University of Sydney joins the Rainbow City – University of Sydney

The artwork will open on 17 February and be illuminated every night until 20 March 2023. Best seen at twilight, it is a family-friendly exhibition with music programmed on an outside sound stage from 7-9 pm each night during the Sydney WorldPride festival. 

The artwork coincides with the inaugural Hunt Simes Institute in Sexuality Studies (HISS), which is named in memory of lexographer Gary Simes, a Sydney alumnus who died in 2017, leaving a generous bequest, and his collection of sexology books, to the University of Sydney. 

Associate Professor Lee Wallace, Director of the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre at the University of Sydney, said: “The Centre is extremely proud to be part of Rainbow City with a mural of lights and to be commemorating 45 years of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which has always countered violence and intolerance with colour, music and imagination. 

“The University of Sydney continues that tradition and welcomes all queer visitors and their friends onto our campus at dusk to see Xavier Ho’s brilliant light mural.”

Over the next four months, until the beginning of Sydney WorldPride in February 2023, more installations will be announced as part of the Rainbow City. 

There will be a printed map to allow Sydneysiders and visitors alike to travel the city to view the glorious kaleidoscope of rainbows.