Olafur Eliasson: Presence
Olafur Eliasson / Riverbed 2014 / ‘Presence’ 2025, (installation view) GOMA 2026 / Purchased 2021. The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust / Collection: The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust QAGOMA / Photograph: N Harth
Step into a colour-filled world of wonder at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) these school holidays. The family-friendly exhibition Olafur Eliasson: Presence, is the perfect blend of art, light, and play.
Olafur Eliasson, an Icelandic-Danish artist, invites visitors of all ages to see the world differently. His work blurs the line between art and experience, encouraging you to look, move, and even feel your way through the gallery. From the moment you enter, it’s not just about seeing art – it’s about being part of it.
Olafur Eliasson / ‘Presence’ 2025, (installation view) GOMA 2026/ Courtesy: The artist; neugerriemschneider, Berlin; and Tanya Bonakdar Gallery, New York / © 2025 Olafur Eliasson / Photograph: J Ruckli
Exciting and interactive family favourites include Riverbed (2014), where kids can wander through a rocky landscape complete with running water is a mesmerising mix of art and natural play for all ages; and Beauty (1993) where a shimmering indoor rainbow is suspended in a fine mist where you become part of the artwork. Not forgetting Presence (2025) a giant indoor sun, bathing everyone in a warm golden light, and changing the colour of your hair and clothes! See it to believe it.
Olafur Eliasson / The cubic structural evolution project 2004/ ‘Presence’, (installation view) GOMA 2026 / Photograph: J Ruckli
Then there’s the all-time favourite, The cubic structural evolution project (2004), an enormous, all-white LEGO city that children (and parents) help build and rebuild, transforming the artwork with every visit.
This is an exhibition to experience together. Whether your little ones are mesmerised by misty rainbows or elbow-deep in LEGO bricks, Olafur Eliasson: Presence is a must-do for all
The exhibition runs until 12 July 2026 at QAGOMA.
Olafur Eliasson / Beauty 1993 / ‘Presence’ (installation view) GOMA 2026 / Purchased 2025. The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust / Collection: The Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Charitable Trust, QAGOMA / Photograph: Ela Bialkowska
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