A Vivid Sydney Installation Of A Clothed Dancing Woman Has Been Criticised As “Sexualised”

Vivid Sydney has attracted targeted criticism online over a large-scale projection artwork of a woman dancing displayed on the facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art, with a festival attendee describing the imagery as inappropriate for children at what is promoted as a family-friendly event.

The controversy centres on Vaiola, an artwork by Samoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia featured as part of the annual Vivid Sydney program. The projection shows a woman in a cut-out leotard performing stylised dance movements across the building’s exterior.

Criticism emerged on social media after a video of the installation circulated online during the opening week of the festival, with one attendee described the projection as “trashy” and “sexualised”.

This was then reported on by News.com.au and the Daily Mail as “backlash” after the video was picked up and posted by Rachael Wong, the CEO of conservative advocacy organisation, who wrote on social media:

“The @VividSydney light festival is marketed as a family friendly event. Some 2.5 million people—including kids—are expected to attend the NSW Government run event between 22 May to 13 June. Who thought it was a good idea to expose them to this?”

A Vivid Sydney spokesman said they were aware of the feedback around the work by Samoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia, and confirmed that the festival is family friendly.

“The work, at its core, explores themes of migration, memory, longing, belonging and beauty through the artist’s cinematic visual language. As with all contemporary art, interpretations may vary.”

“Vivid Sydney welcomes audiences of all ages and backgrounds, with a program carefully curated to showcase creativity, innovation and artistic expression.”

The projection is part of Vaiola, a major commission by acclaimed Samoan-Australian contemporary artist Angela Tiatia, created in collaboration with the experiential studio Spinifex Group.

According to the festival’s official program, Vaiola, named after a river near the artist’s home in Samoa, meaning “water of life”, is a deeply personal exploration of “migration, longing, memory, and the female form”.

“For me, Vaiola is about the emotional currents and tensions between longing and belonging,” said artist Angela Tiatia. “During Vivid Sydney, when the city comes to life and invites locals and visitors alike into shared celebration, the work can unfold at a massive scale while still holding an intimate space for connection and reflection.”

The criticism comes during a difficult week for the festival, following the cancellation of several drone performances after dozens of drones fell into Darling Harbour during a technical malfunction on Monday night.