SALTBUSH

Insite Arts and Compagnia TPO

Saltbush is an immersive and interactive journey through the culture and language of Aboriginal Australia.

Children’s Cheering Carpet – Saltbush

Saltbush is a plant that can be found throughout Australia in almost all Aboriginal lands, and so it represents a common thread between all the different nations of Australian Indigenous peoples. This shared idea acted as a point of inspiration for the narrative, contemporary painting, dance and instrumental music that were created by the Aboriginal artists in this production. These artistic forms were used as a means of interpreting the natural features of the landscape in an Indigenous mythological context.

Through its sensor and infrared cameras, allows the children to interact, play and perform in the production and provides an immersive experience of the artwork. This also provides a unique experience for parents and teachers as they watch the children become involved.

The narrative centres on the journey of two friends and their spiritual guide on foot as they cross Australian landscapes – river country, an urban landscape, desert and the sea. The journey is one of discovering the land, growing an understanding and acknowledging how it challenges or provokes personal journeys.

From 4 years

Motivation of the international selection committee:

Saltbush is a plant that can be found in Australia in almost all Aboriginal lands. Using the saltbush plant as a narrative thread the work takes the audience on a journey across the Australian landscape and Indigenous mythologies. Saltbush cleverly weaves Indigenous storytelling with infrared camera and sensor technology to create a visual and immersive journey across country for children and their carers. Saltbush provides a unique, interactive and engaging experience for audiences of all ages which transcends language and borders.