8 April 2024

Temple at the NFSA

| Alicia Webb
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Image: Still from Temple by Leila Jeffrey x Melvin J. Montalban

Created by Australian artists Leila Jeffreys and Melvin J. Montalban, this contemplative artwork celebrates the awe-inspiring beauty of native cockatoos.

Temple is an immersive, reflective audiovisual installation that pays homage to the expressive and idiosyncratic native cockatoo. Slow-motion visuals play across a triptych of towering screens, transforming the NFSA’s expansive Gallery into a space of wonder and delight.

A shallow pool of still water extends the dramatic impact of striking, larger-than-life Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, Galahs and Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, evoking the beauty of natural waterways and presenting a space of quiet contemplation.

First commissioned for VIVID Sydney, the installation is a temple to nature with the power to immerse us in the present moment.

Artists: Leila Jeffreys x Melvin J. Montalban
Medium: Digital work, three-channel film, 6 min 26 sec loop
Cinematographer: Chris Bryan
Composer: Jackson Milas
Bird Trainer: Ravi Wasan, Feathered Friends Bird Sanctuary

The details

What: Temple at the NFSA
When: Open 5 April to 30 June
Where: Gallery at NFSA, McCoy Cct, Action ACT 2601
Cost: Free

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