Gurad, Bagan
Artist: Niah McLeod
Niah McLeod’s artwork Ghundinjaha (Whale) takes inspiration from the movement a whale creates and the ocean that surrounds her.
“I am a Yuin – Monero woman fortunate to be raised and now raising my young family on Bunjalung country, watching the whales sing and play their way past our headland on their migration up north. I have always been in awe of these beautiful creatures; they are ancient beings of such profound understanding. The Ghundinjaha is one of my daughters’ totems.”
Niah McLeod
Niah Juella McLeod is an exciting new voice in the contemporary Indigenous art scene with an an impressive list of awards and acknowledgements to her name. Niah is a descendant from the Monero, Wandandian and Yuin people from south eastern Australia and her works tell of stories passed down from her parents which are unique to her history.
More than 10,000 blocks of sandstone, painstakingly extracted from beneath what is now the Cutaway cultural space under Barangaroo headland, were used to create this extraordinary reimagined foreshore. The design follows the natural Sydney fault line, so the new waterfront is in line with original Sydney Harbour headlands. No project in history has used more Sydney sandstone than this one.
First Nations Audio Narrative: With thanks to our Indigenous Cultural Advisors, Aunty Jo Selfe and Uncle Graham Toomey, and special contributors who have generously shared important stories of place. Listen to the First Nations Audio Narrative here.
Charity Auction
Love Whale Tales? Want to keep one?
You can! After the Waterfront Whale Tales trail concludes, all 30 sculptures will be offered for purchase at a dedicated art auction at Sydney Maritime Museum, Terrace Room.
The net proceeds from the auction will go to The Kids’ Cancer Project.
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