Olafur Eliasson builds a lava-tiled dome on a remote Korean island

Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson’s installation ‘Breathing Earth Sphere’ opened to the public last week on Docho Island, part of South Korea’s largest archipelago.

The artist – known for his innovative explorations of nature and perception – presented the first work of the Shinan Art Island Project, which aims to connect the region’s 1,000+ islands (many of which are UNESCO-designated for their ecological importance) through public art.

Inspired by Dochodo Island’s volcanic terrain and rich geological history, Breathing Earth Sphere takes shape within the Dochodo National Park Garden. Accessible via a tranquil pine-lined pathway, visitors have the option of a contemplative stop at a hackberry tree before entering a dimly lit tunnel that leads them to the installation itself – an expansive, spherical space measuring ten meters in diameter, nestled beneath the earth’s surface.

The interior of the sphere is lined with 1,200 lava tiles in 24 shades of red, green, and cyan, with the color gradations evoking the flow of energy from the planet’s core to plant life on the surface.

Eliasson describes the space as a seamless environment with no clear boundaries – no distinct walls, floor, or ceiling – offering a fully immersive experience that invites visitors to lose themselves in the present moment. 

“Standing there, you may feel, simply, a sense of presence, here and now, within the sphere. The tiles, transitioning from red to green, relate intuitively to the earth and its life-giving nutrients,” he says.

Under the  slogan “1 Island, 1 Museum,” the Shinan Art Island Project aims to establish unique art installations or galleries on each of the archipelago’s islands. Upcoming projects include works by celebrated artists James Turrell on Nodaedo Island and Antony Gormley on Bigeumdo Island.