In collaboration with projection specialists The Electric Canvas, artist Vincent Namatjira transforms the MCA façade into a spectacular rock’n’roll experience for Vivid Sydney 2025. Drawing upon his series of paintings, King Dingo, the projection is accompanied by an original score created by Namatjira and Indulkana-based guitarist-composer Jeremy Whiskey.

King Dingo continues the Western Aranda artist’s series of subversive portraits, which use wit and caricature to consider Australia’s relationship with ‘The Empire’. Namatjira often paints significant figures throughout history to draw out the connections between leadership, wealth, power and influence.

Demonstrating his signature style, King Dingo depicts the dingo – a protector totem and symbol of Indigenous power – in royal regalia or historical attire. In keeping with this year’s Vivid Sydney theme, ‘Dream’, these dingo figures reflect the dream of acknowledgment, reconciliation and recognition of the enduring presence of Aboriginal culture.

Artist Vincent Namatjira, courtesy of the artist and Iwantja Arts, photographer: Rhett Hammerton

Namatjira says, ‘these new paintings are about a reversal of colonial ownership, looking at royalty and status from a remote Indigenous perspective. King Dingo represents Aboriginal strength, pride and resilience, and respect for Country, culture, and Indigenous leadership past and present.’

Namatjira’s work avoids reproducing pre-colonial contact imagery and a separation of past and present. Rather, it intentionally illustrates the entanglements of our national history and cultural memory. As a projection, the work highlights how collective memory is a shared process, reshaping how we perceive history and reminding us that remembrance is dynamic and inclusive.

This event is part of Vivid Sydney – proudly owned, managed and produced by Destination New South Wales.

Artist statement

I am proud to be presenting a new commission for Vivid Sydney 2025, and it’s exciting that my work will be projected on the MCA building – in 2021 I had the pleasure of painting the huge foyer wall commission at the MCA, and I guess the only way to go bigger and more epic than that is to take over the entire outside of the building! I’m looking forward to sharing my most bold and ambitious multimedia work ever with audiences for Vivid Sydney!

My new work is a continuation of my recent ongoing series of paintings titled King Dingo that use the dingo – a protector totem – as a symbol of Indigenous power. King Dingo is about a reversal of colonial power and ownership. Following the 2023 referendum and its ongoing fallout, King Dingo represents a powerful and timely celebration of Aboriginal strength, pride and resilience, with the message that ‘this is Aboriginal Land. We are here. We always have been and always will be.’

The theme for Vivid Sydney 2025 is ‘Dream’ and my new work takes place in a dream-like alternate world that is ruled by King Dingo – for my own kids and for future generations, I want proper respect and recognition in this country for Aboriginal Country, culture and leadership to not just be a dream.