The magic lies in the spaces between

Full description

Courtney Coombs' The Magic Lies in the Spaces Between (2019) is a permanent neon installation commissioned by Brisbane City Council for Bothwell Lane, Mount Gravatt. The work extends Coombs' ongoing practice of finding significance in everyday moments and overlooked spaces, responding directly to the site as a suburban pedestrian walkway. Measuring 600 x 199.3 cm, the neon text functions as both practical illumination for the laneway and a poetic intervention that invites contemplation about the spaces we move through daily. The title suggests that transformation and connection happen not in grand gestures but in the quiet, in-between moments of urban life. By placing text-based work in this transitional space, Coombs transforms a functional walkway into a site for reflection, encouraging users to consider the potential for meaning and magic in mundane infrastructure. The work reflects Coombs' interest in making visible what is often overlooked, using minimal means to create maximum impact. As a public artwork, it demonstrates how contemporary art can engage with suburban communities through accessible, poetic language that speaks to shared human experiences of movement, transition, and the search for connection in everyday environments. The commission represents Coombs' approach to public practice as an extension of their broader investigation into small gestures that can shift how we understand and inhabit urban space.