By Jena Carr
An immersive experience at Deakin University’s Waterfront Campus will transform how people understand Australia’s cultural past and present.
The Fire Within will be displayed at the university’s Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library from July 9 to September 27, with the free exhibition opening during NAIDOC Week (July 7 to 14).
Deakin University Library exhibitions curator Pip Minney said the exhibition showcased The Earth Above: A Deep Time View of Australia’s Epic History, a 30-minute planetarium show.
“We feel so privileged to be able to tell these stories to a wider community and we hope that everyone comes to visit,” she said.
“It’s very significant and important for us to be providing a platform for First Nations artists and stories that have been co-created or led by First Nations people.
“The NAIDOC theme this year is Keep the Fire Burning; Black, Loud and Proud. So when we commissioned Lowell to create this artwork, we really wanted him to keep that in mind.”
The exhibition will also feature artwork by Geelong artist and proud Nyul Nyul Saltwater man Lowell Hunter, also known as The Salty One.
“We saw it as a really fabulous opportunity to commission Lowell to produce a sand artwork…and it’s not just the visuals; it’s the feeling of sand, the sound of fire and bird calls,” Ms Minney said.
“This was a way for us to bring the outside in. We wanted to extrapolate on that idea and speaking more with Lowell, he finds an inner peace and connection to country through being on country.”
Entrance to The Fire Within at the Alfred Deakin Prime Ministerial Library is through Cunningham Street and will be open to the public from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
