Starting tonight, the Sydney Opera House sails will tell the stories of Australia’s First Nations culture in a new daily light projection called Badu Gili – meaning ‘water light'.
Every evening from sunset, the new projection will show the work of five First Nations artists from across Australia and the Torres Strait Islands; Jenuarrie (Judith Warrie), Frances Belle Parker (from Dyinda Designs, featured in our Deadly Sydney issue), Alick Tipoti and the late Lin Onus and Minnie Pwerle.
The premiere projection will be streamed online tonight from 5.45pm on the Sydney Opera House Facebook page.
Badu Gili is a seven-minute animation that’ll illuminate the eastern Bennelong sail all-year-round from sunset. The idea for Badu Gili comes from head of First Nations programming Rhoda Roberts AO, who also curates the House’s Homeground Festival and last year’s ‘Songlines’ projection for Vivid Sydney.
The light artwork will become an important first contact point for the eight million people who visit the iconic venue each year from overseas and around Australia. Before the building sat at Bennelong Point, the area was a gathering place for ceremony and storytelling for the Gadigal people.
It’s an important step for Sydney’s landmarks to acknowledge, celebrate and honour the traditional custodians of this country. Find out about Cheree Toka’s campaign for the Aboriginal flag to be flown every day on Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Find out what’s happening for NAIDOC Week in the first week of July, including the world premiere of Bangarra Dance Theatre’s new production Bennelong.