It’s a joy to welcome back old friends of Light Up Trails this year as the incredible Belgian artist Bobolito&Co bring the latest version of their world famous Rhizome installation to Sir Harold Hillier Gardens.

Bobolito&Co explore the deeper layers of reality and mind, in search of the boundaries between nature and technology, between man and robot, between dead and living matter in a quest for the subtle, always changing properties of the rhizome – the underground communication networks of plants and microbes.

Here, in a rare interview, Bobolito&Co tackle a few of our questions ahead of Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens…

For those who haven't seen Rhizome before, what are they going to see?

For those who haven’t seen Rhizome before, they’re going to step into this glowing, immersive sculptural world. We actually use fluorescent ropes hung between trees and bushes, and then we play with all these beautiful light effects and even a synchronized soundscape. The idea is that it really comes to life at night and feels like you’re seeing these hidden plant networks made visible in a really magical way.

If you have seen Rhizome before, how has it evolved into the space at Hillier Gardens?

If someone has seen Rhizome before, they’ll find that it’s evolved in a really fresh way at Hillier Gardens. Every time we bring Rhizome to a new location – or even if we return to the same place – it’s always a bit different. This year, we’ve added mirrors into the installation, so you get these extra layers of reflection and shadow. It’s like a celebratory edition that brings even more vibrancy and depth. So even if you’ve seen it before, this version will definitely feel new and special because of those added reflective elements.

How does it feel to show Rhizome surrounded by so many important tree and plant collections?

In my personal life, I’m a really enthusiastic gardener – I grow everything from potatoes and tomatoes to pumpkins and squash. So being able to install Rhizome in a botanical garden is just perfect. It’s a place I’d visit in my free time anyway, and now I get to work surrounded by these amazing trees and plants. It’s quiet, it’s beautiful, and it’s also a source of endless inspiration for my other work, including smaller pieces people can have in their homes. So really, it’s the best of both worlds: I get to merge my passion for gardening with my art, and it feels fantastic.

What do you hope people will take away from having seen Rhizome?

So, when it comes to what I hope people take away from Rhizome, I honestly keep it simple. For me, it’s all about just a sense of fun, togetherness, and fascination. Especially for the kids who see it earlier in the evening and then the adults who come later on, I really just want it to be like this digital campfire where people gather, hang out, and feel like they’re inside this cocoon of connections and maybe a few disconnections too. It’s not about high stakes; it’s really just about giving people a space to enjoy a little wonder together.

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