Iridescence

The agile dragonfly captures the imagination with its shimmering wings, aerial skill, and quiet strength. It symbolises transformation, resilience, and the balance of ecosystems. Iridescence is a creative response to this remarkable insect, using sound, movement, and reflective materials to evoke its presence and power.

Each dragonfly in the installation is crafted from folded stainless steel and carefully heat-treated to produce a unique pattern of iridescent colours. These variations reflect the diversity of dragonfly species found at three wetland locations across the UK, celebrating both their beauty and their connection to place.

The artwork floats gracefully on water, echoing the dragonfly’s deep relationship with aquatic life. Dragonflies spend most of their lives underwater as nymphs before emerging to live briefly above the surface—flying, mating, and laying eggs. Iridescence captures this moment of change, reflecting on the fragile beauty of life in transition.

Iridescence has been installed simultaneously at three WWT sites across the UK. In Washington, a post-industrial setting reveals nature’s ability to reclaim and transform. In London, the urban wetlands offer a rare sanctuary for wildlife within the heart of the city. And in Llanelli, the coastal reserve highlights the dynamic interplay between land and sea. Each site provides a powerful and distinct context for exploring the dragonfly’s adaptability and its role in these vital ecosystems.

As part of the engagment programme, a series of workshops were undertaken with the local community to create their own dragonfly creations using paper cutouts. Three local poets were also invited to collaborate at the workshops to create new work drawing on the amazing attributes and dragonfly habitats.