There are countless reasons Aussies travel to Japan – some chase bowls of steaming ramen, others take on the mighty Mount Fuji and plenty are there to just soak in a real-deal onsen. For me, one of the biggest drawcards was to step inside an installation by teamLab – the world-renowned collective behind immersive, multidimensional art experiences in Japan and beyond. Tokyo's teamLab Borderless installation was the highlight of my trip, and I’d fly all the way back just to see another one. But now I don’t have to. For the first time, the world-renowned art collective is bringing one of its spellbinding digital artworks to regional Australia – and it’s completely free to explore.
teamLab’s exhibitions have drawn huge crowds everywhere from Tokyo and New York to London and Singapore — with tickets often selling out months in advance. Now, for the first time, the world-famous art collective is bringing one of its mesmerising digital experiences, Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour, to regional Australia. Landing at Coffs Harbour’s Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) from June 14 to August 24, it marks a major moment for the coastal NSW city – and teamLab’s first-ever showing outside a metro area.
For those who haven’t been to a teamLab exhibition, they’re not something you simply admire – they’re artworks you become part of. This particular interactive video installation condenses the year-long life cycle of flowers into just one hour. As you stand still, the flowers will bloom and grow in front of you. But move, and the petals will scatter and disappear. This real-time interaction means the artwork is continuously changing, and no two cycles are ever the same.
“We anticipate Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour will bring new audiences to YAM. Visitors can chill out on beanbags or move in the space to engage with the video and experience this immersive and highly photogenic installation,” YAM City Cultural Services Team Leader Carrie Kibbler said.
To make things even better, Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour is completely free to enjoy. You can just walk in and explore at your own pace, then check out YAM’s two other blockbuster winter exhibitions. That includes Interconnected Entities, a collection of surreal sculptures by artists Patricia Piccinini and Caroline Rothwell, and Shadows Make the Light Shine Brighter, a mind-bending ceramic and video installation by artist Juz Kitson.
Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour is on at Yarrila Arts and Museum in Coffs Harbour from June 14 to August 24, 2025, and you can find out more here.