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Creativity glows over Vivid Sydney, its biggest light festival yet
"Sydney’s most iconic landmarks will be lit up in a symphony of color and movement, attracting visitors from across the world..."
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An animated painting projected on the sails of the Sydney Opera House at night during Vivid Sydney 2016, Australia. Dubbed "Lighting the Sails: Songlines", the grand-scale illumination features the iconic temporary work of Australian indigenous artists. (JP/Marguerite Afra Sapiie)
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pon hearing the name Sydney, the state capital of New South Wales in Australia, the image of the world-heritage listed Sydney Opera House or its Harbor Bridge are arguably the first things that come to mind.
Now, forget about the postcard view and try to imagine this: the broken white-colored tiles of the Opera House transforming into an animated canvas that changes colors and patterns, like a wonderland across the bridge that glows with multicolored LED lighting, reflecting its light into the harbor after dawn.
Dubbed "Lighting the Sails: Songlines", the Opera House’s sails featured animated contemporary paintings of the country's indigenous artists, giving us a touch of the country’s diverse cultural journey in the blink of an eye. Sparking brightly, it served as the introduction to Vivid Light, a major part of the 2016 Vivid Sydney Festival.
“Sydney’s most iconic landmarks will be lit up in a symphony of color and movement, attracting visitors from across the world [… where] its popularity is evident in the 1.7 million visitors who attended last year’s festival,” New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said.
They say the best things in life are free. Vivid Light brings 23 nights of innovative light installations, grand-scale illuminations and 3-D projections that visitors can easily reach at the corner of happening places in town -- most of them are free to view. From the corner of The Rocks to the urban village of Central Park, there will be a light show that never goes out.
The Vivid Light Walk, which spreads along the Walsh Bay to Circular Quay and further to the Royal Botanic Garden, is the world-famous route of the light festival that features more than 60 sculptures and installations that light up Sydney’s waterfront. As the longest route of illumination, it is suitable to stroll around, take pictures or to just enjoy the view with a cup of hot coffee to warm up the night.
(Read also: Singapore's light art festival highlights sustainability, zero-carbon footprinting)
Some installations are fascinating for their high-end technology and creativity, for example, "The Matter of Painting" projection creates the façade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) as being painted, carved, cut and brushed. Others, such as "I love You", a "Love-O-Meter” in the shape of a giant heart that will only illuminate after couples declare their love for each other, is a captivating piece of art for its interactivity.
“Watch out for the crowds. If you get lost, you just have to look for me. It’s easier,” said Jim Tan, our guide from the Vivid Sydney organizer Destination New South Wales, as he raised a selfie-stick with a red bicycle lamp on its end high in the air.
He especially made the DIY stick lamp to guide us if we got lost among the crowds that seemed to greet us everywhere we went. From families to couples, groups of friends, to creative youngsters who took part in enlivening the festival, they all enjoyed the night-out during the most-anticipated event in town.
“See where the light is. Can you see the light?” Jim asked us, pointing towards the lamp.
I laughed as I followed him to the Queen Elizabeth II gate at the Royal Botanic Garden -- the entrance to the Garden of Light. “Your light really helps us.”
As we entered the botanic garden—which joined Vivid Sydney just this year as part of its 200th birthday celebrations—I immediately saw the most interesting installation at the site: "The Cathedral of Light". Designed like a traditional arched church window, the 70-meter long tunnel was illuminated by tens of thousands of LED light globes. Walking through it somehow gives off the feeling of warmth, like finding your light in the dark.
Unlike the installations at the Vivid Light Walk that sparked fun and playful themes, the ones lined up at the garden mostly initiated the feeling of wonder and enchantment. Simple yet philosophical installations such as "Will o’ the Wisps' that take the form of small branches that glow mysteriously, as well as the "Synthesis", a 3-D projection of ancient natural beauty on the heritage-listed Moreton Bay Fig Tree, guided us along the route.
From here, visitors can take a ferry at the harbor across to Taronga Zoo, where there are 10 giant animal multimedia light sculptures called "Be the Light For the Wild". They represent critically endangered species such as the Sumatran tiger, sun bear and Asian elephant.
(Read also: What to see, do at Singapore's light art festival)
The place is only a 10 to 15 minutes walk to Central Park where animated films about disruptive technology and the “Rise of the Robot” is shown as a façade on the heritage-listed Carlton Brewery building entitled the "X Factory". Party-goers can dance their stresses away every Friday and Saturday to selected songs playing on headphones at the silent disco under the light of the projections.
“You will be all about dancing at the silent disco, believe me,” I overheard someone saying.
Those interested in visiting Sydney during the festival should prepare a warm jacket or coat since the weather is chilly at night (that’s right, it’s winter Down Under). Take at least three to five off-days to explore all corners of Vivid Sydney and don’t forget to charge your phone and camera to capture Instagrammable moments under the Vivid Light.
It is recommended that the complete list of of events for Vivid Sydney 2016 be checked out before going or download the app to help in navigating the light festival.
Vivid Sydney runs until June 18. (kes)
