Meet the artist behind Air, a beautiful reminder to slow down and take it all in.
Art doesn't always have to make a big statement. Sometimes, it's about creating a moment of calm in the middle of a busy day.
That's the thinking behind Air, a work by First Nations artist Ryhia Dank, who creates under the name Nardurna.
Ryhia is a Gudanji, Wakaja and Kalkadoon woman who grew up in the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory. Her connection to Country, family and storytelling has shaped everything she creates.
But her path to becoming an artist wasn't exactly traditional.
Her first job was working with crocodiles as a zookeeper. She later moved to Melbourne, studied design and built a career in marketing. It wasn't until the pandemic, when she found herself unable to return to Melbourne, that she picked up a paintbrush.
And she's been telling stories through art ever since.
Created digitally and reproduced as a large-scale printed membrane at Local: South Melbourne, Air takes inspiration from the movement of wind across Country.
Its flowing lines and layered colours reflect the things we can't always see, but can certainly feel. The breeze, shifting seasons, sounds and stories carried through the landscape.
As Ryhia explains, the piece is intended to feel "calm, open, and reflective".
It's a lovely reminder that even in a city as busy as Melbourne, there's room to slow down.
We love the idea of residents discovering something new each time they pass an artwork. Maybe it's a detail you hadn't noticed, a colour that catches your eye, or simply a reason to pause for a moment.
Air is part of our South Melbourne Art Series, bringing original creative voices into the shared spaces of Local: South Melbourne.
Because the spaces we live in should give us more than somewhere to be. They should give us something to feel, too.
Discover more of Ryhia's work: Nardurna or Instagram @nardurna.
Come see it for yourself. Explore the art, architecture and spaces at Local: South Melbourne on a building tour.
