Fresh from showcasing some of the world’s most famous artists, including Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, THE LUME Melbourne’s latest immersive experience, Connection, opens on 23 June 2023.

Connection showcases First Peoples art and music on an extraordinary scale. Created and produced by Grande Experience with the curatorial support of the National Museum of Australia, Connection was a meticulous 2-year creative process.

Visitors enter the gallery space and are invited to step inside the works of Australia’s most celebrated First Nations artists. The immersive space spans 3,000 sqm, with projections four storeys high and an incredible display of original art to complement the main gallery. 

Featured artists include Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Tommy Watson, Clifford, Gabriella and Michelle Possum Nungurrayi, Anna Pitjara, and Lin Onus. 

The experience headlines over 110 visual and musical artists, making Connection the largest representation of First Peoples art and culture assembled.

Art, music, and performance have long served as vehicles for sharing First Peoples history and culture. Through their creativity, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have passed down their heritage, traditions, and stories from generation to generation. 

Presented through the themes of Land, Water and Sky Country, Connection is more than a celebration of First Peoples culture, the experience represents the most comprehensive telling of Australia’s story through art and music.

Set to a score of First Nations music, Connection comes to life through an emotive soundtrack featuring legends like Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach, Emily Wurramara, and Gurrumul, renowned composers like William Barton, and contemporary musicians like Alice Skye and Baker Boy.

Connection weaves past and present artists from across the entire nation and Torres Strait to showcase First Peoples expressions of beauty, complexity, and diversity. The experience also provides a unique opportunity for emerging artists like Sarrita King, Kate Constantine and Wayne Quilliam to have their work shown alongside the luminaries who inspired their careers.

Kate Constantine, a featured Gadigal artist of the Eora Nation who has 120 commissioned works bound for Paris alone, believes that a multi-sensory experience is a perfect way for First Nations art to be displayed:

“The technology Connection uses breaks down many barriers to entry,” says Constantine. “Many people like Aboriginal art because it is colourful or pretty, but many people are challenged by Aboriginal art too, by not knowing or understanding how to interpret it or not feeling like they have permission to be involved. Connection is just so inclusive”.

Professor Wayne Quilliam, whose digital storytelling via drone, photography, and art is an integral part of the experience, adds, “I see Connection as this beautiful collection of storytellers sharing our culture with the world the way that our ancestors have taught us to do.”

THE LUME Melbourne’s Founder, Bruce Peterson, concludes, “Connection brings together diverse art forms, stories, and perspectives, providing a unique and immersive experience that can be appreciated by all Australians, and one that should make each of us very proud to be Australian. Connection’s significance and appeal was realised when a smaller version premiered at the National Museum of Australia (June – October 2022) and closed as the most visited experience in the museum’s history.”

Connection marks the 250th experience produced by Grande Experiences – owners and operators of THE LUME Melbourne and the global touring company responsible for blockbusters like Van Gogh Alive, Monet & Friends and Da Vinci Alive. Since its inception in 2006, Grande Experiences has captivated audiences worldwide, creating unforgettable experiences for over 23 million global visitors. 

Tickets are on sale now via thelumemelbourne.com/connection