Presented by the Northern Territory Government and AGB Events, Parrtjima – A Festival in Light is the first authentic Indigenous light festival of its kind in the world.
The huge scale event will illuminate Alice Springs for ten nights this September and October, with a free program of events open to the public, showcasing contemporary and traditional Indigenous culture, art, and stories.
In addition to multi-coloured projections across 2.5km of the MacDonnell Ranges, the festival will also present a series of installations at Alice Springs Desert Park.
Anthony Bastic, Director of AGB Events, said: “The sheer scale of the lighting on the MacDonnell Ranges is beyond imaginable, and will tell a layered, interactive, and personal story from artists, Elders, and the local Indigenous community. It will set this authentic and contemporary experience apart from anything we’ve ever seen before.”
Installation highlights include Yeperenye Tales (Caterpillars), featuring three large light filled caterpillar installations, incorporating illustrations from students from Amoonguna School, inspired by the Yeperenye Dreamtime stories; Grounded, a series of artworks from local Indigenous artists projected onto the desert sounds, accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack; and Inti Ljapa Ljapa Irapakalam (Butterfly Going Round and Round), a series of five large 1950s style illuminated skirts, featuring circular watercolour landscapes from Lenie Namatjira, Reinhold Inkamala, Ivy Pareroultja, Therese Ryder, and Hubert Pareroultja.
Parrtjima – A Festival in Light opens on Friday 23rd September and will run for ten nights. Alice Springs Desert Park will be open to the public for two sessions a night, with free shuttle buses running from various stops around Alice Springs.
The event is free to attend, but guests should register in advance. For more information, please see the Parrtjima website.
Header image: Parrtjima – artist’s impression
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