Genius Laser Technology was proud to support two major laser installations for Now or Never 2026, the City of Melbourne’s annual festival of art, ideas, sound and technology.
Across 12 days, the festival brought more than 250 local and international artists and creatives to Melbourne for over 150 events. Venues, landmarks and public spaces across the city were transformed through large-scale installations, performances, music and emerging technology.
For this year’s program, our team provided our GENAS Laser Systems and technical production support for two very different works: PRESENCE by Robin Fox and Multimmersion: Upside Down V2 by AKA Chang.
One filled the Main Hall of Melbourne Town Hall with sound-driven geometric light. The other turned the Yarra River–Birrarung into a shifting outdoor canvas of laser, colour and reflection. Together, the installations demonstrated the extraordinary range of experiences that can be created when artistic vision, professional laser systems and careful technical delivery come together.
PRESENCE: sound made visible at Melbourne Town Hall
| Created by Australian audio-visual artist Robin Fox, PRESENCE was a world-premiere installation presented inside the Main Hall of Melbourne Town Hall from 21 to 27 August. Robin's work explores the direct relationship between sound and light. In PRESENCE, laser movement was synchronised with audio in real time, producing geometric planes and three-dimensional environments that continually formed, dissolved and reappeared around the audience. Rather than watching a conventional laser show from a fixed position, visitors entered the work and experienced it from within. Atmospheric haze revealed the full volume of each beam, allowing light to occupy the architecture and surround people throughout the hall. Fine visual detail could shift into powerful waves of intensity within moments, creating an experience that was both precisely controlled and constantly changing. The installation transformed the room into an active part of the artwork, blurring the distinction between what the audience heard and what it saw. Genius Laser Technology was pleased to supply our GENLAS lasers for the installation, continuing our work with Robin Fox on ambitious laser projects in Australia. |  |
Multimmersion: transforming the Yarra River–Birrarung
| Outside at Birrarung Marr, Multimmersion: Upside Down V2 approached laser art from an entirely different perspective. Created by Taiwanese artist AKA Chang, the installation used the surface of the Yarra River–Birrarung as an active part of the artwork. Laser beams travelled across the water while their reflections extended and distorted the image, producing kaleidoscopic forms that shifted with the river and the viewer’s position. The work invited audiences to pause along the river and look beyond what was immediately visible. Light appeared to sit on the surface, continue beneath it and return through reflection, creating a mirror-like dimension between the real image and its inverted counterpart. Rather than treating the river as a backdrop, Multimmersion made the landscape central to the experience. Water, darkness, distance and reflection all became part of the final composition. Delivering a laser installation over water requires careful consideration of scale, projection angles, audience sightlines and the surrounding environment. Unlike an indoor venue, a river is never completely static. Water movement, weather, ambient light and public viewing positions can all influence how the work is perceived. By combining AKA Chang’s artistic direction with our GENLAS lasers and on-site technical expertise, Multimmersion became a large-scale public artwork created specifically for its location. |  |
Two immersive laser installations in completely different environments
| PRESENCE and Multimmersion showed how flexible laser technology can be when it is developed around an artwork rather than added as a standard visual effect. At Melbourne Town Hall, sound generated a constantly evolving architecture of light inside a defined room. At Birrarung Marr, the river, open air and surrounding darkness became part of the composition. One installation was enclosed, volumetric and immediate. The other was expansive, reflective and experienced across a public landscape. Both used laser light to change the audience’s perception of a familiar Melbourne location. This ability to adapt to different spaces is one of the strengths of immersive laser production. Lasers can define an interior, follow architectural lines, travel across a landscape, interact with water or create aerial forms visible from a distance. The creative and technical approach can be tailored to the site, audience and intent of each project |
Technical production behind immersive laser art
| Large-scale public artworks rely on extensive technical planning behind the scenes. For laser installations, this can include equipment selection, system layout, projector positioning, alignment, programming integration, control, power and data distribution, atmospheric effects, safety planning, approvals and on-site operation. Every element must support the creative concept while accounting for venue restrictions, audience movement and environmental conditions. Safety is central to this process. Projection areas, equipment positions and audience access must be assessed carefully, with the installation designed and operated by experienced professionals. GLT’s production services include qualified Laser Safety Officers, technical planning, high-output professional systems and on-site delivery for major festivals and public events. The aim is for visitors to encounter a seamless artwork without seeing the preparation beneath it, where the technology becomes part of the experience rather than a distraction from it. |
A memorable contribution to Now or Never 2026
| Centred on the theme A Whole New World, Now or Never 2026 explored how art and emerging technology could reshape familiar spaces and offer new ways of experiencing Melbourne/Narrm. PRESENCE and Multimmersion captured that idea in two distinct ways. Robin Fox transformed the civic interior of Melbourne Town Hall into a responsive field of sound and laser. AKA Chang used light and reflection to reveal another version of the river after dark. We thank Now or Never, the City of Melbourne, Robin Fox and AKA Chang for the opportunity to support these remarkable works. We are also incredibly proud of the GLT crew whose technical skill and commitment helped bring both installations to life.
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What laser installations can bring to festivals and public events
| Custom laser installations can provide:
With more than 30 years of experience, Genius Laser Technology delivers custom laser shows and installations for festivals, concerts, public events and major productions throughout Australia. Our Melbourne-based team supports projects from early technical planning through to equipment supply, safety management and on-site delivery. |
Planning an immersive laser installation?
| Whether you are developing a public artwork, festival feature, indoor audio-visual experience or large-scale outdoor laser show, Genius Laser Technology can help translate the creative concept into a safe, reliable and visually powerful production. Explore our festival and event laser shows, view our large-scale laser show capabilities, or contact the GLT production team to discuss your next project. |