CREATING MOMENTS OF WONDER

✦ Transforming Sydney for 23 days and nights from May 26 to June 17, VIVID Sydney is an annual celebration of creativity, innovation and technology. Brilliant's Chrissy Jones visited Sydney and shares her Vivid experiences.

Vivid Sydney is a world-renowned event that transforms the city into a spectacular outdoor gallery of light installations, music, and ideas.

In its 13th year in 2023, I experienced Vivid for the first time, something I have wanted to experience for many years, and I wasn’t disappointed. A highlight was the awe inspiring Customs House display - “Inside Out”.

The facade of the building was transformed into a mesmerising mix of geometric shapes and patterns, florals, birdlife and bold colours. A celebration of Australian interior design, featuring beautiful hand-drawn wallpaper and fabrics from the post-World War II era projected onto the exterior of Customs house - bringing the inside out!

A walk around Circular Quay was enthralling with something to see, experience, smell or taste at every turn. From the European cheese expo to the sights and sounds of the harbour, my senses were spoiled.

Sydney Opera House’s sails certainly didn’t disappoint, illuminated with late Australian artist John Olsen's vibrant paintings depicting his interest and fascination with Australia’s nature and landscape.

The animated artwork Lighting of the Sails: Life Enlivened (2023) was an enthralling sight to see.

Biggest in the Southern Hemisphere to date, the drone shows, “Written in the Stars’ were simply amazing. They explored the solar system, from the Sun to Jupiter, with many surprises along the way. A magnificent display of light combined with technology in the sky above.

The Museum of Contemporary Art was lit up with Barerarerungar, the work of Yorta Yorta/Wamba Wamba/ Mutti Mutti/Boonwurrung artist Maree Clarke. Thousands of people stood in awe of the artwork that was illuminated on the building.

I partook in a short walk on the 8.5km stretch of “Light Walk” which started at the Sydney Opera House and continued all the way to Central Station. The walk featured over 49 installations and 3D projections.

Vivid Sydney 2023 fused art, innovation and technology in collaboration with some of the most boundary-pushing artists, thinkers, musicians and culinary experts of our time.

There were nightly drone shows, a roaring waterfall and giant glowing native animals including koalas, dingoes, kangaroos, emus and platypuses designed by Wiradjuri artist Nathan Peckham at Taronga Zoo's Wild Lights at Taronga.

If you missed out this year, be sure to mark your calendar for late May to Mid June and earmark a trip to Sydney, I have and am looking forward to a return visit in 2024.

Chrissy Jones enjoying Vivid Sydney

Customs House display "Inside Out"

Vivid display at the Wynyard Tunnels

Vivid Display Wynyard Tunnels