Animal Constellations
ANIMALS AS TOLD BY ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIANS
About the work
The night sky has always been a map, a calendar and a library of knowledge. Animal Constellations is my artwork of four animals traced across the Milky Way: the Emu, the Possum, the Eagle and the Cockatoo. Each one is drawn in simple, glowing linework, the way people have joined the stars for generations.
For this piece, I brought the artwork to life with animation and recorded the narration myself, sharing some of the constellation stories held by different nations.
The stories
Every nation holds its own stories in the stars. The Emu in the Sky is seen across much of this land, and the narration draws on knowledge shared by the Kamilaroi and Euahlayi, Boorong, and Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples. I share these stories with respect for the nations who hold them. The Cockatoo is my own addition to the sky.
Bring your story to life
I create Aboriginal artwork and design that tells stories with care, from RAP artwork and publications to illustration and brand work. If you have a story you'd like to share, I'd love to hear it.