From Our Elders (Video & Projection Installation)
About the Project
From Our Elders is a powerful video and projection installation created by Narungga/Kaurna and Trawoolwaway multimedia artist Daen Sansbury-Smith and his production company Blak Crow.
Commissioned by Maroondah City Council, the 12-minute looping installation shares stories, teachings, and cultural knowledge from Elders across Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia, including five Elders from Ringwood’s Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP).
The work weaves together filmed interviews, footage of the Elders’ home Countries, and cultural displays such as traditional tools and weaving presented by MMIGP.
Through moving image, layered sound design, and immersive projection, From Our Elders celebrates the living continuum of First Nations knowledge and the strength of intergenerational storytelling.
From the Artist — Daen Sansbury-Smith (Adjadura Studio)
From Our Elders was created as a space of gratitude — a chance to listen deeply to the voices that have carried our stories forward. Each Elder offered reflections on Country, kinship, and resilience, revealing how culture continues to thrive through sharing, teaching, and care.
As a multimedia artist, my goal was to translate these stories into an experience that feels alive — using light, sound, and projection to honour the presence and wisdom of Elders. The work stands as a reminder that our languages, histories, and teachings endure when we continue to listen, record, and share in new ways.
Creative Approach
The production involved an extensive creative process combining:
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On-Country filming across South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania
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Interviews with Elders guided by cultural protocol and consent
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Projection mapping and multi-screen installation design
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Audio recording and soundscape composition using field recordings, voice, and music
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Curation of cultural displays including tools, weaving, and artefacts presented by MMIGP
Together, these elements form an immersive environment where audiences can experience the depth and continuity of cultural knowledge through both sight and sound.
Elders Featured
With heartfelt thanks to all the Elders who shared their time, stories, and wisdom:
Uncle Bill Nicholson (Wurundjeri)
Aunty Zeta Thomson (Wurundjeri/Yorta Yorta)
Uncle David Farrall (Arrernte)
Aunty Janet Turpie-Johnstone (Gunditjmara)
Aunty Daphne Milward (Yorta Yorta)
Aunty Irene Norman (Wailwan)
Uncle Kutcha Edwards (Mutti Mutti)
Aunty Antoinette Smith (Palawa)
Uncle Michael Wanganeen (Narungga)
Community & Partners
Commissioned by Maroondah City Council
Created by Adjadura Studio(previously Blak Crow)
In partnership with Mullum Mullum Indigenous Gathering Place (MMIGP) and the participating Elders’ communities across Victoria, Tasmania, and South Australia.
The work honours the strength of cultural continuity and intergenerational knowledge transfer through moving image and sound, offering audiences a space to connect, reflect, and learn from the wisdom of Elders.