Last week, Pete and I went into Circular Quay to view some of the light displays of Vivid Sydney.
I don’t like crowds, so we went in early to visit the Museum of Contemporary Art first – Pete hadn’t seen the Light Show, and I was keen to share it with him…
The MCA currently has this stunning bespoke installation by Jonathan Jones on display. It will only be there until the end of Vivid, so you’ll need to get in soon if you want to see it. I love it so much that I’ve been back four times. It maps the star trails over Circular Quay, and the reflections turn the smooth solid floor into watery ripples (that’s my Pete in the photo below)…
In the foyer is a large artwork by Daniel Boyd – the mirrored circles catch and reflect all the movement on the museum stairs and the Harbour foreshore immediately outside…
More from the MCA, this piece from the main collection is titled The Price is Right and it’s made with old Tupperware (see why I had to take a photo?)…
It flashes a message in Morse code as the viewer approaches, which spells out “I have the misfortune of not being a fool”, a quote from Charles Dickens’ Little Dorrit…
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At 6pm, exhibits around Circular Quay and The Rocks began to light up. We had another commitment that evening, so we only had a short time to wander about – I took a few photos, but there was a great deal more to see.
Designed in the style of 18th century Rococo, these inflatable sculptures (Entitle) were made using traditional Chinese lantern construction techniques…
I was quite taken with Ayla – lit up on a side wall, the image changed each night to reflect the phases of the moon…
We had to wait until 7pm for the historic Argyle Cut to be lit – it screened a customised display from David Attenborough’s BBC Life Story…
It was interesting to see so many people (many with children) lying down in the middle of a Sydney city street, gazing upwards…
The Opera House was a constantly changing screen of colours and patterns…
By 6.45pm on Wednesday night, the crowds had already started to build…
There were scores of interactive displays, like the Duck, Duck, Goose one below…
For the Space Folding exhibit, folks were handed headphones before entering the cylinder of light…
INTER/Play (designed by The Propaganda Mill) was interactive, with queues lined up to take a turn. We walked past twice and it was completely different each time…
In a little side street, The Dresses were three sculptures crafted from hundreds of fibre-optic threads…
My favourite of the night? The Mechanised Colour Assemblage screened onto the facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art. Here’s a small snippet…
By 7.15pm we were on a comfortable warm train homeward bound, just as the crowds were really starting to build. It was a very pleasant evening!
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Vivid Sydney is on at a variety of different locations until 8th June. More information can be found at www.vividsydney.com.
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Spectacular! Stunning! Amazing! That is so beautiful. I can see why people would lay down to watch the display. I can’t choose a favorite because I think they’re all unique. Getting there before the crowd forms was a grand idea. I probably would have done the same.
Your bread from your last post looks delicious. What a smart idea to fill the oven if the oven’s on anyhow. I’m sure the neighbors don’t mind receiving fresh bread! Lol
Enjoy the rest of your week!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! That alone makes it worth taking the photos, M! :)
Absolutely love it – thank god for whoever the forward thinking decision makers are in cities like this who understand that there are so many different ways to look at the world around us. Beautiful!
It had a lovely atmosphere and the city was sparkly! My favourite was the MCA exhibition though – I’m sorry I couldn’t take photos to show you, but they weren’t allowed. There are a few pics here though:
http://www.mca.com.au/discover-light-show/
http://www.mca.com.au/exhibition/light-show/
Sydney looks great. What a wonderful way to brighten a city. The displays are amazing.
Great fun too Glenda, a stack of them were interactive!
Oh my gosh! That building display is insane! And I love the rococo light pig, just amazing. Thanks so much for sharing. Just wow! <3 Hugs, Maz.
Maz, you would have LOVED it! They’ve had had trouble keeping you away from that pig, it was an intricate, clever piece! :)
Magnificent! In Maine, I’m about as far from you as a person can get, so what a treat to see this spectacular light show via my computer.
Yaay! Your comment makes writing this post worthwhile, thank you! :)
I love that Sydney celebrates the approach of the shortest days, darkest time of year by lighting up. Vivid is a great festival whether you are simply going about your business or a spectator. It’s fun.
