On Thursday 20 February, Wiradjuri /Kamilaroi artist Jonathan Jones’ new public artwork was unveiled to media ahead of the public opening on Thursday 20 February. Speakers included the Hon. Don Harwin, Minister for the Arts & Aboriginal Affairs, Adam Lindsay, Executive Director, Sydney Living Museums, Clover Moore, Sydney Lord Mayor, and artist Jonathan Jones.

Covering 2500 square metres of Hyde Park Barracks courtyard, Jones’ art installation untitled (maraong manaóuwi) is comprised of 65 tonnes of red and white stones from Wiradjuri Country in NSW (Cowra & Griffith) and took ten days to install. The artwork juxtaposes two remarkably similar symbols, the maraong manaóuwi – meaning emu footprint in Gadigal language – and the English broad arrow – evoking colonial military power – to re-contextualise the vastly different stories and experiences of the same historical period.

Image: Jonathan Jones,, untitled (maraong manaouwi), Presented by City of Sydney and Sydney Living Museums. Image: Pedro Greig