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Moving through Country: Passing Through Light

Client: City of Parramatta Council and Transport for NSW
Location: Yilabara Path and Stairs at Parramatta

Artist: Leanne Redpath (Watson) with Barahanos Byrne (Tina Barahanos & Alexandra Byrne) 

Year: 2024

Medium:  Photoluminescent pigment on pavement 

Dimensions: approx. 45 metres long x 3.7 metres wide

 

Context: This place is full of connections like the pathway through country giving access to and away from the river, a quick way through. The Baramaddagul people would follow the constellations to find our way across country.  This pathway would lead to resources that were found along the river. In recent times, this pedestrian pathway also leads us to resources and our places in Baramadda, and beyond through saltwater country.  The stars are our ancestors. We are guided by the night sky following the Baramaddagul story of moving across country with the seasons.

Inspired by physical qualities of the laneway and its inherent characteristic as a threshold between the city, river and nearby suburbs,

our concept and imagery are informed by the sky and its navigational significance to indigenous and non-indigenous cultures alike.​ 

The story of this place that connects us all with Country is a simple one: A pathway followed at night by the light of the moon through Dharug Ngurra.

Our creative response to this pathway includes imagery relating to sky illuminating the ground, with the flow of the river and people. Dharug dalang drifts throughout the artwork embedding ancient language in the path we walk.

 

We describe the artwork as you move from the city toward the river: At the city end of the path, the sun greets us between the buildings.  

As we move from the city toward the river, the changing sky flows with the lines on the path as bats fly overhead and meeting places are dotted along the way.  The constellations relate to the sky as seen above Baramadda. At the city end and centre of the path we see the southern part of the Milky Way and at the river end we see the northern stars above. These constellations reflect what you see in the sky above the lane. They show our direct connection with the physical landscape and highlight our cultural connections to the night sky. 

At the bridge, the moon shines over the path. As we travel from the river, meeting places, stars and language flow up the stairs from the water’s edge to join the path above.

This project also included the naming of this previously unnamed pathway. Redpath, Barahanos and Byrne worked with Dharug language knowledge holders to develop three potential names for broad community consultation. Overwhelming support was

given to one name -Yilabara Path - which was adopted by council and listed with the geographical names board. Yilabara Path means “Now path” or “Quick way through”.

Installation time-lapse and artist interview, courtesy City of Parramatta Council

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live, work and visit and give our respect and thanks to elders past, present and emerging for their wisdom and guidance on Country.

© 2024 by Barahanos Byrne Pty Ltd. Powered and secured by Wix

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