The Sydney Opera House today announced a new chapter of its free, nightly First Nations sails lighting, Badu Gili, will open to the public on 13 December. Badu Gili: Healing Spirit will illuminate the world-famous sails with a dynamic projection displaying the works of celebrated First Nations artists, the late Bidjigal elder Esme Timbery and two of her children, Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell, and artist Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami of the Yanomami people. Badu Gili: Healing Spirit will appear on the Opera House’s Eastern Bennelong sails five times a night from sunset.
The project marks the second year of a creative partnership between the Opera House, Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. The powerful projection of First Nations storytelling has been animated by Vandal with a soundscape by James Henry, bringing together Indigenous artists from Bidjigal (Australia) and Yanomami (the Amazon’s largest Indigenous group) for the first time on Australia’s most iconic canvas.
Inspired by shellwork crafted by Esme Timbery and Marilyn Russell, prints and weavings by Steven Russell, and Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami’s drawings of the spirits and landscapes of the remote Yanomami forest, the new six-minute digital animation explores rituals and the bonds of cultural and familial connection forged through art and storytelling.
As a tribute to the life and work of their mother, the chapter created by Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell is set against the backdrop of the ocean and within the universe of Esme’s art. Featuring delicate shellwork and prints representing the enduring passage of artistic practice across generations, the projection explores the deep spiritual connection between a mother, her family and their Country.
Transitioning to the forests and rivers of the Yanomami, Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami’s chapter depicts a shamanic curing ceremony, a ritual performed when community members fall ill. Illuminating the relationship between the metaphysical and natural worlds, good spirits are called upon to ward off bad. Offering a glimpse into Yanomami cosmology, Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami brings the Amazon alive with butterflies, jaguars and the songs of his people.
Badu Gili: Healing Spirit will launch to the public on 13 December with Badu Gili: LIVE – a night of live music, food and gathering to celebrate the first light of this exciting new chapter.
Artists Marilyn Russell and Steven Russell said: “As a family we are so proud and grateful for this opportunity to shine a spotlight on mum, known as Aunty Esme to the broader community. She taught us the beauty of our heritage and shared with us her incredible talent for shellwork. For us, Badu Gili represents the pinnacle of her artistic career and honours her strength, creativity, and the way she continues to inspire us every day. This project brings her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren pride and joy in our culture. We love mum deeply, and we are forever blessed to walk in her footsteps.”
Artist Joseca Mokahesi Yanomami said: “I’m happy to be a part of Badu Gili, and excited to be coming to Australia to share my drawings and the stories of the Yanomami people. As Indigenous people we will look each other in the face, get to know one another and share this special work with the community.”
Sydney Opera House Chief Customer Officer, Jade McKellar said: “We’re excited to once again launch our nightly celebration of First Nations culture, Badu Gili, in our second year of partnership with the Biennale of Sydney and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain. Since Badu Gili’s beginnings in 2017, we’ve welcomed over 650,000 visitors on-site and nearly 3 million online to enjoy this free cultural experience showcasing the work of artists from different corners of the globe, whose creations reflect a deep, generational connection to their respective lands.”
Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow, Tony Albert said: “As the inaugural Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain First Nations Curatorial Fellow, it is incredible to now be at the second iteration of Badu Gili presented in partnership with the Sydney Opera House and the Biennale of Sydney. Healing Spirit is a journey of connectivity and caring through culture. From the fresh water deep in the Amazon rainforest, to the crashing saltwater waves at La Perouse, we are all connected. I believe Badu Gili showcases the absolute best of Indigenous art in a growing movement recognising the way in which our stories, art and culture continue to resonate in the most impactful of ways.”
CEO of Biennale of Sydney, Barbara Moore said: “Badu Gili: Healing Spirit is a celebration of family and cultural resilience. Through ancestral stories we honour the enduring bonds that shape our identities and connect us across generations, continents and cultures. The Biennale of Sydney is proud to support communities in sharing their knowledge and stories, partnering once again with the Sydney Opera House and the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain to illuminate shared humanity and the profound role of art in uniting diverse histories and traditions.”
International Director of the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Hervé Chandès said: “The collaboration with the Biennale of Sydney and the Sydney Opera House extends the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain commitment to First Nations artists from all over the world and underscores the crucial role of listening to their voices as we navigate the challenges facing our planet. By discovering and embracing other forms of sensitivity and modes of understanding life, we become more conscious and in tune with the world in which we operate and carry our missions.”
