Sometimes London throws you a curveball. One minute you’re dodging black cabs and pigeons, the next you’re standing in a grand courtyard, gazing at a luminous, breathing blue lady stretched out as if caught between sleep and dream.

Hi there, lovely readers,

The G and I had just walked Adrian, our beloved host, to work. It’s 7 am, a perfect time to bask in a hazy sun and breathe the last vestiges of crisp air before the masses emerge. ‘I have something to show you that’s totally wild!’ G whispered over our post, good deed coffee. Lead on, said I. If it excites the big G, it has to be intriguing!

The Spell or The Dream

Picture it: a giant glowing figure, her chest rising and falling as though fast asleep, while the fountains pause to let you tune into her slow rhythm. Add a haunting soundscape by Maxwell Sterling, and suddenly the whole courtyard feels like it’s holding its breath.

This is The Spell or The Dream by Turner Prize-winning artist Tai Shani, and she’s taken up residence at Somerset House’s Fountain Court.

But it’s not just a sculpture – it’s a conversation. Around the installation is The Dream Radio, a 24/7 broadcast featuring artists, writers, and even musicians like Brian Eno, who share stories of dreams, catastrophes, and futures yet to be written. It’s strange and beautiful, like being invited into an intimate ecstasy party.

For me, it was the sense of that kind of intimacy that lingered. Here, in the middle of buzzing London, stood a glowing figure that made you stop, sit, and listen – to her, to the city, and maybe even to yourself. Art that reminds you to breathe? I’ll take it.

The Blue Lady

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By now, you’ll have identified that I love a good fun fact. A little research and here they are:

Top 5 Fun Facts: The Blue Lady at Somerset House

1. She Breathes  – The luminous blue figure doesn’t just lie there; her chest rises and falls with a slow, hypnotic breath. Standing beside her, I soon found myself matching her rhythm.

2. Soundtrack to a Dream – Composer Maxwell Sterling created an ambient soundscape that surrounds her, so it feels like you’ve stepped into someone else’s dream.

3. Dream Radio – Alongside the sculpture is a 24/7 broadcast featuring people sharing stories about hope, nightmares, and futures still to come. Could call it bedtime radio for big thinkers.

4. Pause for Effect – Twice a day (12 pm & 4 pm), the courtyard fountains switch off so visitors can fully experience the sculpture and sound without watery distractions.

5. Here for a Good Time, Not a Long Time – This giant glowing lady leaves London on the 14th September. If you’re here before then, don’t miss her. She’s more than a sculpture – she’s an invitation to dream in broad daylight.

And I wonder – where will she find her next enthralled, inspired, intrigued audience?

Somerset Housen