MARDI GRAS UNVEILS TOWERING ART INSTALLATION TO CELEBRATE 40 YEARS OF PROTEST, LOVE AND EQUALITY

Sunday 24 June 2018 marked the historic 40th anniversary of the first ever Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration turned protest. To celebrate Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and City of Sydney today unveiled 40 Years of Love, a vibrant inflatable art installation in the heart of Sydney's LGBTQI district, Taylor Square.

Designed by Maurice Goldberg and Matthew Aberline, 40 Years of Love is a celebration of 40 years of Mardi Gras and uses symbols to represent the five themes of repression, adversity, freedom, diversity and love.

The project represents historic Mardi Gras concepts such as public protest, joyous celebration, community activation and engagement and incorporates many colours and shapes to express that Mardi Gras is not a singular concept, but a mixture of diverse ideas, people, histories, politics and expressions.

The installation integrates with the existing Taylor Square architecture, rising above the iconic grass island and water fountain. The 360-degree work transforms the space into a light-filled outdoor pavilion so visitors are invited to walk through and explore its' various images and symbols from different perspectives.

“We were struggling to describe a singular image to describe the history of Mardi Gras. It's so varied, political, sexual, and the history of it is so complicated, so rather than trying to find a singular item, we decided to make a microcosm of what Mardi Gras is about – the good stuff, the bad stuff, and the celebration,” said

Aberline,

“It'll be nine metres high at its highest point above the ground,” Goldberg added. “That's higher than a threestorey building. We want people to notice this – it's a big, sassy, loud, undeniably in-your-face installation.”