Do we need art in our lives?March 15, 2016

You were amazed at the colours defining the Opera House. This was the time of the year when Sydneysiders relished Vivid Sydney. It was supposed to be spring time in the Southern Hemisphere, but you would associate Sydney with sunny weather. The Pacific Ocean beckons, but not tonight.

You persuaded your housemates to join you in this extraordinary evening. It was their first time to see this other side of Sydney, which was rather strange. (They rather watch rugby.) The real reason would be a break in the coursework, but something Tommy seemed disinterested. You were at the front of the Customs House. You wondered it wasn't the best light show on town until Mark gave you a look. He wanted to be anywhere but there.

You were the only B.A. student in this small group, who knew too well about arts. You won't be melodramatic, like Thomas Mann's ill-fated hero in "Death in Venice". You needed arts because this would motivate you. The blinding lights gave you ideas, which you would write in your journal.

As you walked through the crowded streets, you thought of what to tell your housemates. Why do they needed arts? It didn't take you long to figure out the following:

The Sydney Harbour deserves another look. Not a few would pass up Sydney Harbour, as it was too familiar to them. A special event like Vivid Sydney would remind them that such places shouldn't be taken for granted. But you don't know if your housemates would feel the same way. They already drank a few cans of beer.

Space Folding was a rare spot where arts and science would merge together. Mark recalled Changi Airport. He had a few hours to kill the time before boarding the plane to Ho Chi Minh. He didn't expect much from the airport until he saw a pattern in the ceiling, which was similar to Space Folding. He couldn't tell if there was an abstract message behind it, but it delighted him. This was his first time to see the Space Folding, and he couldn't get his eyes off it. John was getting exasperated, though. It was time to go to another lighted place.

The Museum of Contemporary Art reminded you of Lego blocks. John haven't outgrown his fondness for Lego. In fact, Legoland was one of the places he visited during his holiday in London. (His brother was based there.) John's remarks about the Museum of Contemporary Art made you looked long and hard at it. He was right. You've outgrown your interest in Lego, though.

You returned to the Harbour, as you wanted to see another set of colours illuminating the Opera House. This was what you loved about Vivid Sydney, as something new would come up in an instant. It put you into a mood, but writing could wait until tomorrow. Maybe the day after next.

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