GLENCOE, Ill. – June 3, 2026 — With brushes, smiles, and a few final tweaks to a fantasy of light and reflection, artists put the finishing touches Wednesday on Evanescent, the immersive bubble-inspired sculpture installation now dubbed “Shimmering Summer” at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
The show opens Saturday and floats through Sept. 20. It’s free with garden admission or membership.
“It’s a playful reflection of nature,” one artist said.
Members can step into a shimmering landscape of larger-than-life bubbles, where sky, trees, garden views—and even their own reflection—shift and warp with every step. The result: nature seen through a lively, colorful, and deeply playful lens.
The fun kicks off with an opening weekend filled with music, field games, giant bubbles, and more: June 6–7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Festival Field.
Ben Harris of Nashville, photographing for one of the artists, said the installation defies expectations. “They are much bigger in person. The colors are a true reflection of the environment.”
According to the garden, Evanescent is an immersive temporary sculpture meant to capture the ephemerality and fragility of life—through the familiar, fleeting form of a bubble. Like the bubble, life is transient, meant to be appreciated in the moment.
The work comes from Atelier Sisu, founded in 2020 by Peruvian artist Renzo B. Larriviere and Australian artist Zara Pasfield. After years collaborating as independent creators in experiential sculpture, the duo now builds public installations defined by abstract forms, light, and sound—designed to spark emotional engagement, inclusivity, and wonder.
You can catch Evanescent at five locations across the garden:
· Visitor Center
· Festival Field
· Lawn south of Buehler Enabling Garden
· Water near the Serpentine Bridge
· Farm on Ogden and Windy City Harvest Headquarters
No tickets required beyond the garden gate—just bring your sense of wonder before summer pops and fades away.
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