The Ephemeral City in Sydney Festival

French artist Olivier Grossetete is constructing a huge Cardbox City on Barangaroo Reserve in Sydney Festival. Sydney Sketch Club joined it! Why did I put the busker first? I met a musician whom I had sketched before in the Ephemeral city. He remembered me and talked to me. Oh, it surprised me so much. I was very happy. (**the posted sax player is not the same musician).  

The Ephemeral City is a large community participant event. Anyone can join constructing architectures. We can tape boxes and build them up. We are not strangers any more there. We are working mates to build the imaginative city! Amazing - especially it was great to see children so enthusiastic about understanding the concept of buildings. It sounds like a utopia? 

*Behind the building, you can see a man flying across the sky on a lift. There is a wire and you can fly between these constructing buildings like a flying fox. Ah, what a shame! I could not try it, because of my fractures. 

Indeed, that utopia certainly exists in our eyes, here in Sydney Festival! I felt the cardbox city, as if it were a miniature of our lives -- impermanent and momentaly, yet it has genuine relationships and friendship. In the Ephemeral city, we love, help and work together happily and joyfully. To lift up architecture needs timing and cooperation. Often close people work together. It is interesting to see the interaction of people. Often adults and children play around. Is it unrealistic paradise?  But it is certainly there and only for a short time. Also, I remembered the quote, "Our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness" by Vladimir Nabokov. That paradox makes me smile.

Indeed, in a temporal city, we are good friends and cooperators. The gentleman below in the sketch remembered me. We enjoyed a chat. I sketched his son and him about to lift up the building and a wife was ready to put another block. Many people talked to me and even took photos of my sketch of the building. I have no doubt that skething makes friends. 

Or I'd say, because our lives are such short and temporal, we want to love others well and be happy fully in every moment. Later, I'd like to visit this event again to check the progress.

Thank you for Sketch Club organiser Jennifer and all participants who gave me a wonderful afternoon. Many members kindly asked about my fractures and even cared for my difficulty in walk. They encouraged me so much. I'm on the mend and working hard for rehab. Friends, you are such nice people!
Happy Painting!! 

The Ephemeral City in Sydney Festival