A major new work by Fitzroy Crossing artist Natalie Davey is being exhibited at the 25th Biennale of Sydney: Rememory, one of the world's leading contemporary art biennials.

Developed with support from Western Australian cultural organisation Tura, Nightscape expands Davey's short film River Report into an immersive three-screen installation incorporating surround sound and animation.

Presented at White Bay Power Station until June 14, the work brings the stories of Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley to one of Australia's most significant international contemporary art platforms.

The Biennale of Sydney, first held in 1973, is one of the world's leading contemporary art biennials and Australia's largest contemporary art event, presenting new work by artists from around the globe every two years.

Davey's film River Report documented the catastrophic flooding that struck Fitzroy Crossing in early 2023. Although the flooding occurred during the traditional Yitilal (wet season), unprecedented rainfall intensified the event, leading to widespread devastation including submerged homes, livestock losses and community displacement.

Over five days, Davey captured the experiences of her community in real time as the Fitzroy River inundated homes and destroyed property. Nightscape revisits the night the floodwaters reached their highest point and rose through the floorboards of her home.

Davey said the work reflects both the environmental impact of the floods and her responsibility to document what happened for her community.

"River Report began as a way of sharing what was happening in Fitzroy Crossing as the river rose," she said.

"I was going down to the river each day and recording what I saw and heard - the water levels, the birds, the changes in the landscape.

"When the flooding became catastrophic, those reports became a way of documenting events in real time so people could understand what was unfolding."

Davey said the project grew from her desire to record an event that had no precedent in local knowledge.

"In 2023 we experienced a type of flood we had no stories for in the thousands of years of knowledge passed down by our old people," she said.

"Part of my responsibility as an Aboriginal person is keeping those stories going - documenting what happened so it can be understood by future generations.

"Nightscape brings those recordings, sounds and images together to share the experience of that night and the impact it had on our community."

Building on collaborations with Davey since 2017, Tura has supported the development of the work through programs including Sound FX and Two Way Touring.

Tura artistic director Tos Mahoney said supporting Davey's work reflects the organisation's long-term engagement with artists and communities in the Kimberley.

"Natalie has been working with Tura for many years as both an artist and producer," Mahoney said.

"It's incredibly powerful to see her work, grounded in Fitzroy Crossing and the lived experience of community, presented on an international platform like the Biennale of Sydney."

Davey is a multidisciplinary artist from Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Of Bunuba, Walmajarri, Scottish and English heritage, she is a custodian of Bunuba Danggu Muway and her practice spans photography, soundscapes, painting and multimedia art.

Her short film River Report was awarded the Multimedia Award at the 2024 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA).

Davey spends much of her creative time at Mangkaja Arts and works as a producer and broadcaster at Wangki Radio 936AM, where she presents the award-winning morning language program Danggujarra alongside her father.

Nightscape was developed with a creative team including animator Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman, sound designer Petris Torres (wawili Sound Solutions) and artist mentor Sohan Hayes.

Nightscape by Natalie Davey is presented as part of the 25th Biennale of Sydney: Rememory, exhibiting until the 14th of June 2026 at White Bay Power Station, Sydney NSW.

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