Absolut Vodka has teamed up with British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE to create an immersive art installation at Tomorrowland Belgium.
The installation, which launched at the festival last weekend, combines art, music and movement and marks the tenth year of partnership between Absolut and Tomorrowland.
The activation features elements including an interactive projection, which responds to visitors’ movements, interactive cylinders, a dancefloor, DJ booth and Absolut cocktail bar.
The partnership also sees Ilori, whose previous retail projects include designing a carrier bag for M&S and a 40-piece home and furniture collection with Dunelm, appointed as creative director for Absolut’s festival activations.
The artist said he created the installation using ideas inspired by movement traditions from around the world, including West African masquerade, Brazilian Capoeira and Persian Sufi whirling.
Absolut global VP marketing Craig van Niekerk said the partnership with Ilori would help create a new type of festival experience focused on meaningful connection.
Related Story
“Festivals are a key moment for our consumers to connect, with data showing that 70% of festivalgoers are Gen Z or Millennials, and through our partnership with Yinka we are creating a new experience for them that moves beyond celebration and allows meaningful connection.
“Yinka’s work is rooted in joy, community and togetherness; values that sit at the heart of Absolut and our United We Dance partnership with Tomorrowland. We look forward to continuing to evolve this in ways that engage our consumers and make the expected more imaginative.”
Yinka Ilori said the project was about creating a space where people could feel welcome and connected, adding that he wanted visitors to actively take part in the experience rather than simply observe it.
“Tomorrowland is already a place where people experience joy, freedom and belonging through music,” he said.
“My role has been to build on that energy and design an experience that invites people to participate, connect and create memories together.
“What interested me about this project was creating something people could actively engage with… something where interaction itself becomes part of the experience. ”
Click here to sign up to Retail Gazette‘s free daily email newsletter
