All the work I do comes from place, from Country. As a First Nations man and designer, the world I live in is completely interconnected - the land, its people and its stories are all one and need one another to exist. This installation speaks to how I, as a First Nations designer, interpret country and create landscapes for live performance.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is a preeminent performing arts company in Australia that shares the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through Dance Theatre, with audiences worldwide. I was Head of Design there for 12 years, creating over 20 set designs for the company. My relationship to the company is deep and during my time there I was able to explore what First Nations design for live performance is and can be. It was the consistency of creative relationships, and the values around clan and family that are embedded in the company that allowed for that exploration to happen, grow and develop.

During my tenure at Bangarra, I set designed numerous shows that paid tribute to Country. One of my most successful responses to the idea of Country was the creation of the smoking ring, which served as the opening image for the award-wining production Bennelong.

For PQ23, my work showcases this design element that I believe is not only a significant symbol for the production but also an important symbol for First Nations design in Australia. This is a space that talks to the ancient stories held within First Nations culture in Australia and how they exist in a contemporary form when not on Country.

During the creation of Bennelong Choreographer and Director Stephen Page, asked me a thought-provoking question: "What did the land look like before our presence, before the existence of humans?" This was a metaphorical inquiry about how best to visually depict the essence of Country. Essentially, he was asking about how we capture a sense of the Dreaming. The smoking ring is the end product of our efforts. It represents timelessness and is contextualized within the show. It gave birth to the story of Bennelong, which is conveyed through the human figures and dancers.

The conversation and the work that I wanted to bring to PQ23 was one about country and identity. I wanted to share a work that considered the country that I am from, that speaks to me as a First Nations man and at the same time asks people from around the world to think about their home, their connection to it and who its First Peoples are.

Country defines us, it shapes us and connects us.