Nyctinasty
(2021)
7:54 minute single-channel film.
Curators can request a preview link by emailing hayleymillarbaker@gmail.com
Representing the rhythmic movement of leaves or petals in response to daily shifts in light, Nyctinasty echoes natural acts of self-preservation and survival, symbolising the delicate balance between the physical and spiritual realms. It references both bodily and symbolic practices of caring for the body and spirit after death, forging a vital link between the living and the dead. This ‘in-between’ dimension, where spirits linger and the mind and body connect life, death, and the afterlife, reveals an ongoing thread of communication.
During a moment of solitude in her home, a space inherently shaped by colonialism, assimilation, class, and domesticity, the protagonist prepares for nightfall, when diurnal beings settle down, securing their safety against darkness and nocturnal threats. She cleanses her body and soul through nightly routines. These acts reference symbolic spiritual rituals that emphasise the cyclical nature of life and death. They merge ritual and narrative, transforming everyday actions into sacred ceremonies drawn from traditional Aboriginal practices. In this context, death is seen not as an end but as a continuation within the spiritual realm, reflecting a timeless link to ancestral wisdom and spiritual continuity.
Nyctinasty illuminates female power and strength, shifting away from the horror genre’s emphasis on women's psychosis. The Indigenous female body is depicted not as a victim but as a vessel bearing practices of magic and spirituality rooted in millennia of tradition. The protagonist moves confidently through her domestic space, in tune with her surroundings —physically and psychologically —open and unafraid.
Commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra for the 4th National Indigenous Art Triennial: Ceremony curated by Hetti Perkins with the support of Kerry Gardner AM and Andrew Myer AM, and the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
Excerpt from Nyctinasty.
Nyctinasty, Buxton Contemporary exhibition display. Footage: James Wright.
Nyctinasty, The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia.
Nyctinasty, SAMSTAG Museum of Art, Adelaide, Australia. Image: Sia Duff.
Nyctinasty, Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney, Australia. Image: David James.
Nyctinasty, Gertrude Contemporary, Preston, Australia. Image: Christian Capurro.
Nyctinasty, Gertrude Contemporary, Preston, Australia. Image: Christian Capurro.
Nyctinasty, Gertrude Contemporary, Preston, Australia. Image: Christian Capurro.
Nyctinasty, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Nyctinasty, Buxton Contemporary, Melbourne, Australia. Image: Christian Capurro.