ED, it must be amazing to come out of work at the end of each day and be right in the middle of it! But was it tricky getting home? :)
I avoid the worst of it but get to see the lights… happy medium :)
Wonderful, now I don’t feel like I’ve completely missed out! Love the pig lantern and the dresses, gorgeous. Thanks so much Celia!
Oh that’s great! Vivid was on at several locations, but we only made it to Circular Quay and the Rocks…
Just awesome Ms Celia :)
Cheers Fran! x
I’ve been the last two years but like you, I hate the crowds. A friend went on a Monday night and said it was so much better than going on a weekend because there were a lot less numbers. I love the dresses! xx
Charlie, as I was walking around, I said to Pete, “could you imagine coming here on the weekend with an entire boy scout troop?” I take my hat off to you, darling.. x
Awesome photos! We hate the crowds too. We went on Monday straight after work and by 6.30 Circular Quay was packed. The MCA was my favourite too – didn’t it look ace?
It looked AMAZING! I could have stood there all night watching the lights change, but it got too cold! :)
I loved that Tupperware exhibit at the Light Show. You were right to avoid the crowds at Vivid. The night we went it was packed shoulder-to-shoulder – not much fun at all.
A, that was on Saturday night – ’twas a bit better on Wednesday! :)
Oh Celia, what a huge gift of the photos if one has not been able to attend!! Absolutely wonderful and one of the reasons living in Sydney is such a huge privilege!! Love the one of ‘your Pete’ – ’cause his just quiet standing in front of the exhibit so enhances the ‘limit of man’, the possibilities hence . . .
Eha, so glad you enjoyed the post! And that photo of Pete is my favourite of the night!
What a spectacular sight that would be extraordinary to see! I am not a fan of crowds either Celia and prefer to view things and people from afar! Love your photo of Pete!
Thanks Jo! It’s my favourite as well! And I’m completely with you on the crowds, but it wasn’t too oppressive on the Wednesday night.
What a great way to showcase a city – did it make you feel proud? Sydney looks beautiful (that was quite hard for me to type!!!).
Sheesh, you can take move the Melbourne girl to Shanghai, but some things never change.. ;-)
I was wanting to catch the train in to see this display but, like you, was put off by the idea of the crowds. I love your idea of heading in early and catching the first hour or two of darkness. Thanks!
I hope you managed to catch some of it! :)
Wow! That is truly amazing! What a great way to celebrate/ameliorate the darkest part of the year. We in Seattle are just now entering the 6 am – 10 pm phase of light, but during the very short days (8 am – 4 pm) of the winter this would be so welcome! Thanks for sharing!
Lynn, I’m so glad I was able to share jut a little bit of it with you! Heaps more photos on the vividsydney website (link in post)!
Beautiful photographs Celia. Since I can’t be there they give me the feel of the place. Thank you.
Cheers Kim, thanks for coming along with us! :)
How wonderful! I think my favourite were the dresses, but the displays must have been so different to see in real life.
Anne, the dresses were astonishing – they were constantly changing colour!
It is really one of things I most miss about Sydney… I really should try and make it next year :) Liz xx
Liz, it was pretty cold! Fair warning to the Queenslander! :)
What can I say other than absolutely stunning! thanks for sharing those photos, you did a great job.
Thanks Diane! So pleased you enjoyed them!
Stunning!
Thanks Maree!
[…] This week the Daily Post goes colourful as it looks at the word Vivid, as Sydney celebrates its 7th Vivid Festival. For the best virtual tour of Sydney’s Vivid light show, visit Fig Jam and Lime Cordial’s post here. […]
Looks like so much fun! The boys’ swim coach was just in Sydney, I was so jealous!
Hope he managed to catch some of the lights! They were hard to miss if you were in the city!
So nice Celia… Beautiful View… well written… Keep it up..
Thank you!
Fabulous. The dresses are very ghostly.
Kay, they were constantly changing colour. It was very ethereal!
Every year I swear I’m going to go to the next one. I’d love to see this.
I think you need to come down to Sydney at least three times a year. And then we can hang out. :)
I went to Vivid a few years ago so was familiar with the graphics on buildings but those lanterns and dress sculptures are just lovely.
Fi, the highlight for me was actually the MCA, but we weren’t allowed to take photos of the paid exhibition. Fair enough too, I guess!
This looks brilliant…clever Sydney. I love the photo of you.