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'Skywhales Across Australia is a project that talks about nature, family, evolution, care and wonder. The skywhales float into our lives to make us smile and think.' - Patricia Piccinini

Patricia Piccinini's Skywhalepapa is a monumental sculpture in the form of a hot-air balloon. Together with its companion piece Skywhale they form a skywhale family.

Following their debut over Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra 2021, the floating pair will take to skies across Australia as a National Gallery touring event in 2024 and 2025.

Piccinini believes Skywhales Across Australia is not only two spectacular sculptures but a performance piece:

“I imagine visitors assembling to watch Skywhalepapa coming to life, with a single skywhale figure we have a character, but with the two we have a relationship, and a narrative.” says Piccinini.

As the skywhales float across the dawn skies, Piccinini calls on communities to engage with them creatively. Make a morning of it, prepare a picnic, watch in awe, and sing along in wonder as the skywhale family takes flight.

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Patricia Piccinini: INSTAGRAM

Image credits:

Poster image: Patricia Piccinini, Skywhalepapa, 2020, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, © Patricia Piccinini.

Banner image: Patricia Piccinini, Skywhalepapa, 2020 and Skywhale, 2013, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, Hamilton launch © Patricia Piccinini. Photo by We Met in June

Skywhales Across Australia is a National Gallery Touring Event, supported by the Australian Government through Visions of Australia and the National Collecting Institutions Touring Outreach Program. 

Skywhales is the third instalment of The Balnaves Contemporary Series and is a Know My Name project.

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