A new Christmas gift for the city: IWAGUMI AIR SCAPE, the monumental installation by the internationally renowned Australian studio ENESS, arrives in Piazza Maggiore. After captivating cities like Singapore and Melbourne, the work lands in Bologna in a site-specific version.
The installation transforms the Renaissance heart of the square into a garden of **oversized rocks** – up to 14 meters high – that appear to emerge from the ground. Inspired by the Japanese term "Iwagumi" (a grouping of rocks in a landscape), this project creates a powerful and surprising dialogue between the ancient and the new, between urban architecture and the illusory force of the natural world.
The artwork is a poetic landscape in continuous mutation:
By day: The imposing and illusory granite rocks break the ordinary and spark the imagination.
At sunset: The installation comes alive. The rocks light up, changing color and interacting with visitors, echoing with music and nature-inspired sounds.
Upon approaching, you can listen to sounds from the natural world alternating with famous classical piano compositions.
Don't miss the first illumination of the work on Sunday, December 21st, at 6:00 PM, a musical moment featuring the young soprano Iolanda Massimo accompanied on the piano by Paolo Andreoli.
A project promoted by Bologna Festival and sponsored by Illumia.
Map
Iwagumi | Dismisura
Piazza maggiore
Site/minisite/other: https://www.bolognafestival.it/it/iwagumi-dismisura/
Entrance
Free of charge
Interests
- Music & Exhibition
Timetables
The installation can be viewed freely in Piazza Maggiore, during the day and at night, from 21 to 26 December 2025. (The first lighting on 21 December is at 6 p.m., and on the following days the work will light up automatically at sunset).
