Mirage News
Mirage News
Mirage NewsScience23 Jul 2026 11:05 am AESTDate Time
CSIRO
The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO)-led astronomy art exhibition Cosmic Echoes has gone on display at the Museum of Geraldton, showcasing art and stories from the cultures of Indigenous artists living and working close to the sites of its two next-generation radio telescopes.
The collaborative exhibition stems from a vision by the SKAO and its partners, CSIRO – Australia’s national science agency, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation (WYAC) to celebrate humanity’s ancient cultural wisdom and how it relates to modern science.
Cosmic Echoes first launched at the International Astronomical Union General Assembly in Cape Town in 2024. After a year of travelling across South Africa, it has now arrived in Geraldton to begin the Australian leg of its world tour.
The communities that live near the SKA telescopes have been observing the night sky and giving meaning to its patterns through storytelling and creative expression for thousands of years.
In Australia, that community is the Wajarri Yamaji, the Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, the site of the SKA-Low telescope, about five hours drive inland from Geraldton.
Wajarri Yamaji artist Carlleen Dingo said she was proud to have Wajarri art, stories and culture seen and heard by a global audience.
“My art has been able to connect with other people from other cultures on other continents. It gives me great pride. I live through my art,” she said.
She is one of nine artists the SKAO and CSIRO collaborated with from the Wajarri Yamaji People in Australia.
Wajarri Yamaji artist Gail Rose Simpson travelled to South Africa in 2024, connecting with many of the South African artists who also contributed works.
“It was a privilege to travel to the other side of the world and share a space with other Wajarri and South African artists. I was incredibly inspired by the younger artists and the stories prevalent in their art,” she said.
In South Africa a group of artists worked with local Indigenous youth and Elders from the Northern Cape to produce visual and performance art.
South African artist Junior Oliphant said he was honoured to be able to show his artwork, which explores the profound connection between Khoisan folklore and cosmic knowledge, with an Australian audience.
His artwork, Children of the San XII “My Ma se Taal”, is a portrait of Dr Katrina Esau, the last living N|UU speaker of the Khoi and San people.
“This is more than just an art exhibition. It’s a journey through ancestral memory, resistance and cosmic curiosity. It is a celebration of our culture, heritage and language of our ancestors.”
The exhibition features visual art, film, poetry and soundscapes from established artists alongside works from young aspiring artists.
Wajarri Yamaji Elder and WYAC Director and Chairperson Jennylyn Hamlett was instrumental in the exhibition’s creation.
“As Wajarri People our Dreaming stories, Country, sky and stars are part of who we are.”
“Guided by the knowledge of our Elders and Ancestors, we continue to share stories and cultural knowledge through artwork so our community remains strong and connected,” she said.
Many of the artworks feature similar themes and constellations, despite the artists being on different continents.
A common theme is the Pleiades star cluster, known as Nyarluwarri by Wajarri, and Khuseti by the San and the Khoekhoe of the Northern Cape. The cluster is often referred to as the Seven Sisters across many cultures, including in Australia and South Africa.
Cosmic Echoes is the successor of the original Indigenous art-astronomy exhibition, Shared Sky, which toured the world over several years and was seen by tens of thousands of people. It is on display at the Museum of Geraldton until Sunday 6 September, before continuing its journey across Australia.
From there it will set out on an international tour, introducing a worldwide audience to Indigenous knowledge and the deep connection to the sky and stars that has existed at the SKA telescope sites for millennia.
Supporting statements
Dr Sarah Pearce, SKA-Low Telescope Director, SKAO
“The communities that live near the SKA telescopes have been observing the night sky and explaining what they see through art and stories for thousands of years.
It’s important that we celebrate that connection to the sky, which they now share with us as we build the SKA telescopes.”
Dr Douglas Bock, Space and Astronomy Director and Australia Telescope National Facility Director, CSIRO
“For many years, CSIRO has partnered closely with the Wajarri Yamaji People, guided by their deep understanding of Country as our radio telescopes share their sky and stars.
