Mardi Gras revealed their 2013 season and the cover star of their pocket guide, a cute rainbow baby, named Eden.
The season creative was revealed at the season launch event, and coincides with the release of the Festival Guide, which contains a full program of the three-week extravaganza that is Sydney Mardi Gras 2013.
This year’s season concept and the accompanying creative content were developed by visual artist Lewis Oswald. Lewis explained: ‘Generations of Love is an opportunity, not just to celebrate, engage and acknowledge our journey so far, but also to reach out, empower and support our new generations.’
Among the content that was today unveiled was the cover of the Festival Guide, the season artwork and the key “Hero” image for the season. This image will feature in the extensive outdoor advertising campaign that heralds the arrival of Sydney Mardi Gras around the city’s streets.
The image, shot by seasoned Mardi Gras photographer John McRae, depicts a “Rainbow Baby” – aptly named Edan – lying on a quilt composed of all of the imagery that has been used in Mardi Gras season campaigns over the last 35 years. Edan is sporting a sparkling nappy pin in the shape of the Sydney Mardi Gras logo – a bespoke piece of jewellry designed by jeweler Jason Moss, who has also created a line of jewelry specifically for Sydney Mardi Gras.
Lewis Oswald further explained: ‘With this artwork, I have deliberately referenced the Quilt – embedded into the fabric are all of the rich histories of Sydney Mardi Gras and of our communities. Edan is a baby born out of our Generations of Love: happy, healthy and alive with the possibilities that our future journey holds. I am extremely passionate about getting to engage with the 35 years of season artwork for this project, and I hope that I have done our generations proud with this work.’
Rainbow Baby Edan is eight months old, and his two mums have always marched on the Parade.
Fiona, one of Edan’s mums, said: ‘Seeing Edan lying on a generation of Sydney Mardi Gras images was very meaningful to me. It’s always a highlight of my year to march in the Parade, especially with Rainbow Babies and Kids, as a celebration of who we are with all of our families created out of love. The day of the photo shoot, Edan had one of his most calm and happy days ever, as if he knew all of this, and was proud to be a representation of it.’
SGLMG Co-Chair Pete Urmson explained the Generations of Love theme: ‘With the 35th Anniversary this year, this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate and honour the pioneers that came before us, and the young blood that will create our future. We are paying tribute to 35 years of Sydney Mardi Gras history – and setting the stage to create the next 35 years.’
SGLMG Co-Chair Siri Kommedahl added: ‘35 years on it is time to remember where we have been, take pride in how far we have come, look where we are going and to get excited about the paths that lie before us. These are our Generations of Love.’
