Lightscape NASA VIVID 2018

Rebecca Varidel
15th May 2018

When we think VIVID as with lots of things, we think headliners.

At the Royal Botanic Gardens Dodge strange spiral-like creations as you wander through one side of the Nautilus Forest. On the other side, discover The Bloom, a huge metallic flower with petals adorned with mirrors. Through glowing discs of Midnight Moon to the wave tunnel of He’e nalu and the magical musical mystery tour with Parrot Party, as a cheerful flock of birds.

And at Barangaroo The Liminal Hour will transform Barangaroo’s Wulugul Walk into a magical bushland that the audience explores every night of the festival led by the beautiful female creature named Marri Dyin - “Great Woman”. This six-metre high and visually-spectacular character will be operated by a team of puppeteers, acting as a conduit between Marri Dyin and the audience. The artists will bring the breathtaking puppet to life from 6-9pm each night of the festival, cycling twice through her epic journey of fire, rain and regeneration.

The home of Sydney’s most famous smile is set to shine even brighter when Luna Park joins Vivid Sydney for the first time in 2018. A grand light show will take visitors on a ride of a different kind, bringing the park’s characters to life in a dramatic and emotive celebration of the beloved Sydney institution that has been surprising and delighting visitors since 1935. The Spirit of Fun installation, located on the façade of iconic Coney Island, tells the story of Luna Park’s colourful history and provides a window into the future of fun.

Vivid Sydney’s wildest precinct returns as Taronga Zoo Sydney shines an even bolder, brighter spotlight on conservation and endangered wildlife with a family friendly spectacular display of giant animal light sculptures. As the Zoo’s permanent residents retire for the evening, Lights For the Wild will burst into colourful life to introduce visitors to fierce, friendly and quirky creatures on a journey through fragile habitats, from the ocean, to the jungle and the Australian bush.

OK but what about a bit further afield?

Vivid Chatswood

The buildings, streets and even park benches in Chatswood will be transformed into an eclectic celebration of art and light, food and fashion, to create Lightscape for Vivid Sydney 2018 at Chatswood.

Over three weeks, Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas, will transform the Chatswood CBD for the fourth year in a row, with immersive projections using NASA imagery and interactive light installations.

Visitors can start their journey at the Sky Portal at Chatswood Interchange, where a giant overhanging interactive screen transports audiences below to amazing global locations using green screen technology.

Then there’s the Light Market, a pop-up market offering a fantastic array of international cuisines. The Light Market, designed by the creator of Adelaide Festival’s famed Barrio precinct, is built from scaffold and recycled materials and lit by lasers, inspired by the favelas of Brazil and Star Wars. A quirky, delicious experience, Light Market is dotted with playful light installations for kids and big kids.

Next stop is the Future Scape, an outer space voyage through the stars and planets at The Concourse. Using NASA’s amazing imagery and 360 degree projections, Future Scape takes audiences on a deep, immersive dive into the universe where they can imagine life on Mars or find themselves in the middle of a black hole. In an addition, on the weekends artists will create their vision of Life in 2050 in live art sessions, projected live on to the Anderson St facade of The Concourse.

Finally, visitors will discover breathtakingly unconventional costumes at the World of WearableArt Exhibition at Chatswood Chase. Combining light, art and technology these fashion garments are designed by artists and architects from around the world, and will be a hit with the fashionistas.

What makes Vivid Chatswood unique, visitors are invited to enjoy great shopping, dining and market stalls and wander through the CBD, including The District which is known as a hotspot for Asian dining experiences.