Vivid Lights

Much like most CAPA students we jumped at the opportunity to see anything free in Sydney. The Vivid lights festival was listed as one of these free events. After a chilly, but satisfying, day relaxing at Manly Beach across the harbor we took the night ferry back to Circular Quay. The picturesque ferry wharf is surrounded by the Sydney Opera house and customs house. As the ferry approached the harbor we immediately braved the cold and windy night to get a good view towards the front of the vessel. Through the dim haze created by the ever-present Sydney fog, the gorgeous skyline crept into visibility revealing our first glimpse of the light show. There was almost too much to see. The skyscrapers were merely peripheral entertainment compared to the main light shows on the Opera house, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the old Customs house.  Once our ferry drifted back into the port we took it upon ourselves to trek around the course of Vivid’s attractions.

In order to see everything, our group started at the opera house and wandered around in awe of all the different people and sites. At first glance the opera house seemed fairly bland, with a few different patterns being projected onto its surface. However, this perception quickly changed as the light show progressed in intensity. Sounds of crackling and music started coming seemingly from nowhere as the surface was entirely recreated using just lights; cracking and breaking down while being virtually rebuilt in front of our eyes. After a brief pause, thinking that the opera house portion was over, the massive representations of amazingly lifelike human forms appeared. They silently danced and rolled across the surface creating a surreal atmosphere for the entire audience. Continuing to the Customs House the show continued to keep our CAPA group in awe.  Projected onto the archaic, rough surface was a vibrantly clear city center. Cars, trains, and busses were set into motion along the columns while light-hearted music played amongst the crowd. Onlookers poured in from all corners of Sydney. Continuing along the water the interactive attractions became the center of attention. A giant Tic-tac-toe board was set up surrounded by bike-generated light fixtures inundated with young tourists.

The pinnacle of Vivid, however, was the Museum of Contemporary Art.  The outer surface of the museum was multifaceted. One side consisted of a musically themed videogame where player’s motions are projected onto the façade. At the forefront of the museum the lights cultivated dreamlike patterns in front of our eyes. Psychedelic representations of the human head exploded with distorted colors. Later in the show a biker, encompassed with colors beyond imagination, put the spectators into a trance. Once pulled away from the hypnotic images we continued our adventure around the bay. At this point many people in the group dispersed but the sights didn’t stop. Various mini-light shows kept us entertained until the evident Sydney weather forced us into submission. Without a doubt, CAPA’s organization and encouragement to attend this event led to one of our best nights in Sydney thus far.