WHERE EELS LIE DOWN

This project speaks to the significant history of Aboriginal culture and identity of the Parramatta region in a contemporary context.

Where Eels Lie Down, brings the history of the eel, inherently tied to the site, its surrounds, and its people, to the fore by celebrating it in large-scaled, articulated form. Two eels rise through the ground level of the square, their winding bodies crossing each other as they play. Reaching a height of approximately 7.5 metres, visitors are to walk under, around and through sections of the work. Fabricated in painted aluminium and etched granite panels, the artwork features sequenced lighting nestled within the seams of the panels. Transitioning from light, to bright, to dark blue, and back again signifies the tidal variations – the rise and fall – of the Burramattagal; a dynamic effect that acts as a beacon for activity against the night skies. Much like it was over thousands of years, these eels will again make the site a place for gathering; where people, local and afar, come to share stories, knowledge and time.

Project Management and Curation by David Hagger, Fabrication and installation by the team at UAP (Urban Art Projects), Lighting by Xenian, Philip Pulle

Images by Document Photography