently - and walked away with different thoughts and mixed emotions.

Behind the Magic

As a highly technical person by nature, I am fascinated by the technology used in Borealis to create the show.

Starting from the top, the clouds are created using a combination of static and floating water-mist jets. This mist floats high above the ground in a fairly large area. To compliment the clouds, fog machines are used throughout to better create the Borealis illusion.

An assortment of high-powered laser machines (installed on tall scaffolds) have been carefully programmed to loop through a colour-changing cycle. Complementing the colour-changing cycle, the intensity of the lasers would change over time - giving the feel of movement and slow change.

Surrounding the lake is an array of speakers to fill the area with a gentle and looping soundtrack, which creates a scene of ambience and calm.

Summarising Thoughts

I implore anyone to visit Borealis. It’s an experience unique to the Adelaide Fringe and one that many people will be able to appreciate. With the world moving as fast as it is these days, it’s nice to put a pause on everything and get lost in the moment. Borealis makes this happen.