Yennaga Yettang / Come See was played for the first time as the sun went down over the Murray River on Friday 24 November. It will soon play every day at dusk.
Featuring images and sounds of the river and surrounding country overlayed with voices of local women, Yennaga Yettang invites viewers to ‘come see’ the region.
The work, projected on the wall of Mildura’s newly restored Powerhouse building in the Riverfront precinct, was created by internationally renowned artist Maree Clarke.
A Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Wamba Wamba, Boonwurrung woman from Mildura, Maree is a multi-disciplinary artist, curator and artistic director with a career spanning 30 years.
Maree worked with Latje Latje elder and cultural adviser Aunty Janine Wilson, with filming by Jen Douglas and sound editing by Merilyn Air. Catherine Threlfall collaborated with local young people to compose and perform a hypnotic choral arrangement, inspired by the film imagery.
The work also features ‘whispers’ of women aged over 50, and together they form a woven narrative of women’s voices, speaking from generations, and connecting to place.
This monumental piece reflects on the role of women as knowledge holders of customs and traditions. It was shot on Latje Latje and Ngintait Country and escorts the audience through the local landscape to find a place of connection. The film moves from daylight to dusk, capturing the ambience of the river, along with the clouds, fire, smoke and trees.
The first screening was followed by a celebration at the Powerhouse precinct, making it a true community gathering place.
The Powerhouse building, an early 1900s coal-fired power plant, has been restored and upgraded to include spaces for exhibitions, functions, retail and events.
Yennaga Yettang / Come See is the sixth and final artwork to be unveiled as part of the Victorian Government’s $1 million Victorian Women in Public Art Program, which aims to address the historic underrepresentation of women and their achievements in enduring public artworks. Of the 583 statues across Melbourne, only 12 depict real-life women.
The program lifts the visibility of women’s achievements and places them on the public record, as well as celebrates and supports women artists.
Previously launched artworks – in Stawell, Linton, Drouin and Melbourne - are sculptures that tell stories of women’s experiences and achievements. Remembering Stella Young was launched in March, Vera: Linton War Surgeon in April, and Three Kurnai Women on Country, Creative Resilience and Honouring Zelda D’Aprano in May.
Find out more about Yennaga Yettang / Come See
Find out more about the Victorian Women in Public Art Program
