Then this appeared….

Ipswich is the kind of place where, if aliens were to invade the square tomorrow, I wouldn’t be that surprised.

So when I saw this ten-eyed, harmonising sculpture in the centre of town, I thought ‘….of course.’ Where else would a striking, enigmatic structure appear overnight, than right alongside the country’s first global ‘portal’?

When it comes to towns, I have to say, Ipswich stands apart for its boldness and innovation.

Thanks to a £2.34 million boost from the government’s Towns Fund, Ipswich is set to light up and come alive with digital art, augmented reality trails, and interactive installations this year – “In Bloom” just being one of them.

I’ll be honest; at first, I didn’t think it was very aesthetically pleasing. Especially against the backdrop of our historic town. But as the days passed, and I watched people’s curiosity and interaction grow, so did my appreciation.

There’s also a lot more depth to this plant-like structure.

Dreamed up by the imaginative light artists Tom and Sébastien at Kumquat Labs, this ambient, interactive sound-and-light installation draws its inspiration from pollination.

These illuminous spheres represent flowers, each triggering a musical note when touched, inviting people to meander from orb to orb, creating sound together, much like buzzing bees drifting from bloom to bloom. A beautiful thought, and a clever way to welcome Spring’s arrival.