For the Guangzhou Auto Show, Audi unveiled an immersive installation by Sébastien Léon, celebrating Audi’s ongoing research in lightweight engineering.

Inside a 15-meter spherical chamber, Léon suspended more than a thousand silver-foil balloons—some airborne, others floating at eye level—creating a hypnotic mirror world that reflected visitors alongside the car. Overhead, fifteen wireless speakers diffused an electronic composition built from processed engine sounds blended with recordings of thirty birds.

The installation was inspired by The Conference of the Birds, Farid ud-Din Attar’s 12th-century Sufi poem recounting the journey of thirty birds who travel from Persia to China seeking the mythical Simorgh, only to discover, upon arrival, that the revelation lies within themselves.

Léon draws a parallel between Attar’s allegory and Audi’s continuous pursuit of innovation—advancing technology through refinement as well as invention. Addressing the Chinese audience of Guangzhou, a global manufacturing center, the work invited reflection on the balance between industry and nature.

Both poetic and technological, the installation functioned as a meditative dialogue between Audi and its public, contemplating progress, environmental responsibility, and the role of individual agency within a rapidly transforming world.