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.’ 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.
‘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.”
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.”
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).
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.”
About Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA) opened its doors to the public in January 2010. It is a pioneering private museum of Modern and Contemporary art in South Asia, with two spaces located in New Delhi and Noida. It is a not-for-profit institution with an extensive and creative engagement with exhibition-making, educational and public-focused programs, and publications. The museum houses a growing collection of more than 10,000 artworks from South Asia, with a focus on the historical trajectories of 20th-century Indian art, alongside the experimental practices of young contemporaries.
About Katherine McMohan
Katherine McMahon was appointed the Director of the National Museum of Australia in February 2024. She has 30 years’ experience in state and federal Government and 22 years in senior leadership roles in the arts and cultural sector. She was most recently the Deputy Director of the National Museum of Australia and prior to that, Assistant Director with oversight of curatorial, collections, exhibitions, and First Nations programs.
About Philip Green
High Commissioner Philip Green is an Australian diplomat with experience on four continents, having served as Ambassador or High Commissioner to Germany, Singapore, South Africa and Kenya. High Commissioner Greenprovided oversight of the implementation of Australia’s Indo-Pacific Strategy following its launch in 2017. He is a graduate of the University of Sydney in Arts (First Class Honours) and Law. He holds honorary degrees from James Cook University and Murdoch University.
Image Curtesy – KNMA
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