You can ferry across it, marvel at its shimmering beauty and even swim in it, but how often do you dive into the emerald depths of Sydney Harbour? Using...

Under the Harbour

Location:

Circular Quay
2000 NSW
Australia

Image. Projected on the ornate façade of Customs House, a gaudy animation features stylised images of underwater life, including jewelled rings, coins, alien pillars, fish, seahorses, octopus, ink clouds jellyfish, turtles, whales, swimmers, manta rays, kaleidoscopes, mountains and a starscape.Under the Harbour- Vivid Light 2019

Access and Inclusion

  • Audio Described - Audio description is a service provided for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Trained audio describers give live, objective, verbal descriptions.
  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.

Event Details

Artist:
Spinifex Group: Ben Alpass (Australia)

Collaborators:
Will Skinner (United Kingdom) / Melissa Lee (Australia) / Pepin Portingale (Australia) / Tony Papesh (United States) / Thomas Dicker (Australia) / Marcus Longfoot (Australia)

You can ferry across it, marvel at its shimmering beauty and even swim in it, but how often do you dive into the emerald depths of Sydney Harbour? Using the architecture of Customs House as a canvas, award-winning creative studio Spinifex Group presents Under the Harbour, a surreal underwater encounter sure to delight children and adults alike.

Through Spinifex's imaginative and fantastical lens, a hyper-coloured multi-verse splashes across the façade of the historic building. As a rainy twilight gathers across the harbour, a giant octopus bursts out of the water and wraps its tentacles around the sun, dragging it under. This watery world is alive with neon sea creatures, botanical wonderlands, and unclassified oddities. Under the Harbour is a playful, exquisite escape from reality into an extraordinary underwater fantasy certain to inspire audiences and deepen the appreciation of Sydney’s aquatic haven.

This super-scale projection mapping experience is the creative vision of Spinifex’s Los Angeles-based design director Ben Alpass. Ben's work spans multiple disciplines including photography, print, animation, interactive, installation, and projection. In 2018 alone, his work was awarded a Cannes Lion, D&AD Pencil, and a One Show Gold Pencil. Originally from Melbourne, Ben studied Multimedia Design at Swinburne National School of Design and has been the recipient of the Melbourne Design Award.

 

Country represented by installation: Australia

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Audio Description

Access and Inclusion

  • Audio Described - Audio description is a service provided for patrons who are blind or have low vision. Trained audio describers give live, objective, verbal descriptions.
  • Wheelchair Accessible - Access to the venue is suitable for wheelchairs (toilets, ramps/lifts etc.) and designated wheelchair spaces are available.

Sponsors