Parramatta Lanes 2025 festival draws record numbers with ‘Summer Kim’ inflatable by artist Haein Kim at its heart
‘Summer Kim’, a striking four-metre-high inflatable artwork brought to life by Sydney-based artist and director Haein Kim captivated audiences at this year’s Parramatta Lanes festival, becoming a visual centrepiece of one of Sydney’s most dynamic cultural events.
Kim transformed her bold, character-driven aesthetic into a large-scale installation that overlooked festival-goers, serving not only as the hero artwork for the 2025 event but also as the defining image across the festival’s promotional materials, including tote bags and t-shirts.
Parramatta Lanes, renowned for turning the city’s streets, laneways and car parks into a vibrant playground of food, music and art, celebrated a historic year. After attracting 200,000 attendees in 2024, the festival set a target of 220,000 for 2025. That figure was surpassed by the third night, with final attendance reaching 335,000 visitors over four nights, firmly establishing the festival as a premier urban cultural experience.
“Seeing Summer Kim in real life was like a fever dream”, says Kim. “It was the first time I saw my work in a 3D space, let alone at a towering four metre tall, five metre wide stature. It was an absolute treat to see people interacting with her, striking her iconic pose. I’d love to make a million more.”
The success of Summer Kim highlights a growing appetite for large-scale, character-based installations that push visual storytelling into the physical world. Kim’s playful yet powerful aesthetic, already celebrated in illustration and animation circles, proved an ideal match for a festival built on creativity, community and immersive urban exploration.
“One of the most exciting things about year one of Robot Fights Monster has been working with our creative talent to launch their work into public spaces”, says co-founder Graham Pryor. “So we were thrilled to partner up with Haein to create the feature artwork for the 2025 festival.”
With record-breaking attendance and overwhelming public engagement, Summer Kim marks a significant milestone for both the Parramatta Lanes festival and Haein Kim, reinforcing the impact that bold, shareable artworks can have within major cultural events.
To work with Haein Kim, contact Robot Fights Monster, contact inbox@robotfightsmonster.com.
Client – City of Parramatta / Parramatta Lanes Festival
Artist/creator – Haein Kim
Production – Robot Fights Monster
3D Visualisation – Paul Rhodes
Fabrication – 3Dinflate
Install – Pascal Moses @ Surreal Imagery
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