Olympics for stage design: First ever Indigenous-led show to represent Australia at the Prague Quadrennial

Bangarra Dance
Bangarra Dance Theatre's Wudjang: Not the past 2022. Photo: Daniel Boud

For the first time, an Indigenous-led group will represent Australia at the prestigious Prague Quadrennial, the world’s largest festival of scenography, performance and theatre design.

Design students from the University of Melbourne's Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) will travel to the Czech Republic to represent Australia with an exhibition of Indigenous-led stage design at the 2023 Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space (PQ).

The artist selected to represent Australia at the Exhibition of Countries and Regions is First Nations designer Jacob Nash, former Head Designer at Bangarra Dance Theatre.

Jo Briscoe, Senior Lecturer in Design at the VCA and curator of the Australian exhibitions at PQ, said Australia – and the VCA – has maintained a strong presence at the Prague Quadrennial for decades.

"The Prague Quadrennial is the Olympics of stage design, and this year we are excited to mark a historic milestone as Australia presents the first-ever Indigenous-led representation at the festival,"  Briscoe said.

"It's an incredible privilege for the VCA and our students to collaborate closely with Jacob Nash and his Bangarra collaborators on the Australian exhibitions at PQ this year, and we take immense pride in being part of this momentous occasion that is showcasing First Nations design on a global platform."

Jacob Nash is one of Australia's most sought-after stage designers and was recently appointed inaugural creative artist-in-residence at the Sydney Festival.

Nash said his design represents his connection to Country and identity as a First Nations man.

"All my work comes from place, from Country. As a First Nations man and designer, the world I live in is completely interconnected – the land, its people and its stories are all one and need one another to exist.

Through an immersive installation, I have shared a design element from Bangarra's work Bennelong, which asks the viewer questions around their connection to Country, place and time,” Nash said.

“This design invites audiences to step into a sacred space, not as observers but as participants, exploring spaces where ancient and contemporary cultures collide. The exhibition is a provocation asking people from around the world to think about their home, their connection to it and its First Peoples, and to consider what the land felt like, looked like and sounded like before people arrived.”

Ishan Vivekanantham, a VCA Master of Production Design student, said the opportunity to work with Nash has been a career-shaping experience:

"In our creative development with Jacob, we discussed how the sky feels unique to Australia as it is so blue and expansive, but it is also what connects us with the rest of the world. So, our design encourages viewers to look at the sky through an opening in a sea of hanging threads,” Vivekanantham said.

“I’m excited to share this work with the rest of the world and to see how other people from different nations respond to the spatial environment we have created that feels unique to Australia.”

Digital catalogues of Australia's 2023 Prague Quadrennial presentations are available here.

More about the Prague Quadrennial:

  • This year marks the fifteenth iteration of the festival with over 250 new works on display ranging from scenographic models, multisensorial installations, costumes, interactive performances, and architectural space concepts.
  • The two-week program features a conference for knowledge sharing and judged exhibitions, highlighting exceptional achievements in stage design from over 80 countries.
  • Representing Australia at the festival's Student Exhibition is a large-scale installation led by four VCA Master of Production Design students, supported by undergraduate students from Production and Dance, all inspired by Nash's artistic provocation.
  • Also joining the Australian delegation are students and staff from Queensland University of Technology and acclaimed Australian director and playwright, Wesley Enoch AM, and Bangarra choreographer and former artistic director Stephen Page AO, who will participate in a panel discussion on First Nations production design.
  • The Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design will take place from 8 – 18 June across multiple venues including the Holešovice Market, National Gallery, and The Academy of Performing Arts.