my night with vivid... vol.1

Vivid 2012... with the MCA all a glow...

Too much fun.

I had too much fun on Sunday night and I just have to share...

It felt like I was on a date with Sydney, and let me tell you, there will be a second.
But let me back track a little...

On Friday night the city cut the red ribbon on its annual Vivid Festival, a two week festival which sees the Circular Quay and Rocks precincts turned into a massive play pen of light installations, music performances and creative discussions.
It truly is the most beautiful + colourful way to usher in the Winter season ... 

Vivid really is three festivals grouped under one umbrella, and one name. There is Vivid Live, a festival for the performing arts that this year boasts Florence and the Machine as one of its heading lining acts at the Opera House. There is Vivid Ideas, a festival of creative and innovative talks, workshops and panel discussions. And then there is Vivid Lights, a festival that truly takes the cake this year!

Festival director of lights Anothony Bastic has created an illuminated playground of 65 light sculptures and art installations that make up the outdoor, and most accessible portion of the festival. And from what I saw on Friday night Anthony has given every adult an open pass to act like a big kid again! And that doesn't mean that the kids are forgotten - they were running around in awe. I mean, one light game requires you to scream in order for it to work!

To start my Sunday night with Vivid I decided that the best way to take it all in was to walk across the Harbour Bridge. And boy - was I right...
The colours playing on the water and surrounding buildings was so beautiful and mesmerising , I knew it was going to be hard to know where to start... 

But two works that acted like shining beacons were the pink chandelier and Rubik's cube sculptures at Hickson Bay Wharf. And they seemed to be the hit with many of the other photographers out there too... 

The place was packed and I knew I was going to be a long, slow walk around to the Opera House... 

When I got around to the Passenger Terminal it was 8pm and lucky for me that was the start time for the 3D video projection performance on the exterior of the Opera Houses' gleaming white sails...

The video piece was created for Vivid by a collective from German who go by the name of Urbanscreen. And what they have created for the iconic sails is truly amazing... 

Larger than life dancers slide across each sail, pushing and pulling the 'tiles' to make it seem as though the structure is losing its skin... 

Then the video moves into a constructivist/college section where it looks as though The Opera House is revealing what lies hidden underneath its exoskeleton and inner shell ... 

The whole piece is detailed and captivating, and I could not stop taking photos. But then I would look at the clock and remember that I was on a deadline to see a performance at the Opera House. I had to keep moving!

Next was the newly opened MCA and its light graffiti installations that had to be my highlight for the night...

I loved all the light graffiti on the side of the new wing...

And on the front there were motion sensing 'instruments' that you could jump on and 'play'  - designed by Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas and Sydney artist Justine Williams. There were 3 or 4 of them being projected onto the front facades of the MCA , and if you were patient enough, you could queue up and play them... 

{To be continued....}