Immersive multimedia installation ‘Walking through a Songline’ to open in New Delhi
PA/02/2024 21/05/2024
The Australian High Commission in India together with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) is bringing a unique showcase of the immersive multimedia installation 'Walking Through a Songline' (WTAS) to New Delhi. This dramatic digital experience is based on a component of the National Museum of Australia’s internationally acclaimed exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters.
Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, in which more than 100 artists are represented, is an Aboriginal-led exhibition developed in 2017 which takes visitors on a journey along the epic Seven Sisters Dreaming tracks, through art, Indigenous voices, innovative multimedia, and other immersive displays.
Australia’s High Commissioner to India Philip Green said, “Australia has the unique privilege of being home to the world’s oldest continuous culture and it is an honour to bring Walking Through a Songline to Delhi in collaboration with the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art.”
“This exhibition will allow audiences to experience the ancient stories of our rich Indigenous culture and history through innovative technology. I am proud that through art, we can bring our First Nations stories and knowledge to the people of India,” he added.
After making its India debut in Mumbai in April 2024, the exhibition is all set to delight audiences in Delhi from 26 May to 30 June at KNMA Saket. The exhibition next travels to Bengaluru.
National Museum of Australia director, Katherine McMahon, said, “We are deeply grateful to the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art for hosting this display on such a magnificent scale and thrilled that we can, for the first time, present the dome video from the original internationally acclaimed Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters exhibition in the same venue”.
“Visual artist Sarah Kenderdine’s outstanding immersive artwork Travelling Kungkarangkalpa is an integral part of the original exhibition, and we are thrilled to have this opportunity to share our commitment to sharing First Nations stories with Indian audiences,” she added.
Roobina Karode, Director and Chief Curator, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, said, “The opening of the 'Walking Through a Songline' exhibition at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art exemplifies our ongoing commitment to cross-cultural exchange and public engagement with art. This immersive developed by the National Museum of Australia, not only introduces the profound narratives of the Seven Sisters songline but also our vision of bridging ancient legacies with contemporary audiences. By integrating innovative multimedia with traditional storytelling, the project offers a unique experience that resonates across generations and cultures. It is through such collaborations that we hope to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of shared human heritage and the wisdom of ancient cultures, through the stories of their communities and their land.”
Produced by the National Museum of Australia in partnership with Australia’s Mosster Studio, WTAS has the ongoing support of the traditional Aboriginal custodians and knowledge holders of this story. The exhibition received support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as part of its flagship public diplomacy initiative, Australia now.
The India tour of WTAS is supported by the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), Deakin University and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ).