Festival

Tarnanthi - UV Songlines: Illuminating Ancestral Roots

1 Aug – 19 Oct 2025

Daily 5am–2am
Free
Adelaide Railway Station historic phone booths, concourse north end
All ages

‘In UV Songlines: Illuminating Ancestral Roots, I aim to honour our Elders – the knowledge holders whose stories and songlines are the lifeblood of our culture.’

Through photography, Colleen Raven Strangways seeks to capture the resilience, spirituality and beauty that define Aboriginal communities. This series features portraits of Aboriginal people adorned with UV-reactive body paint, symbolising the ancestral songlines that weave unbroken connections to land, culture, spirit and identity. Under ultraviolet light, the designs come alive, revealing narratives that are often unseen yet deeply felt. The use of UV light serves as a metaphor for the hidden layers of heritage, illuminating the profound connections that bind First Peoples across time and space. UV Songlines is a celebration of identity, a reclamation of narrative and a beacon of cultural pride.

Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre.

Artists

Colleen Raven Strangways
Arabana/Mudbura/Gurindji/Warlpiri people, South Australia/Northern Territory

Access

Wheelchair accessible, accessible toilets, lift

Presenting partner
  • Adelaide Festival Centre

More