This was published 1 year ago
Pass the light display please, Vivid 2023 will illuminate the Sydney food scene
By Helen Pitt
Artist John Olsen likens his latest project which will light up the Sydney Opera House sails, to a pizza spreading over Sydney Harbour.
He’s struck the right theme for this year’s annual winter festival of lights, Vivid, which will illuminate not just Sydney’s buildings but the city’s restaurants with a new feature, Vivid Food.
It will also pay tribute to the beloved artist, aged 95. Works by Olsen, whose Salute to Five bells graces the interior of the Sydney Opera House, will be projected for 23 nights on the exterior of the building, in Life Enlivened (2023) , a tribute to his artistic career of more than 60 years.
Artist John Olsen’s work will be projected onto the sails of the Sydney Opera House for Vivid 2023.Credit: Destination NSW
“I can’t wait for overseas people and all Australians to see Vivid because the scale is so different,” Olsen said.
“It is spread like a huge pizza over Sydney Harbour reflecting into the water of the harbour.”
CBD venues will be lit up, and some will feature a variety of culinary experiences, from pop-up restaurants in the pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge to haute cuisine celebrating the city’s diverse food culture, over the course of the festival that runs from Friday May 26 until Saturday June 17.
Chef Luke Mangan’s Luke’s Vivid Table, in the southeastern pylon of the bridge, will be part of the new Vivid Food, which joins Vivid Light, Vivid Music and Vivid Ideas as the fourth pillar of the 13th festival.
While food and drinks will be served inside the pylon with a view all over the harbour, outside illustrations of endangered native Australian birds will be projected onto it by Eggpicnic, a design studio devoted to wildlife conservation.
Other 3D light displays will include work by First Nations artist Maree Clarke (pictured) which will light up the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Melbourne-based Clarke, a Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Mutti Mutti, Boonwurrung artist, has created Barerarerungar which means ‘Country’ in Boonwurrung to pay tribute to traditional practices on Country.
American artist and engineer Jen Lewin will create Vivid’s largest ever installation at Barangaroo’s Stargazer Lawn. The Last Ocean, an interactive, tessellated ‘ice sheet’ made of recycled ocean plastic that shifts colour and shape when walked on, debuted at Nevada’s Burning Man in 2022.
Other new features this year include A Bend in the River, a celebration of the life and music of Archie Roach for one night at the Sydney Town Hall featuring Paul Kelly, Emma Donovan and Dan Sultan.
Jen Lewin’s The Last Ocean to feature in Vivid 2023.Credit: Destination NSW
Lightscape, a 2.1km 3D journey beneath towering tree canopies in The Royal Botanic Garden, which has already been on display in the US, UK and Melbourne will come to Sydney for the first time.
Written in the Stars, featuring more than 1000 drones promises to be the largest drone show in the Southern Hemisphere.
Lightscape, at The Royal Botanic Garden will feature as part of Vivid 2023.Credit: Destination NSW
The Light Walk will return in 2023, with more than 49 light installations and 3D projections along the 8.5 kilometre illuminated walk from Central Station to the Sydney Opera House.
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said Vivid Sydney was one of Australia’s best events and a vital economic driver for NSW during the winter months.
Eggpicnic’s salute to native Australian birds to be part of Vivid 2023.Credit: Destination NSW
“Vivid Sydney is NSW’s biggest annual event and makes a vital social and economic contribution to our state. It will be a takeover of Sydney,” Franklin said.
“Last year Vivid Sydney was attended by over 2.5 million people and injected $119 million into the NSW economy. We’re anticipating this year’s festival to be our biggest and best yet.”
At Tuesday’s Vivid Sydney 2023 festival launch, director Gill Minervini said this year’s festival would showcase Sydney’s incredible food heritage.
“We are proud to celebrate NSW produce, Sydney and international chefs in a way that will project Sydney food culture to the world,” Ms Minervini said.
Tickets available at VividSydney.com.
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