Overview
For more than a century, screens have transported viewers to places far and wide, first via cinemas and then via television, phones and any other device that can get streaming. In the art world, screens and projections have been playing a similar function of late, but in a different way. They've let us wander through immersive van Gogh pop-ups that surround you with the artist's famed works, for instance — and they're about to unleash something similar via Australian Geographic with Aussie flora and fauna.
Nature lovers, listen up. Australian Geographic has put together an exploration of the plants and animals that help make this country of ours what it is, with Our Country going big on the multi-sensory experience. When it hits Brisbane from Saturday, March 11–Sunday, April 16, the exhibition will let visitors wander through 40-plus screens that reach up to six metres tall, with its super-sized projections spanning across 1200 square metres and featuring works by 25 accomplished cinematographers.
Here, attendees will encounter mist, starry night skies, all creatures big and small, and a 360-degree soundtrack. You'll feel like you're stepping across the nation's stunning landscape, rather than simply through the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Yes, that's a big part of the point.
Each screen will be present previously unseen footage collected from over 100,000 hours in the field from the lineup of cinematographers, which includes Peter Nearhos, a frequent collaborator of David Attenborough. Nearhos has worked on documentaries such as One Life and David Attenborough's Tasmania, and it's exactly this type of close-up look at Australia's wildlife that you can expect to revel in.
Emmy Award-winner Karina Holden (Love on the Spectrum) was tasked with the challenge of whittling down this footage, curating an intimate look at ecosystems across the country. Bustling bushland, expansive desserts and vibrant rainforests all make an appearance.
Also featuring contributions by Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, sound designers and performers, this is Australian Geographic's first-ever multi-sensory experience, and comes to Brisbane after debuting in Sydney over summer.
Australian Geographic: Our Country displays at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Glenelg Street, South Brisbane, from Saturday, March 11–Sunday, April 16. Head to the exhibition website for further details, and to Ticketek for tickets.
Images: Ben Broady.