CONFLUENCE at Coranderrk

A Place-responsive Art and Performance Residency

Hosted by senior Wurundjeri Elder Uncle Dave Wandin, a group of artists engaged in a 3-day program of practice exchange, place immersion and response, camping at the confluence of Coranderrk Creek and the Birrarung at the significant Coranderrk property.

Guided by Uncle Dave, we learnt about the complex past and present layers of Coranderrk - its historical and ongoing relevance to First Peoples of Victoria, the biocultural landscape in relation to the waterways, its ecological challenges and future visions.

Wurundjeri cultural educator, curator and Djirri Djirri dancer, Stacie Piper, shared a drum meditation at the confluence site and a dance workshop ‘Biik Ngarrga’, acknowledging the layers of Country.

Guest facilitators Tess Eckert (US First Nations: Chickasaw) & Mitch King (Widjabul-Wiabul & Yaegl) came down from Northern Rivers, NSW to offer ‘Body as Country’ workshop, inviting us to embody our own ancestral lineages in meeting with this place.

Renowned performance artist Jill Orr supervised the artists’ creation of site responses, which we then performed for each other in situ.

All artists and facilitators felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity to reside with this powerful place in such fine company.

Participating artists: Tahlia Palmer, Ria Soemardjo, Ella Ferris, Emily Parsons-Lord, Genevieve Fry, Noemie Huttner-Koros, Gregory Lorenzutti, John Inns, Ali Griffin.

Facilitators: Gretel Taylor, Gülsen Özer, Stacie Piper, Tess Eckert, Mitch King, Jill Orr, Uncle Dave Wandin.