Sydney lights up for Vivid festival

Vivid Sydney
Until June 17

Two New Zealanders and a light installation inspired by the kiwi are centre stage at Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest annual festival of light, music and ideas.

For the first time, a New Zealander will light up the Sails of the World-Heritage listed Sydney Opera House. Originally from the Manawatu, Sydney-based director Ash Bolland designed and curated Audio Creatures, a series of imaginary creatures that bring the iconic Sails to life.

Bolland’s design for the Sydney Opera House is inspired by the beauty of insects, animals, plant life and the vast marine underworld, and will be paired with tailor-made soundscapes by Brazil’s foremost sound designer Amon Tobin.

“It’s a morphing, mesmeric piece that will engage the viewer with its originality and cross-cultural reach,” Bolland said.

Australian light artists and industrial design duo, Renzo B Larriviere and Simone Chua, will present a work inspired by New Zealand’s native kiwi, Birds of Lumos, which will be on show at the Royal Botanic Garden. The work, which comments on the importance of conservation and the protection of wildlife, was inspired by a hike in the Milford Sounds, during which Larriviere’s partner came across a rare sighting of the Rowi species of kiwi.

“We thought it was such an interesting bird, we knew we wanted to learn more about it and do something with it. Birds of Lumos is a captivating work that invites the Vivid Sydney audience to consider their own role in protecting the health of endangered animals through care for the environment,” Larriviere said.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is illuminated along with new installations at the Barangaroo precinct as well as Taronga Zoo, 

This Sunday New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga will be taking the stage as at the Conservatorium of Music in a sell-out show.

Destination NSW chief executive and executive producer of Vivid Sydney, Sandra Chipchase, says it’s great to have New Zealand talent involved in the light and music line-up for this year’s event.

“The spectacular light art, world-class music acts and inspiring ideas talks at Vivid Sydney attract artists and visitors from all over the globe. We are proud to have Kiwis involved with Vivid Sydney, which will resonate with the large numbers of New Zealand and global visitors who come to the festival each year.”