Power Station Commission
Allan Yarran Allan Yarran, a senior painter of Noongar landscape, twists reality, memory and dreams into psychedelic visions of the river and surrounds. From acrylic paintings on tangible canvas to the towering walls of East Perth Power Station, Allan's work dances with life through animation and interwoven visuals. Allan learned to paint later in life to keep connected with Country while incarcerated, and his practice spans decades. He recounts his memories of travels within the Southwest, precious and affirming, these places are home. Each tree, balga and stone in his work represents immemorial connection to place, and the long line of moort he descends from. Allan's works naturally bind themselves to audiences, latching to reflections in each viewer's mind, seamlessly presenting country we all pass through and remember from childhood. The significance of landscape painting within Noongar Boodjar runs deep within the nation, a style featuring silhouettes found nowhere else. These depictions are ingrained within Noongar identity, representing intricate two-way spiritual kinship. Most families within the Southwest have one link or another to Carrolup and/or landscape painting. It's through this and his never ending colour palette, that Allan sets himself apart as a remarkable Noongar landscape artist.
One of the most anticipated elements of Perth Festival 2025 is the reanimation of East Perth Power Station, a landmark steeped in local and industrial significance. This architectural icon will serve as the centrepiece of the Perth Festival program as we transform it into a vibrant hub of creativity and community. From 2025 to 2028, the Power Station will come alive with an eclectic and dynamic blend of music, performances and visual art installations that highlight both emerging and established talent. More than just a performance venue, the site will become a gathering place where audiences can celebrate the arts, engage in meaningful conversations and reflect on the cultural and historical narratives that shape the region. Through this innovative activation, Perth Festival aims to honour the Power Station's legacy while reimagining its future as a space that bridges heritage with contemporary artistic expression. East Perth Power Station will be home to the major Boorloo Contemporary annual commission, beginning in light – igniting the building facade. Existing outside classical institutions, the Power Station Commission offers artists the opportunity to explore bigger, brighter, bolder outcomes within their practice.
Each year will feature Noongar artists and creatives, holding the grounds for incoming collaboration. The commission is largely shaped by the Curatorium, responsive to current events and conversations happening within community across Western Australia. Three artists spanning generations open the annual commission in 2025 – Allan Yarran, Ilona McGuire and Daniel Hansen. In their own ways each has created work focusing on the ground we gather upon and the people who have called it home for thousands of years. These works are woven together by Associate Animation Artist and Boorloo Contemporary Creative Producer Yabini Kickett and projected onto the walls of the Power Station. Each artist represents a pocket of Noongar knowledge and experience – collectively they talk to Country, honouring memory, storytelling and spiritual fluidity. Utilising their chosen artistic practices, they invite audiences to witness these stories unfold each evening after sunset.
A Perth Festival Commission supported by
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