Cool air

The Architects Of Air are a group of UK-based artists who hand-make inflatable plastic sculptures large enough to house tens of viewers at a time. These creations delight the eye with both their geometric oddity and the way natural light plays on and through their variously coloured panels. One such sculpture, Mirazozo (which sounds like it should be hanging out with Azazel and Pazuzu), was recently parked on the cobbles in the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House. CM, AM and I took advantage of the midweek Australia Day holiday to investigate it, and saved ourselves a 45-minute swelter in the queue by pre-booking. To protect the floor layer, we had to stow our shoes in pigeonholes at the entrance/exit (which also served to track how many were in the belly of the beast). We were then given 20 minutes to wander the chambers, take photos, recline in the alcoves or lie beneath the domed ceilings and dream kaleidoscopic daydreams. While I couldn’t resist identifying where air hoses weren't working or little tears were forming in the material, these minor imperfections detracted not a jot from the overall aesthetic experience. It was like...well, whatever you thought it was like – alien spaceship, womb, octopus's garden, living artwork, Wonka factory, LSD trip, beautiful balloon, comedy dinosaur stomach, vision of the afterlife or just a mighty fine tourist attraction.