Lunar Lantern: The Rat

Not to be missed is the hero installation of this year's Sydney Lunar Festival. Impressive in scale, this glowing tower of nine, 2.8m tall, gold robotic rats speaks of great fortune for the year of the rat.

In Chinese culture, Rat is a symbol of wealth and surplus and gold is a prestigious colour, signifying luck and prosperity.

Reminiscent of 1950s sci-fi robots, each animatronic rat has a key in its back which turns continuously. On the chest plate is a spinning Chinese good luck symbol, so that the view from front and back is always moving and changing like an inquisitive rat.

Such an imposing display of larger than life metallic rats is powerful, to reflect the dynamic nature of those born under the sign of the rat. They love to be at the forefront of the action and were born to shine!

About the artist Claudia Chan Shaw’s family has been a vital part of Sydney’s Australian-Chinese community for 5 generations. Her mother is internationally acclaimed fashion designer Vivian Chan Shaw and her great grandfather was a respected providore in The Rocks.

Perhaps best known as co-host of ABC TV’s popular Collectors program, Claudia’s success is multi-faceted, as an installation artist, photo artist, curator, fashion designer and author.

Her inspiration for the robot rat lantern was to create a whimsical, engaging and contemporary take on centuries-old tradition that would be uniquely Australian. Her sleek Sydney rat is perfectly at home by glittering Sydney Harbour, shining in the sunlight by day and glowing gold at night.

Interact with Claudia’s insta-worth robotic rats at First Fleet Park on the Lunar Lantern walk. It follows the Circular Quay foreshore, from Cadman’s Cottage to Sydney Opera House.