Lunar Lanterns 2020

Twelve giant lanterns have popped up around Sydney for Lunar New Year.
Marissa Ciampi
January 16, 2020

Overview

Circular Quay is ushering in the Year of the Rat with the unveiling of 12 lanterns in its annual Lunar Lanterns exhibition, which runs from January 31 to February 9. Each larger-than-life illuminated artwork symbolises one of the signs of the Chinese zodiac, with the free exhibition spanning from the Sydney Opera House all the way to The Rocks.

This year's new additions include a tower of nine 2.8-metre-tall gold robotic rats by artist and author Claudia Chan Shaw at First Fleet Park, Lauren Tan's fiery ox on a scholar rock in The Rocks, a rooster made from hundreds of egg-shaped glowing lights by Valerie Khoo at East Circular Quay, and Louise Zhang's eight-metre-tall tower of monkeys at Cadman's Cottage.

Other glowing animals to look out for include Qian Jian Jua's impressive pink pig; a slithering, suspended snake; an origami-like rabbit; and a small herd of electric sheep inspired by Philip K Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. To help you navigate the animals, the City of Sydney has put together the handy map below.

If you visit the lanterns from Thursday–Sunday, make sure to stop by The Rocks Lantern Markets, too, for live music, lion dancing, savoury snacks and colourful dessert.

Images: Katherine Griffiths/City of Sydney. 

Information

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