Art Pharmacy, in collaboration with Indigenous Curatorial Advisors, Aunty Joanne Selfe and Uncle Graham Toomey, have curated a spectacular outdoor art exhibition of 30 two-metre-high whale tail sculptures along Sydney’s new waterfront pathway.
Each sculpture has been individually created by a diverse collective of 30 different creatives and groups, from muralists and fine arts painters to influencers, illustrators, street artists and students. The tales presented by the artists vary from stories of childhood nostalgia and memories of the ocean to environmental concerns and Dreamtime storytelling.
Aunty Joanne and Uncle Graham have helped to connect the artists to the Gadigal and Saltwater Country on which the exhibition will be presented, through a workshop and curatorial advice.
The initiative is presented by the New Sydney Waterfront Company in partnership with Stagekings, Milestone Creative and Wild in Art and supported by the NSW Government through the Investment NSW CBDs Revitalisation Program.
The 6km art trail links Barangaroo to Cockle Bay and will run between August 11 and September 24.
See the Official Website for Waterfront Whale Tales here!
Waterfront Whale Tales launches on Thursday, 11th of August. Following that, we have a packed program of activities such as art trails, a colouring competition and meeting the artists! Stay tuned for updates.
Artist Profiles
Studio Visits
Artists Include:
The Kids Cancer Project, Gabby Malpas, M. Sunflower, TAFE NSW Eora, Graham Toomey, Evi O, Micke Lindebergh, Mulga The Artist, Chance Purpose, Blak Douglas, Wanita Lowe and Nioka Rain, Alex Lehours, Chris Yee, Sophi Odling, Pink Bits, Tara Chandra, Gwiyaala Aboriginal Art, Niah McLeod, Danielle Mate, Little Orange, Scott Marsh, Jason Wing, Furry Little Peach, Laura Wells, Will Cooke, Peta Joy, Ink Hunter
The students at TAFE NSW Eora have worked with facilitators Wanita Lowe and Peta Joy to create two collaborative tails as part of the Introduction to Cultural Arts Program
Environmental activist Laura Wells has drawn upon notions of bathymetry to map out the paths of humpback whales
Winner of the 2022 Archibald Prize, Blak Douglas, fragmented his tail in response to the succession of self-anointed elders who illicitly amble their way into economic power
Bronwen Smith and Gavin Chatfield of the Gwiyaala Aboriginal Art Collective have created a traditional Aboriginal design of the migration of whales down the NSW South Coast
Christine Yahya a.k.a. Pink Bits has reimagined iconic Sydney summers from her youth at the Sydney waterfront, and illustrated sights, sounds and warm memories based on an old photo she found in her family photo album
