Aerial shot of the Rainbow Paths installation at State Library Victoria.

Rainbow Paths

2021–2024

Rainbow Paths is a series of installations that transforms the ground into unique, modular, and site-specific playscapes.

Each activation invites children, families, and adults to play the mini-games embedded into the installation and follow the colourful branching paths, searching for hidden objects and noticing the environment along the way.

No props or devices are needed to play the games. Simply bring along a playful mindset, pick a starting point, and let your imagination guide you through the branching paths.

Rainbow Paths has been commissioned and installed in the following forms and locations:

  • Rainbow Bird Playground – Bunjil Place Plaza
  • Rainbow Laneway – Degraves St (as part of Moomba Festival 2021)
  • Rainbow Paths – 4 Ballarat St, Brunswick (as part of the Assemble Papers Mind the Gap Party)
  • Rainbow Paths – State Library Victoria (as part of Playable City Melbourne)
  • Rainbow Paths: Library Edition – Elizabeth St Pop-Up Library
  • Rainbow Paths: Dinosaur Edition – Perth Cultural Centre
  • Rainbow Paths: Love Edition – Somerset House, London (as part of Now Play This 2023)
  • Rainbow Paths: Music Edition – Melbourne Recital Centre (as part of Music Play 2024)

This project was created in collaboration with Chad Toprak. Watch a video trailer (1 min.) of the project.

The installation was shortlisted as a Freeplay Independent Games Festival Awards finalist in the Non-Digital Game category in 2024.

Project Website
Additional Credits & Info:

Collaborator: Chad Toprak

Photography: Helen Kwok (unless otherwise specified on photo caption).

Awards: Freeplay Independent Games Festival – Non-Digital Game (Finalist)

Freeplay 2024 Awards Finalist Badge
A young girl playing one of the mini-games of Rainbow Paths at SLV.
Three hijabi women playing the Rainbow Paths installation at SLV.
A player looking up playing a mini-game part of the Rainbow Paths installation at SLV.
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation from the street corner of Swanston St and Little Lonsdale St.
Close-up of the 'Spell your name' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at SLV.
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation at SLV, overlooking Swanston St.
Three children running and playing together on the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
Two grandparents and their grandkid playing the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
Mother and daughter dancing together for a mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
A mother and her two children playing together on the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
Artists Helen Kwok & Chad Toprak installing the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
Close-up of two paths diverging from a mini-game of the Rainbow Paths installation on Degraves St.
Rainbow Paths poster up on Degraves St.
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation in a Brunswick warehouse.
Close-up of the 'Slow motion' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation.
Close-up of the 'Sing or dance' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation.
Close-up of the 'Close your eyes' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation.
Close-up of the 'Favourite book' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at a library pop-up.
Close-up of the 'Dream library' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at a library pop-up.
Close-up of the 'Find the octopuses' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at a library pop-up.
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation at a pop-up library.
Close-up of the 'Cheer for someone' mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
A player cheering for someone as part of a mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
A player posing as part of a mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Two players clapping together as part of the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
A player calling someone on their phone as part of a mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Close-up of the 'Call or message' mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Two players clapping together as part of the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
A player clapping as part of a mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Two players looking up and tracing windows of their finger as part of a mini-game in the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Various children reading the mini-game prompts as part of the Rainbow Paths installation at Now Play This festival.
Photographer: Ben Peter Catchpole
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation at the Melbourne Recital Centre.
Wide shot of the Rainbow Paths installation across the entrance of the Melbourne Recital Centre.
Close-up of the 'Crescendo' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Close-up of the 'Drum your tum' mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at Melbourne Recital Centre.
A family drumming their tummies as part of a mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at Melbourne Recital Centre.
A couple playing a mini-game from the Rainbow Paths installation at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Numerous children and families playing Rainbow Paths at Perth Cultural Centre.