New Zealand multimedia artist Lisa Reihana is in Australia to unveil her collection of work - including her striking 25-metre video installation In Pursuit of Venus (infected).
Reihana, who is of Maori and British descent, loves to explore how identity and history are represented through her artworks, and challenging colonialism.
And her featured panoramic installation does not shy away from those concepts.
In Pursuit of Venus [infected], 2015—17, which premiered to critical acclaim at the 57th Venice Biennale in 2017. Source: SBS
Debuting at the 57th Venice Biennale last year, the video work is an adaption of 19th century French scenic wallpaper Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique, also known as The Voyages of Captain Cook.
"I was really inspired to create a work that kind of spoke back through time," Reihana told SBS News.
"Just kind of readdressed some of the look of the wallpaper and certainly to put a stake in the ground.
"And say yes Indigenous people are strong and yes we are still here."
Reihana has used audio-visual technology to animate the wallpaper and bring the invented narratives to life.
The Indigenous groups portrayed in the video work bring forth visual poetics of their culture and knowledge.
It depicts encounters between Europeans and Indigenous cultures, including Captain Cook.
"There's a full range of different cultures depicted in the work - Maori, many of our Pacific brothers and sisters such as Cook Islands, Hawaiian, Fijian, Samoan," Reihana said.
"Also there are the western heroes and heroines that we know such as Captain Cook and Joseph Banks."
Lisa Reihana’s ‘In Pursuit of Venus [infected]’ Source: SBS
Last year, Reihana worked alongside Aboriginal weaving artists from Campbelltown in Sydney's west to recreate one of the scenes In Pursuit of Venus (infected).
Carmen Sandy - who is a descendant of Kamilaroi, Mandandanji and Awabakal peoples - is an Aboriginal weaver and worked alongside Reihana to create a scene.
"I thought the representations of the cultures that it (Les Sauvages de la Mer Pacifique) had were very unusual and strange," Reihana said.
"Also because of the ways that Aboriginals or First Australians had been spoken about.
"They were very much pushed into the background and my feeling was I wanted to bring them to the foreground."
Sandy is featured in the panoramic video performing a traditional weaving.
"It actually took you back spiritually," Sandy said.
"You actually felt in the moment of that first contact period during colonisation."
Cinemania, the first-ever Australian survey of Reihana, will be exhibited at Campbelltown Arts Centre from 12 January to 29 March.
The exhibition features a range of video and photographic works which span over three decades.
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