Vivid Sydney is back after two years of being shelved due to the pandemic. Once again Sydney’s biggest and much anticipated festival of lights, music and ideas are drawing crowds to its various installations.
On June 2, Maritime Museum held a cocktail reception to view an impressive rooftop projection as part of the Australian National Maritime Museum’s Vivid Sydney program. The installation dubbed as “Across the Seas: Immigration by Sea to Australia 1940 – 1970” showed footages of people arriving into Australia.
Prior to the viewing, a short program was held in the City View Room Action Stations. Daina Fletcher Assistant Director Strategy & External Relations did the acknowledgement of country. She shared information on the Maritime Museum which collects and presents stories of migrants, which form part of the National Monument to Migration. She also acted as the emcee who ably kept the program flowing.
Dan James, the Chairman of the Museum Foundation was the main speaker of the event. The following are excerpts of his talk.
“…. our museum’s rooftop projection, Across the Seas: Immigration by sea to Australia 1940 to 1970 is a stunning collage of images which show that for many immigrants, it was a gateway to a new life.
…the projection, made in consultation with the museum’s Post-war Immigration curator Roland Leikauf, has been made from images selected from National Collections and reveals stories of migration to Australia – a story that is foundational to our nation’s identity. Indeed, many new arrivals first set foot ashore in this country at Pyrmont Wharf, which is mere metres from where we stand.
…as we know, Australia is one of the world’s great migration nations; today most of us descend from immigrants who arrived on lands of the First Nations peoples. Migrants have contributed enormously to the building of modern Australia, and the threading of migrant stories through our national tapestry enriches us all.”
The guest speaker was Thomas Camporeale, the General Manager of Co-As-It, the Italian Association of community assistance and lifelong learning, spoke about the special new initiative of the Maritime Museum with the Italian community.
Everyone present was enthralled by Opera Singer Soprano Imogen-Faith Malfitano with her beautiful rendition of three arias.
At the close of the reception, Daina Fletcher thanked all present and also highlighted that the deadline for the registration for the next inscription on the National Monument to Migration which is to be unveiled in October 2022, is on June 30.The reception was followed by the viewing of the impressive Vivid Sydney projection on the rooftop of the Maritime Museum.
*(For more information about registering for the National Monument to Migration), check out the Musuem website . You may also contact Tina Koutsogiannis, Partnerships Manager on 0413 021 309 or Pamela Proestos, Business Development Manager – Philanthropy & Engagement on +61282418337.)
Photo credit: Damian Amb, Maritime Museum