The surface of the Birrarung Yarra River is set to ignite up in a celestial transformation of light and movement as Constellations makes it way to Naarm/Melbourne.
For an art piece that traverses time and space, it’s only fitting that Studio Lemercier’s Constellations is a project that has been years in the making. “It had been Joanie [Lemercier]’s dream for many, many, many years to project image on water,” says Juliette Bibasse, co-director of Studio Lemercier.
“The goal of Joanie since the beginning of his practice was to – what we say as a slogan – escape the screen.”
Constellations at Now or Never
- Thursday 22 August to Saturday 24 August and Thursday 29 August to Saturday 31 August, 6pm to 11pm; Sunday 25 August, 6pm to 10pm
- Yarra River/Birrarung, Southbank Promenade
- Free to attend
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Constellations is a dynamic interplay of light and shapes, projected onto a water screen that will float above the surface of the Yarra this August for Now or Never.
Free to attend, Constellations will be showcased on the Southbank Promenade in the CBD from Thursday 22 August to Sunday 25 August, and Thursday 29 August to Sunday 31 August.
While Joanie had envisaged projecting images on water for years, it wasn’t until Studio Lemercier acquired their Brussels studio in 2017 that they found the perfect testing grounds for the project.
“The first thing Joanie did when the whole space was empty was to come with a video projector and a water hose,” Juliette says. “It’s because we had the studio space that Joanie was able to experiment on a daily basis on what works and what doesn’t when you project on water.”
After years of experimentation, Constellations was born, transporting viewers in a universe of celestial curiosity and intergalactic intrigue. This installation acts as a portal to a three-dimensional interplanetary system, with light projected onto water particles creating a gateway to deep space.
Accompanied by an ominous, electronic soundscape by artist Paul Jebanasam, Constellations invites viewers to travel through the universe while still standing by the Yarra.
“A journey into the cosmos”
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Juliette explains that Joanie’s prior experiments with star constellations and star systems inspired the idea of “a kind of dreamy train ride taking you to the cosmos.”
Over time, Studio Lemercier developed a piece that brings space exploration to Earth. “We really wanted to explore the idea of taking a journey into the cosmos,” Juliette says.
Based in Brussels, Studio Lemercier has showcased Constellations around the world in about fifteen international showings. Due to their commitment to environmental activism, Joanie and Juliette avoid travelling overseas in an attempt to minimise their carbon footprint.
Juliette expresses her regret about missing the Melbourne show. “I have huge FOMO,” she laughs.
“Parts of the cosmos you cannot access”
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Environmental activism plays a crucial role in both of the pair’s personal and professional lives, influencing how they create and share Studio Lemercier’s art.
“In many art projects we do, we talk about extracting ourselves from fossil fuels,” Juliette says. “It’s an interesting physical experience to try to extract yourself also from them on a personal level.” The consideration is evident in Constellations, prompting reflection on the significance of our world within the universe.
Juliette emphasises that the emotions experienced while watching Constellations are heightened through Paul Jebanasam’s score that underlines the piece. “He’s really [someone] who can bring a lot of storytelling and emotion into music,” she says.
“[In Constellations], it’s really the music that is lifting you into believing that there is something bigger, somehow, looking at these parts of the cosmos that you cannot access.”
“Another dimension we cannot control”
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The collaboration doesn’t stop there. While Studio Lemercier worked with Paul on sound design and with AV teams all over the world to set up Constellations at different showings, Juliette also points out that the environment itself plays a significant role in the project.
“You already have this tri-dimensional depth that comes from the water screen,” she says, “but if it’s windy, it can be incredible because then the wind will play with the water screen and create this other dimension that we cannot control.”
Combining light, a water screen and the banks of the Yarra River, Constellations creates a cosmos right here in Melbourne. The location where Constellations takes place was a point of deep consideration for Studio Lemercier, with locking down a permit for the Birrarung having proved harder than they expected.
After initial rejections, they finally received approval. “I’m convinced that the place where it’s going to be is going to be the best one,” Juliette says.
You can find out more information about Constellations at Now or Never here.
