Vivid festival organisers claim that four-storey high woman in pink bodysuit thrusting at family-focused event is a commentary on migration

Published: 15:13, 26 May 2026 | Updated: 15:25, 26 May 2026 Vivid Sydney organisers have defended claims one of their exhibitions was sexualised after footage of it posted on social media sparked outrage.  Lenny Sinclair, a two time Australian Kickboxing Champion, posted a video of 'Vaiola' projected on the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) building in Circular Quay which showed a woman in a revealing pink bodysuit thrusting during a dance. Many Australians said it was 'disgusting' and inappropriate for a family event.  A Vivid Sydney spokesman told Daily Mail it was aware of the feedback around the work by Samoan-Australian artist Angela Tiatia. '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.' He also doubled down on the fact that the 23-day event was a 'family-friendly festival'.   'Vivid Sydney welcomes audiences of all ages and backgrounds, with a program carefully curated to showcase creativity, innovation and artistic expression.  The video of the Vaiola projection on the Museum of Contemporary Art building in Circular Quay showed a woman in a pink revealing bodysuit thrusting during a dance  Vaiola forms part of the 6.5km Vivid Light Walk, which features more than 40 installations. 'Vivid Sydney is focused on delivering a world-leading festival experience in a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment for all audiences, and we acknowledge the feedback received.' The Daily Mail understands Vaiola transforms the MCA with a vivid, immersive palette featuring recurring motifs from Ms Tiatia's practice, including pearls, water, fire, flowers and the female form.  Presented at a monumental scale, the work invites audiences into a richly layered visual experience and a shared public engagement with personal and universal themes.  Vivid Sydney producers worked in consultation with Angela Tiatia and animation company, Spinifex, to strike a balance between maintaining the artistic integrity of the artist and creating content that is suitable for the general public.  Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper emphasised that the event was suitable for families. 'Vivid Sydney offers families the chance to enjoy a fun night out in the city, with more than 80 per cent of the program free to enjoy,' he said. 'We want people of all ages to be able to experience our city's vibrancy firsthand – from trying delicious NSW food to watching world-class entertainment. Vivid Sydney organisers have defended claims one of their exhibitions was sexualised after footage of it posted on social media sparked outrage 'Providing family-friendly experiences is a priority for the NSW Government and something we are committed to supporting during major events.' Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy backed Mr Kamper's sentiment, saying families were the main target audience.  'Families are at the heart of our festival and play an important role when shaping the program,' Mr Sheehy said.  'This year, we have curated a number of wonderful family friendly experiences – many of which are free to enjoy, and are focused on imagination, creativity and play. 'Vivid Sydney is about creating unforgettable memories, and for families, it offers magical moments where people of all ages can discover and explore the city in new and unexpected ways.' The defense comes after Monday's 9.30pm Star-Bound drone show was cancelled due to dozens of drones plunging into Darling Harbour. As a result of the 'unforeseen technical difficulties', both shows on Tuesday and Wednesday were also called off with the potential of more. 'No decisions have been made at this stage regarding the drone show scheduled for Sunday, May 31 and beyond. 'Further updates on future performances will be provided when available.'   No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.