#HTE
The continuous journey through multiple terrains, Rhythm of Nature is a series of immersive environmental installations marked by soft slopes of sand, welcoming us to the first installation – Etoile.
Reminiscent of the grounding sensation felt when traversing a path of sand, grass and soil, the Terra installation takes direct inspiration from the forest floor. Echoing natures imperfection, moss and fern mounds sit in contrast with the clean entrance archway.
Highlighting the soft, textural essence of Palus, an immersive floral installation is suspended from the ceiling above the rug. A moment of pause is created as guests change perspectives by looking up, and enjoying a moment of solitude.
Even though Australia’s been relatively lucky with pandemic lockdowns compared to the rest of the world, we’ve all felt the adverse effects of the seemingly endless restrictions. I personally never realised how starved I’d been of beauty and multi-sensory inspirations that can only be delivered by live events. Perhaps this is why “Rhythm of Nature” by Armadillo x House of Grey nearly made me cry. It might sound a little dramatic (Who? Me being dramatic? Never!), but bear with me – because it’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to share an experience that charted on the trusted Dana cry-o-meter.
Hosted late last week at a satellite venue conveniently adjacent to Armadillo’s very beautiful Surry Hills showroom, I arrived late in the afternoon rattled and exhausted from what was genuinely a long, intense, and very much a less-than-an-ideal day. Walking in feeling how I felt, it was beauty I expected to see – sure, but I didn’t imagine the experience would do any more than that for me.
Do you see where I’m going with this? Yep. Not only did the whole thing genuinely move me, the very first interaction with the movie preview immediately before the physical walk-through almost made me cry. Sure, you could put that down to the combination of sleepless #mumlife and a crazy day purely powered by coffee and very little food (seriously, don’t ask!); I do think my reaction points to something that’s far more powerful than that. I don’t cry at any old thing, you know – only when what I’m witnessing is truly beautiful, profoundly moving and/ or executed to perfection. Enter “Rhythm of Nature” – a journey through an art installation that celebrated natural beauty and encouraged quiet exploration and reflective introspection. This was an experience that delivered on all fronts.
In Umbra, guests are greeted by a field of grasses, exploring the variations on tone and texture and mirroring nature’s unbridled beauty. A path is carved through the grass fields for guests to explore at their own pace.
Perilune is a meditative space reserved for reflection, inner calm and stillness. Reminiscent of the transient nature of our existence, the ritualistic space reveals a projected installation which allows a moment of pause, looking to the horizon and clouds beyond.
“Rhythm of Nature” celebrates the launch of The Ellipse Collection, a collaboration between Armadillo and UK-based design studio House of Grey, brought to life with an experiential campaign that reconnects the viewer to nature’s tempo and reinforces a philosophy of designing spaces that nurture a gentler pace of life.
Each of the five rugs in the collection – Etoile, Terra, Palus, Umbra and Perilune – are elevated to a work of art via their own dedicated space. The rugs are shown in a highly conceptual natural context surrounded by soft slopes of sand, mounds of grass and soil, feathery florals suspended from the ceiling, an unbridled field of grasses and a luminous pool of water.
The cinematic film (shown at the bottom of this article) conveys the experiential collaboration. Shot by the award-winning Australian director Glendyn Ivin, it captures the moving landscape and tactile presence of the collection in such a way that the viewer feels as if they are experiencing it first-hand. Accompanied by an original soothing soundtrack, the experience is intended to steady the beat of day-to-day life in tune with the rhythm of nature and impart the viewer with a sense of calm as they return to the outside world.
I mean, look. The “Rhythm Of Nature” is amazing, but Armadillo could’ve saved bags of money on the model by hiring me for the day. Hahahaha! I’m hilarious. Anyway, please excuse the unpolished BTS snaps, but I feel they hint at how very special the real-life experience was, despite the very average iPhone shots, if you know what I mean.
Perhaps what was even more magnificent than experiencing this quiet and measured yet exceptionally powerful installation, is witnessing Armadillo, an Australian-born global rug brand, going from strength to strength and positioning itself as a design through leader. In a pandemic world of non-physical events, they have created immersive, inspirational, on-the-money creative content designed to be digitally experienced globally. Not only that, the real deal would’ve held its own on the most celebrated global design stage, like the legendary Milan Design Week itself.
Kudos to everyone involved.
For more information and to explore this very special initiative, visit rhythmofnature.armadillo-co.com.
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https://www.yellowtrace.com.au/rhythm-of-nature-armadillo-x-house-of-grey/