As a result of recent, catastrophic fire events, the ever-pressing issue of global climate change is more pertinent than ever. Locally, there is a call to learn from our ancestors who have, for tens of thousands of years, successfully managed and maintained native ecologies through sustainable land management practices. This project provides an opportunity to create a public artwork that speaks to the significant history of Aboriginal culture and identity of the Parramatta region in a contemporary context. Of specific interest is the importance of the Burramattagal waterway (known as Parramatta River). As with past public art projects, my aim is to examine the historical and present-day use of sites as a means to creating work that enlivens and enriches local and broader communities.
Where Eels Lie Down brings the history of the eel, inherently tied to the site, its surrounds, and its people, to the fore by celebrating it in large-scaled, articulated form. Two eels rise through the ground level of the square, their winding bodies crossing each other as they play. Reaching a height of approximately 7.5 metres, visitors are to walk under, around and through sections of the work. Fabricated in painted aluminium and etched granite panels, the artwork features sequenced lighting nestled within the seams of the panels. Transitioning from light, to bright, to dark blue, and back again signifies the tidal variations – the rise and fall – of the Burramattagal; a dynamic effect that acts as a beacon for activity against the night skies.
Much like it was over thousands of years, these eels will again make the site a place for gathering; where people, local and afar, come to share stories, knowledge and time.