Ever wondered how long it takes to create one of the amazing Illuminate Adelaide art installations? Or where the ideas come from in the first place? Let’s take a look.
There’s an old adage: ‘Don’t touch the art’.
Adelaide-based Pulsing Heart Studio wants to turn that saying on its head.
“We completely flip it around,” Pulsing Heart creative director Joren Dawson says.
“Our works really don’t function without the public’s participation and involvement.”
This July, Pulsing Heart’s latest creation, VOICES, premieres as part of Illuminate Adelaide’s City Lights program – a free public art spectacle lighting up the CBD from 4-20 July.
It’s a major milestone for Pulsing Heart, known for creating giant interactive installations from their small Adelaide studio.
But for Joren, who swapped life as a globe-trotting circus performer for a job making large-scale participatory art, this is about creating connections, sharing joy, and building something meaningful with the community.
From circus tricks to artistic kicks
Growing up, Joren trained in circus arts, graduating from circus school in Montreal.
He spent over a decade performing internationally as an acrobat, and remains involved with Adelaide’s globally-acclaimed Gravity & Other Myths.
It was through this company that he met his partner in art and life, Jascha Boyce – founder, director, producer, and acrobat at Gravity & Other Myths.
Together, they established Pulsing Heart, blending their experience in acrobatics and physical theatre with innovative interactive art.
Touring internationally, they were fascinated by the festival art installations they encountered along the way.
“On one hand [we] were really inspired by what they were doing … and on the other hand, [we] went, ‘they could be better … there’s space for us to do something cool’.”
Pulsing Heart’s breakthrough came at WOMADelaide 2022 with the success of HEXADECA – a playful setup of spinning seats that lit up and triggered music with movement.
HEXADECA’s still touring Australia, and now it’s time to experience Pulsing Heart’s latest giant creation – VOICES.
Turning tubes into tunes
At first glance, VOICES – which took three years to conceive and build – looks like futuristic street furniture: 50 sleek spinning tubes arranged in a striking formation.
Spin them, though, and the magic begins. Each tube is one of 50 voices from the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, transforming the installation into an immersive concert. The faster you spin the tube, the more the light will grow, along with the volume of that particular singer.
Ensuring VOICES was accessible to everyone – including “a little kid or someone in a wheelchair” – was vital for Joren.
“They can spin from the bottom, spin from the middle, spin from the top, with the exact same effect. It opens it up to anyone to be able to interact, which is what we want.”
Attention to detail extends to premium, tactile materials, crucial for the interactive experience.
“Our work needs to feel high quality in order for people to want to really engage,” Joren explains.
Ultimately, VOICES is designed to bring people together and give them “something creative in their day that they didn’t necessarily expect”.
“We really hope that when people participate with VOICES … it’ll be a bit of contagious joy that spreads through a crowd … first realising what it does, and then being taken aback by the scale of it.”
Local backing fuels creativity
Pulsing Heart’s innovative installations have flourished thanks to crucial early support from South Australian festivals and state government grants.
“Initially, when we went to WOMADelaide with the [HEXADECA] installation, and they were able to come on board, that really helped us … to be able to get the ball rolling,” Joren says.
An SA Government grant also provided “that extra support to make the installation … as we were just starting out.”
Illuminate Adelaide similarly recognised the potential of VOICES right from its earliest stages.
“We took early drawings of this [VOICES] installation to Illuminate – no technical plan yet, no engineering yet. And they were incredible. They jumped on board as interested in programming the work, and that’s huge for us,” Joren says.
That backing has been invaluable in securing funding and future festival opportunities.
“We really can’t wait to have the Adelaide public, our home audience, interact with this thing, and then for them to get to experience seeing it go off around the country and hopefully the world is really special.”
Illuminate Adelaide: lighting up winter
VOICES is just one highlight of Illuminate Adelaide 2025, a festival that’s turned Adelaide into a winter wonderland of interactive art, live music, and cutting-edge technology since launching five years ago.
Winter has traditionally been a void for festivals in SA, but Illuminate Adelaide transforms our colder months into something magical, supporting locally-based studios like Pulsing Heart, as well as food, beverage and retail providers throughout our CBD.
Last year alone, the event drew more than 1.3 million attendances, pumping an impressive $43.9 million into South Australia’s visitor economy, and creating 4000 employment opportunities.
Plus, it gives us all an excellent excuse to rug up, step out, and experience the city in a fresh, fun way.
This year’s Illuminate Adelaide program
With over 130 extraordinary experiences lighting up the city from 2-20 July, here are the top picks:
- Horizons (Adelaide Oval)
A breathtaking drone show illuminating South Australia’s past and future with mesmerising aerial choreography. Horizons is an Illuminate Adelaide production presented by RAA, in association with Adelaide Oval, AGB Creative, & KOJO.
- Night Visions (Adelaide Botanic Garden)
Explore an otherworldly garden brought to life with lasers, vivid projections, and immersive soundscapes.
- Unsound Adelaide (various venues)
Experience boundary-pushing performances, including legendary Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale and innovative electronic artists.
- Supersonic (West End)
An electrifying night of indie jams, experimental beats, and vibrant techno spread across iconic West End venues.
- Universal Kingdom: The Next Era (Adelaide Zoo)
A family-friendly after-dark adventure featuring lifelike dinosaurs animated through cutting-edge puppetry.
- The Offline Club (various locations)
Step away from screens for meaningful, device-free experiences that help you reconnect in unique Adelaide settings.
- City Lights (throughout CBD)
Wander the streets and discover interactive installations, stunning projections, and surprise experiences – including Pulsing Heart’s VOICES installation and Adelaide University’s beloved pop-up LUMEN bar.
- Base Camp (Lot Fourteen)
After exploring, unwind at Illuminate’s buzzing after-dark hub with tasty local eats, warming drinks, and a lively vibe.
For more details and to plan your Illuminate Adelaide adventure, see the full program here.
