In collaboration with projection specialists The Electric Canvas, First Nations artist Vincent Namatjira is set to transform the Museum of Contemporary Art façade into a spectacular rock'n'roll experience for Vivid Sydney 2025.
Namatjira, a painter from Indulkana, South Australia, is renowned for his bold and satirical portraiture. Since 2013, he has depicted political and historical figures with wit and sharp social commentary. He was also the first Indigenous artist to win the Archibald Prize (2020) and was awarded the Ramsay Art Prize in 2019.
Drawing upon his series of paintings, King Dingo, the projection is accompanied by an original score created by Namatjira and Indulkana-based guitarist-composer Jeremy Whiskey.
King Dingo continues the Western Aranda artist's series of subversive portraits, which use both wit and caricature to consider Australia's relationship with 'The Empire'. Often painting significant figures throughout history to draw out the connections between leadership, wealth, power and influence, Namatjira is set to engage audiences with this new projection.
Demonstrating Namatjira's signature style, King Dingo depicts the dingo – a protector totem and symbol of Indigenous power – in royal regalia or historical attire. In keeping with this year's Vivid Sydney theme, 'Dream', these dingo figures reflect the dream of acknowledgment, reconciliation and recognition of the enduring presence of Aboriginal culture.
Namatjira's work avoids reproducing pre-colonial imagery and a separation of past and present. Rather, it intentionally illustrates the entanglements of our national history and cultural memory. As a projection, the work highlights how collective memory is a shared process, reshaping how we perceive history and reminding us that remembrance is dynamic and inclusive.
Namatjira said he is thrilled to have the opportunity and is looking forward to having his work projected onto the MCA building.
"I am proud to be presenting a new commission for Vivid Sydney 2025, and it's exciting that my work will be projected on the MCA building – in 2021 I had the pleasure of painting the huge foyer wall commission at the MCA, and I guess the only way to go bigger and more epic than that is to take over the entire outside of the building! I'm looking forward to sharing my most bold and ambitious multimedia work ever with audiences for Vivid Sydney," he said.
"My new work is a continuation of my recent ongoing series of paintings titled King Dingo that use the dingo – a protector totem – as a symbol of Indigenous power. King Dingo is about a reversal of colonial power and ownership.Following the 2023 referendum and its ongoing fallout, King Dingo represents a powerful and timely celebration of Aboriginal strength, pride and resilience, with the message that 'this is Aboriginal Land. We are here. We always have been and always will be.
"The theme for Vivid Sydney 2025 is 'Dream' and my new work takes place in a dream-like alternate world that is ruled by King Dingo - for my own kids and for future generations, I want proper respect and recognition in this country for Aboriginal Country, culture and leadership to not just be a dream."
"These new paintings are about a reversal of colonial ownership, looking at royalty and status from a remote Indigenous perspective. King Dingo represents Aboriginal strength, pride and resilience, and respect for Country, culture, and Indigenous leadership past and present," said Namatjira.
As an energetic projection, the work highlights how collective memory is a shared process, reshaping how we perceive history and reminding us that remembrance is dynamic and inclusive.
This event is part of Vivid Sydney – proudly owned, managed and produced by Destination New South Wales.
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