As Santa finished his deliveries for the night, the steel arches of the Australia’s most iconic bridge were undergoing a metamorphosis. Now, as we stir from our slumber on the morning of December 25, the Sydney Harbour Bridge has emerged from the shadows, decked out in a first-time-ever festive ensemble. But although it looks real, the transformation is a digital facelift only – it’s the artwork of Parisian avant-garde artist Vincent Smadja, who’s known for his digital dalliances with global landmarks, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Big Ben and the Empire State Building.
This time Smadja’s used If Only AI to sprinkle a touch of Christmas magic Down Under. In this work, the bridge appears to have been elegantly draped with chic white and gold-ish Christmas decorations and twinkling lights – all the way from one end in the CBD to the other end in North Sydney.
“The aesthetics of the Sydney Harbour Bridge are quite different from any other bridges I’ve worked on before,” says Smadja. “This allowed me to push boundaries with AI, combining elegance and creativity. I hope this digital rendition brings a piece of Sydney’s festive spirit to audiences everywhere.”
Despite never setting foot on the sun-kissed shores of Sydney, Smadja's long felt a connection to this city. “I’ve always been drawn to Sydney. I’ve heard lots of great things about the mindset, the culture, the architecture, the good weather. Through this project I’ve felt closer to the city that I hope to be able to visit soon.”