The Anooki

Two large glowing inflatable figures with cartoon-style eyes appear suspended between the columns of a grand historic building at night. The illuminated white sculptures contrast against the dark sky, while warm orange light shines through the building’s windows, creating a playful and dramatic light installation.

About The Anooki

The Anooki are two playful characters, a boy and a girl who are inseparable. Together, they overcome challenges and celebrate the universal values of friendship, kindness, cooperation and living together. Since their ice floe disappeared, they have travelled the world, transforming public spaces into places of wonder, encounter and shared emotion, spreading their message: our planet is precious.

For this year's River of Light theme, "Together" is not simply the inspiration for the artwork, it is the very essence of the Anooki. They only exist as a duo. Their relationship, built on trust, playfulness and mutual support, is at the heart of every installation.

In Les Timides, the two Anooki play hide-and-seek with the public from behind the grand columns of Liverpool Town Hall. Visitors are invited to move through the space to discover each character, becoming active participants in their game. This shared experience encourages smiles, interaction and conversation between family members, friends and strangers alike.

By combining humour, monumental scale and gentle emotion, Les Timides transforms the forecourt of Liverpool Town Hall into a small playground. The artwork reminds us that being together is about sharing simple moments, caring for one another and finding joy in collective experiences, values that have always been at the heart of the Anooki universe.

Easy Read Description

The artwork features two characters called the Anooki, who are best friends. They play hide-and-seek around the columns of Liverpool Town Hall, inviting visitors to join in the game. The artwork celebrates friendship, kindness and working together, while encouraging people to explore, smile and share moments with others.

Location

Liverpool Town Hall

What Three Words: ///clocks.gossip.laws

Sustainability Information

Sustainability is an integral part of both the design and production of the artwork. The installation is manufactured using high-quality materials sourced and produced in Europe, primarily in Italy, ensuring durability while reducing transport distances compared to overseas production.

The artwork uses energy-efficient LED lighting combined with low-power ventilation systems, significantly reducing its overall energy consumption while maintaining a high visual impact. Sustainability is also embedded in the artistic concept itself.

The Anooki are environmental ambassadors whose stories raise awareness about climate change and our relationship with nature. Inspired by the melting of their Arctic ice floe, they encourage audiences to reflect on environmental issues through humour, poetry and shared moments of wonder. By combining long-lasting materials, low-energy technologies and a strong environmental message, the project seeks to minimise its environmental footprint while inspiring positive engagement with sustainability.

About Inook

The artists, Moetu Batlle and David Passegand, met at their design school in Paris and then teamed up in 2000 to launch Inook, their digital design studio. For 20 years, Moetu & David have been creating innovative, creative, and agile interactive projects for companies, brands, products, and institutions seeking a strong identity.

At the same time, they created the Anooki, two characters inspired by the Inuit, who are funny, endearing, and cheeky, and who would become the focus of their creative exploration. The Anooki embody values of friendship, community, mutual aid, camaraderie, and love. They spread good cheer, melt the hearts of adults, and fascinate children. They are also true ambassadors for the environment. They address climate change with lightheartedness and poetry, making these critical issues accessible to everyone.

Since 2012, the artist duo has been creating sound-and-light shows and exhibitions of monumental statues in urban spaces: Dubai, Osaka, Singapore, Kyiv, Toruń, Lyon, Hong Kong, Doha, Taiwan, Shanghai, Geneva, Zagreb, Bucharest, Zurich, Beijing, Grand Rapids (Michigan)... Anooki transforms cities around the world into spaces for play and freedom. In 2025, Anooki made its debut in art galleries. Resin and bronze statues and printed artworks now find their way into our homes.

Learn more about Moetu & David.