A Dazzling Mindfulness Installation with More Than 20,000 Lights Has Popped Up in the Wintergarden

Escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life can sometimes be as easy as escaping into a vibrant art installation — in Brisbane over the past few years, at least. In recent times, the River City has played host to multi-sensory Van Gogh exhibitions, recreations of the Sistine Chapel, giant kaleidoscopes you can walk through, inflatable spaces and more, all aiming to take you out of your routine and into a place most wonderful and dazzling.

The latest event to join them: pop-up mindfulness installation DayDream, which is taking the luminous part of these kinds of activities firmly to heart. Located on the bottom level of the Wintergarden shopping centre in the Queen Street Mall until Sunday, October 30, it's filled with more than 20,000 lights, which beam along to an ambient soundscape.

An array of colours also flicker through the installation, with four different experiences on offer during the pop-up's run. Until Tuesday, October 18, it's going with 'Into the Wild' and 'Over the Rainbow' themes, while the rest of the dates will opt for 'Summer Solstice' and 'Deep Space'.

Whenever you drop by, you'll be soaking up the space's calming vibes in 90-second bursts — including on bean bags — and endeavouring to drift far away from your everyday ebbs and flows.

The one caveat: to enter, you do need to spend $10 at the Wintergarden first, then show your receipt to walk through DayDream's darkened archway. That's as good an excuse as any to go shopping, of course.

Also, if you're photosensitive or respond to strobing lights, DayDream features flashing LEDs — so take that into consideration before heading along.

Find DayDream in the Wintergarden, on the ground level of the Queen Street Mall shopping centre in the CBD, until Sunday, October 30 — operating 10am–3pm Saturday–Thursday, 10am–7pm Fridays.