‘YAMANDIRRA’ by Nathan Mudyi Sentance & Kieran Mpetyane Satour – Featured Installation at ‘Keep the fire burning’
Keep the Fire Burning is a First Nations community art exhibition, proudly presented on Cammeraygal Country, in Tunnel One of the Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability, from 12 October to 3 November 2024. Taking its title from the 2024 NAIDOC theme of the same name, this free exhibition, curated by North Shore based Noongar curator, basket weaver and writer, Jodie Dowd, explores the transformative and enduring power of fire in First Nations culture, art and storytelling.
The exhibition features (mostly) new works from eight First Nations artists, who have drawn on the fire element in their creations: stories of passion, Country and kin are shared through sounds and images; forms forged through flames to create glass works and designs on possum skin cloaks; and fire used to eco-dye raffia woven together by First Nations community members for a collaborative artwork.
A highlight is sure to be the premiere of YAMANDIRRA audio visual performance by Wiradjuri (Wee-ra-dju-ree) poet Nathan Mudyi Sentance and award-winning Gurindji (Goo-RIN-gee), Pertame (Per-TAHm),, Worimi (Wor-ri-my) filmmaker Kieran Satour, projected on the sandstone inside the tunnels.
Nathan and Kieran joined me in the studio to tell me more about their project.