Cosmic Echoes celebrates the cultural knowledge passed down through generations of Wajarri storytellers and artists, recognising them as the first astronomers of the Murchison.
Through Cosmic Echoes, Wajarri culture and stories are shared with the world, honouring our commitment to Wajarri Yamaji through our Indigenous Land Use Agreement.”
Dr Adrian Tiplady, Deputing Managing Director, SARAO
“Projects like Cosmic Echoes remind us that we are not only pushing scientific frontiers but also working in a landscape rich with cultural and artistic heritage.
As part of our social responsibility, we are committed to listening, understanding, and amplifying the stories of the communities surrounding the SKA-Mid and MeerKAT telescopes.
These narratives – woven through art, oral traditions, and local knowledge – are essential in bridging the past with the future, ensuring that science and heritage evolve hand in hand.”
About Cosmic Echoes
A decade ago, the first SKAO Indigenous art exhibition called Shared Sky was developed by the John Curtin Gallery at Curtin University, in association with SARAO, the Australian Government, and in collaboration with Yamaji Art, Geraldton, Australia and the First People Centre at the Bethesda Art Centre, South Africa.
Cosmic Echoes is the successor of this venture, highlighting once more the creativity of the people of the remote regions where the SKAO’s telescopes are being built.
In June 2024, a group of artists worked with local Indigenous youth and Elders in South Africa to prepare for the Cosmic Echoes Exhibition. The workshops in Carnarvon, in the Northern Cape region where the SKA-Mid telescope is being built, produced visual art as well as performance art.
Meanwhile in Western Australia, the SKAO and CSIRO collaborated with WYAC and visual artists from the Wajarri Yamaji People, Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of the land where the SKA-Low telescope is located.
The SKAO recognises and acknowledges the Indigenous peoples and cultures that have traditionally lived on the lands on which the SKAO facilities are located. In Australia, the SKAO and CSIRO acknowledge the Wajarri Yamaji as Traditional Owners and Native Title Holders of Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, the site where the SKA-Low telescope is being built.
About the SKAO
The SKAO is an intergovernmental organisation composed of Member States and partner organisations from five continents, headquartered in the UK. Its mission is to build and operate cutting-edge radio telescopes to transform our understanding of the Universe and deliver benefits to society through global collaboration and innovation.
Its two telescopes, SKA-Low and SKA-Mid, under construction in Australia and South Africa respectively, will be the two most advanced radio telescopes on Earth. Together with other state-of-the-art research facilities, the SKAO’s telescopes will explore the unknown frontiers of science and deepen our understanding of key processes, including the formation and evolution of galaxies, fundamental physics in extreme environments and the origins of life.
About CSIRO
As Australia’s national science agency, we deliver the science Australians need for the nation they want – productive, sustainable, healthy and secure.
We manage internationally renowned astronomy infrastructure, including the Australia Telescope National Facility and Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, in partnership with Traditional Owners. Together, we are advancing our understanding of the Universe and delivering scientific impact across the innovation ecosystem, for Australia and the global community.
Through our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan, we are committed to building respectful, enduring partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and creating opportunities to learn from, work with and walk alongside Traditional Owners in pursuit of better outcomes for people, Country and communities.
About WYAC
The Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation (WYAC) is the Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC) for the Wajarri Yamatji People. WYAC holds and manages the native title rights and interests recognised under the Wajarri Yamatji Native Title Determinations, representing an area of more than 100,000 square kilometres across the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia.
As the Prescribed Body Corporate, WYAC has statutory responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) to protect, manage and administer native title on behalf of the Wajarri Yamatji People, while supporting strong governance, cultural heritage protection, economic development, and the long-term wellbeing of current and future generations. The corporation works closely with Traditional Owners, government, industry and community partners to ensure Wajarri Yamaji culture, Country and rights are respected and strengthened.
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