A new Olafur Eliasson exhibition, 'Olafur Eliasson: Presence,' opens December 6, 2025, at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and runs through July 12, 2026. The immersive show transforms GOMA’s ground floor with multi-sensory installations spanning over three decades of the artist’s career, including early works like 'Beauty' (1993) and 'Riverbed' (2014), alongside new commissions such as the large-scale 'Presence 2025' and the magnetic sculpture 'Lost compass' (2013). Visitors are invited to become co-creators, navigating environments that play with light, mist, mirrors, and even a LEGO city.
This exhibition matters because it underscores Eliasson’s enduring influence on contemporary art’s turn toward participatory and sensory experiences, challenging audiences to reconsider how perception shapes reality. By blending art, science, and environmental awareness, 'Presence' reinforces the role of museums as spaces for active engagement and reflection, particularly relevant as institutions seek to deepen visitor connection in an increasingly digital age.