New Exhibition Offers Indigenous Australian Culture to Laos

Source: Vientiane Times

The “Walking through a Songline” exhibition launched at the Lab de Lines coworking space in Vientiane on February 9, as part of efforts to highlight indigenous Australian culture in Laos and celebrate 50 years of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations.

The exhibition is a pop-up digital experience based on the part of the National Museum of Australia’s internationally acclaimed exhibition “Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters”.

Visitors to the exhibition are invited to enter a space of immersive light projections, following in the footsteps of the Seven Sisters across the western and central deserts of Australia, allowing audiences of all ages to immerse themselves in a space where paintings come to life, stories are visualized, and ancient knowledge is shared in a striking and artistic way.  

Visitors will be able to surrender their understanding of time and space and experience indigenous Australian storytelling as this ancient narrative comes alive through technology.  

At the official launch, the Australian Ambassador to Lao PDR, Her Excellency Ms. Megan Jones, joined Lao Government officials, Ambassadors, development partners, and local organizations.

Ms Jones said, “I am particularly pleased to bring this exhibition to Laos this year, which will mark 50 years of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations and the 30th anniversary of the Australian-funded first Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. It also marks 70 years since the first Lao students studied in Australia under Australian Government funded scholarships.”

By bringing this exhibition to Laos, Australian First Nations people are sharing many of our stories with you – our neighbors and, most importantly, our friends, she added. 

In addition to Walking through a Songline, the Canning Stock Route exhibition will also be on display, featuring stories and artworks from leading and emerging indigenous Australian artists. 

Walking through a Songline has already toured over 40 countries, attracting more than 1.6 million visitors worldwide.

The Walking through a Songline and Canning Stock Route exhibitions are now open to the Lao public and will run until March 1, 2024.

Venue: Lab de Lines – Coworking Space

Opening hours: 9am to 8pm