As part of our “Five minutes with…” series we took time out with the artists behind Evanescent – Zara Pasfield and Renzo B. Larriviere at Atelier Sisu.
Evanescent is a larger-than-life bubble artwork standing at 8m tall which invites you to walk underneath and among the bubble structures which, by daylight, are iridescent in the sunlight. When darkness falls, internal lights illuminate bubbles in vibrant multi colours along side an accompanying ethereal soundscape.
5 Minutes with Atelier Sisus
Hi Atelier Sisu well, Zara and Renzo, the team behind Atelier Sisu,, welcome to River of Light! How do you feel about your artwork featuring in our River of Light Trail this year with Culture Liverpool?
We’re thrilled to be here in Liverpool exhibiting Evanescent. With such a great collection of artists included in the light walk, we’re very humbled to be included in this year’s line up.
Could you tell us about your installation and what people can expect to see?
Of course. Evanescent is a piece of our bubble-tecture collection. It is comprised of three larger than life bubble structures that we are inviting the audience to move around and explore during both the day and the night time. During the day, their iridescent surface will reflect the sun’s light, emulating the surface of a bubble. When night falls, internal illumination will create a choreographed display of colour and light that will accompany a custom sound scape. Complex shadows of reflected colour are thrown onto the environment around the work, emulating the reflectivity and uniqueness of bubbles.
Your artwork, Evanescent, features large bubble like structures could you tell us a bit about your inspiration behind the installation?
The artwork was really born from the pandemic. Like the rest of the world, we experienced the sudden ceasing of most of the activities in our day to day lives. We were forced to realise how temporary everything in our lives was. The best way that we were able to convey this transience and temporality was through the concept of the bubble. As something that is temporary and beautiful, we hope that the image of the bubble encourages the audience to reflect on the world around them and view the world as something that is also fragile and beautiful.
Your artwork is featured in Exchange Flags a historic cultured area of Liverpool. Liverpool has a thriving cultural and artistic scene – could you tell us what your favourite thing(s) are about the cultural scene in Liverpool?
As we’ve been on site installing the artwork since we arrived, we haven’t yet had the opportunity to explore Liverpool’s exciting cultural scene. We are really looking forward to exploring the Tate and the Walker Art Gallery, not to mention hunting down some live music while we’re here.
If anyone is thinking about coming down to River of Light but is unsure, what would you say to them to explain why they should come and see your artwork?
This year there is a wonderfully curated collection of internationally renowned artists and their spectacular light artworks spread around the city- why wouldn’t you want to soak it all up?!
If you’re looking for something whimsical and unexpected, Evanescent is certainly for you. The bubbles are something that we hope sparks as much joy into adults as it does the children and is worth a visit during the day and the night.
Aside from your own creative works, is there any other artwork that you’re particularly keen on seeing?
It is really hard to narrow it down, this year’s lightwalk is comprised of so many spectacular pieces. We’ve been a big fan of Abram Santa Cruz’s Electric Dandelions and Juan A. Fuentes Muñoz’s Kinetic Perspective for some time and we can’t wait to see them in real life.
What inspired you to get involved in the creative sector and be an artist? Do you face any challenges today and how do you overcome them?
Both Renzo and I have always been drawn to the creative industries. If our professional lives were not in the public artwork sector, I’m sure we would still both be creating artworks in our spare time! I, Zara, have a background in architectural design, and Renzo comes from the world of fine art and industrial design. We both found that, despite our differing areas of study, we were most passionate about designing and creating artworks for the public realm.
I think that we still have the most trouble describing what on earth it is that we do! The industry is constantly changing, so this is particularly difficult to articulate. Even now, I’m not sure that my parents fully understand what I do for a living.
You have been working with students from Liverpool John Moores University during your time in Liverpool – could you tell us a bit more about that? Why you got involved and what you’ve been doing?
Yes! We were lucky enough to spend the morning with a group of students at the John Moores University, shedding a little bit of light of what it is we do, the considerations needed for deign in the public sphere and our journey’s into this design field. It so important to make sure the next generation of designers and artists are aware that this is a potential career path. I know that when I was studying, I didn’t realise that this was a viable option. I hope that we were able to inspire a few future light artists!
Your work is inspirational, and you clearly have a keen interest in supporting the next generation of artists, do you have any advice for anyone wanting to get into the creative sector? Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to get into this industry?
Absolutely. It is so important to just go for it. There is no correct way to start working in the industry, so it is really about starting somewhere. Some key pieces of advise we would have would be:
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Grow a thick skin, developing a style and landing the right jobs take tame.
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Ask when you don’t know, there are always people willing to help point you in the right direction.
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Just start.
Where can people go to find out more about your work and where you will be next?
The best way to keep up with Atelier Sisu’s work is through our social media. This is where we post behind the scenes processes, and debut’s of new artworks. You can find us here: https://www.instagram.com/ateliersisu/
Take a look behind the scenes at the workshops run in Liverpool John Moores University with students learning from the team themselves behind the artwork, Evanescent.
