REVERSE ANTHEM (2021)
Video Installation / 3:30
Exhibited RISING 2021, The Ian Potter Centre (NGV) 2023

A single city-wide broadcast across a choir of screens: a provocation and lament to the impossible claims of unification made by Advance Australia Fair in 2021. —RISING

Australia’s current anthem is an anachronism, two verses lifted from a song written in 1878 which, even in those days, had an absurdly narrow focus. Minor alterations won’t make it right.

In 2016, artist and educator Kate Daw and artist Stewart Russell invited acclaimed opera singer and director, and Yorta Yorta woman, Deborah Cheetham AO to rework the national anthem “upside down and back to front”.

Now, RISING presents an entirely new conception of Reverse Anthem, with a new composition by Jonathon Welch AM, completed after Daw’s passing; and a new list of collaborators including a fresh cast of performers; dance maker Amrita Hepi, and filmmaker Antuong Nguyen, who has applied the theme of reversal to filmic techniques.

Artwork by Kate Daw and Stewart Russell
With Amrita Hepi, Antuong Nguyen
Musical Director & Composer Jonathon Welch AM

Executive Producer Naomi Velaphi
Producer Alexandra George

DOP Joey Knox
1AC Lewis Rodan
Steadicam Op Brett Harrison
Gaffer James Thompson
Best Person Akash Vijayakumar
Wardrobe Stylist Ricarda Bigolin
Stylist Assist Blake Barns
HMUA Rose Letho
Art Dept Assist Danica Miller

Editor Leyla Gaabi
Producer, The Editors Charlotte Griffiths
Colourist Dan Stonehouse
Producer, Crayon Meg Doyle
Title Design Wei Huang
Graphic Design Sam Chisholm
Choir Sound Recordist Theo Hassan
Sound Consultant Lawrence Harvey
Music Mix & Additional Orchestration Gus Franklin, Electric Dreams
Producer, Electric Dreams Leyla Verala

Featured Singers
Danielle Matthews, Eddie Muliamaseali’i, Shauntai Batzke

THECHO!R Performers
Michelle Fidler, Michael Gin, Ornella Knez, Lynda McCabe, Gina Mendoza, Danielle Moore, Lise Moran, Meileen Tan, Sarah Waight

Community Performers
Grace Russell, Flynn Smeaton, Hugh McDonald Crowley, Gemma Sattler

Additional Choir Singers
Daniel Brinsmead, Roger Bell, Ginny Henderson, Viv Walker, Tineke Westwood

BTS Stills Anne Moffat
BTS Video Kate Meakin
Production Assistants Jonty Ransome, Flynn Smeaton
Choir Coordinator Jan Hamilton

Special Thanks
The Editors, Crayon, Electric Dreams, Alex Cardy

Presented & Supported by RISING 2021