GAPU NGUPAN
I was very privileged to have ten days to film and design projections in Taiwan and a week in North East Arnhem Land, guided by traditional elders from each country for the large scale project GAPU NGUPAN (Chasing the Rainbow), produced by Kath Papas. This work uses a large amount of drone and macro videography to depict natural environments and forms layered with masked Procreate line drawings to illustrate metaphysical patterning. Such an honour and a daunting task to be trusted with representing these two indigenous cultures from Taiwan and Australia. Gapu Ngupan, assembles traditional dance and song sequences from Paiwan (South Taiwan mountains) Amis (East coast Taiwan) and Yolgnu (East Arnhem) families led by Banula Marika, Rachael Wallis (Miku Performing Arts) and Suming Rupi, performing deep connections to land, sea and animals.
 |
| Paiwan musicians and dancers GAPU NGUPAN |
The projection was mapped onto a 15m panoramic S curved screen with two slits for upstage and downstage performance through gauze. Imagery travelled from Tjuvecekadan, the stone village of chief Manie Liao to the ocean and the cliffs and bush of East Arnhem Land. Abstract maps indicated patterns of daily rituals, animal choreography and two cultures intersecting. Eagles encounter seagulls in dance exchange (Piya Talaliman, Temu Masin, Inneke Wallis and Loretta Yunupingu) and Yolgnu and Paiwan meet and commune for the first time in perhaps a world first production produced by Kath Papas. At the Art Centre Melbourne Playhouse.
 |
Bunyi Bunyi Bumi 3 screen projection
|
BUNYI BUNYI BUMI (Sounds of the earth) is a contemporary work, also a meeting between First Nations performers from Aceh and Far North Queensland directed by Priya Srinivasan and choreographed by Raymond Blanco. The central design concept by Govin Ruben and Vernon Ah Kee was of a segmented sound floor that responds to percussion from dance and drumming that represents Gondwana splitting apart as a symbol of indigenous family lineage being fractured. Dual projections on floor and geometric string curtains was the simple setup. Complex mapping was reduced to more ephemeral spirit presences of father, mother and networks of mycelium trying to repair broken underground transmissions. It was another project by the prolific BlakDance, who housed us at Metro Arts Brisbane and Bunjil Place Melbourne and to be part of the very cool, tri-annual festival ASIA TOPA led by Jeff Khan.
ASIA TOPA 20 Feb - 10 March 2025 Art Centre Melbourne and Bunjil Place
https://www.asiatopa.com.au
