Following its record-breaking debut at the Western Australian Museum, Immersive Light and Art (ILA), Adelaide’s home of immersive culture, is hosting the Adelaide premiere of Empress Joséphine’s Garden, but only until the end of this weekend.
At Immersive Light and Art (ILA), Empress Joséphine’s Garden unfolds as both spectacle and historical excavation, tracing the little-known connections between early French expeditions to Australia and the evolution of European botanical culture. Created by AGB Creative in partnership with the Western Australian Museum, the large-scale digital work centres on Joséphine Bonaparte — not simply as Napoleon’s wife, but as a decisive cultural figure whose passion for botany helped shape one of the most influential gardens in history at Château de Malmaison.
The experience begins in ILA’s gallery, where draped fabrics, portraiture and dense foliage reimagine the space as an immersive contemporary garden. This atmospheric prelude leads into the main studio, where wall-to-wall LED screens — spanning more than 12.5 million pixels — immerse audiences in a shifting landscape of digital florals, archival imagery and cinematic sequences, underscored by an original score from Australian artists.
From there, the narrative travels across continents. Beginning with French voyages to Australian shores, the work traces the movement of plants and animals back to Europe, revealing how species such as black swans, kangaroos and native flora became part of Joséphine’s ambitious collection. Virtual reconstructions of gardens of the Château de Malmaison bring this vision into focus, situating her garden as both a scientific project and an expression of taste.
The Empress Joséphine’s Garden exhibition layers storytelling with sensory design to illuminate themes of exploration, science and cultural exchange. Joséphine emerges as a pioneering tastemaker of the Empire era, whose influence extended beyond botany into fashion, and the broader cultural imagination.
The Adelaide presentation of Empress Joséphine’s Garden also carries a strong local dimension. Research by University of Adelaide Professors Emeritus of French Studies John West-Sooby and Jean Fornasiero underpins the work, particularly in mapping the historical links between French scientific expeditions and Australia’s natural history.
Blending immersive technology with historical narrative, Empress Joséphine’s Garden offers a vivid reconsideration of a figure often overlooked — and a reminder of the transcontinental connections that shaped both science and culture. Just 5 days remain to experience Empress Joséphine’s Garden.
KEY INFO FOR EMPRESS JOSÉPHINE’S GARDEN
WHAT: Empress Joséphine’s Garden
WHERE: ILA, 63 Light Square, ADELAIDE
WHEN: Until Sunday 17 May
Sessions run every 45 minutes from the opening time.
- Wed & Sun: 10am to 5:30pm
- Thu, Fri & Sat: 10am to 8:30pm
HOW: Purchase your ticket here or at the kiosk at ILA
HOW MUCH: General admission: $25 + booking fee
Concession (including juniors aged 5 – 15 years): $15 + booking fee
Children under 5 years: Free Please note, this exhibition is most suitable for ages 10 and up.
For more events with links to France and the Francophonie happening in Australia this month, check out our What’s on in May
