Lights, music and ideas. They are the three categories for the art, culture, and entertainment that Vivid brings to Sydney every year. At Glenco, we love Vivid. It’s great to see all the creative ways lighting, electricity, technology and creativity are brought together by the minds behind the festival. It is also the time of year that shows off our beautiful city and its main attractions. Lighting is our speciality, as our qualified Sydney electricians work daily with all kinds of electrical lighting. So naturally we’re interested in what incredible lighting installations will be displayed in our beloved city for 2017.
So what are our top picks for how the city will light up over the next 3 weeks, you ask? Here they are!
1. Trapdoor – Barangaroo (South) (Free)
Not for the faint of heart, this thrilling work takes you right to the edge. Stand centre stage as the ground below you melts away and spectacular and constantly changing lighting murals take over. Located at Barangaroo South, a new location for Vivid this year, this one surely won’t disappoint those daring enough to have their courage put to the test.
2. Electric Hopscotch – Playfair Street, The Rocks (Free)
A playful installation that brings out the child in all of us. The hopscotch board appears and disappears as people move by it. Representing the temporality of childhood, the ephemeral hopscotch board will delight all ages.
3. Harbour Lights – Sydney Harbour (Free)
The lights on the harbour turn our already beautiful Sydney attractions into something even more special. The lights on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House use a satellite navigational grid and vessels in the harbour to time the changes in the lighting. You can get a whole new perspective on Vivid and Sydney Harbour by checking out the festival from the water. There are several commercial operators which have offers available for cruising the bright lights of Vivid at an affordable price, and you may even get a glass of bubbly included as well.
4. Connections – George Street, The Rocks (Free)
Connections is an installation on George Street in the Rocks where the tiny radio waves of your electronic devices come to life. Everything from a phone call to a push notification to a text message will be visually represented in a wave of colour that appear on attractive light columns.
5. Spreading Life – The Royal Botanic Gardens (Free)
Spreading Life is inspired by the simple and magical act of blowing the seeds from a dandelion and offers a uniquely interactive installation where the public can blow the seeds away from the beautifully lit dandelions. The work demonstrates that as the dandelion dies, new flowers are born, commenting on the circular process that is life, death and re-birth.
6. Voxelscape – Chatswood (Free)
This work, visible at the Chatswood Interchange, involves 9000 LED light spheres and creates a 3-dimensional light show for passers-by. Open until 11pm daily, the whole family can enjoy the light show this installation provides, creating a feast for the eyes at one of Chatswood’s transport hubs.
7. The Sunflowers – The Royal Botanic Gardens (Free)
A charming installation, The Sunflowers greet each visitor with a bow and introduce spectators to the potential of solar energy. In nature, flowers also respond to the sun; art imitating life. Lining the walkway at the Royal Botanic Gardens from East to West (providing maximum sun exposure), the sunflowers store the energy from the sun during the day, and that same energy is used to make them come to life at night in spectacular fashion.
8. Electric Forest – The Royal Botanic Gardens (Free)
Also at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Electric Forest is a collaboration between Vivid Sydney and Tafe NSW. Mark Hammer and Nick Tory worked with the Tafe NSW students to bring the forest to life. Electronic music is also mixed in to demonstrate the way the visual and auditory can come together. Art and Animation are projected onto the living canvas of the Royal Botanic Gardens forest, bringing together technology and nature to create something beautiful.
9. Gear Shift – Chatswood (Free)
High on the Level 3 footbridge that leads into The District dining area in Chatswood, mechanical cogs and gears respond to the movements and motions of the public. Onlookers are the ones to create the massive moving machine as the different parts become powered by their individual unique movements. A great interactive work for all ages to enjoy.
10. Music|box – The Rocks (Free)
Cadman’s Cottage is alive as the musical compositions of the public are projected onto the building in unique colour and light displays. Four ‘stages’ act as interactive keyboards that participants can create their own musical tunes upon. This joyful work hopes to create a sense of wonder and evoke an emotional response as the ever-changing installation entertains bystanders.
These are our top 10, but you can check out all the lighting, music and other events that are scheduled for this year’s Vivid Sydney on the festival website. In the meantime, if you want to light up your home just like the rest of Sydney this month, give us a call on 02 9700 9996 to find out what options could work for you.
Vivid will run every night after the sun goes down, until late, from 26th May until 17th June 2017.
