Ten Days on the Island presents
This is My Land, This is My Sea – PAST EVENT
by Caleb Nichols-Mansell
(Lutruwita/Tasmania)
West + North West
Tickets
FREE
Show Accessibility
Visual Content Rating
Event does not contain any music, sound or dialogue.
Caleb’s love letter to the place he calls home will shine bright in Pataway/Burnie during the Festival.
Caleb Nichols-Mansell is an exciting young Palawa multi-media artist based in Pataway/Burnie. We invited Caleb to dream into new territory as an artist and he has visualised a three-part series of large-scale outdoor public artworks for the place he calls home. Collectively titled Love Letter to Pataway, the works speak to each other thematically and geographically, creating a trail addressing the industrial heritage of this town whilst also acknowledging the Palawa culture and identity that is endemic here.
In 2025, we present the first of these works. Caleb’s large-scale neon artwork, this is my land, this is my sea, is an adaptation of Peter Garrett’s lyrics from the Midnight Oil song ‘Burnie’; as much a nod to North-West pride as it is to the astonishing coastal landscape. Shining out across the city, the ocean is ever-present in the background, and this work reflects Caleb’s deep connection to this Country, his community, culture and spirit.
Over the next two Festivals, as we build towards the full series of these works from the heart, we invite the community to respond with their own love letters to this unique part of the world.
‘Like a lot of my work, the concepts are in direct response to the Country I live and work on while also interpreting the deep time history, culture and spirit that lives within these landscapes. I hope the work can speak to the experiences, history, and connection we all share with these lands.’
CALEB NICHOLS-MANSELL
Caleb Nichols-Mansell
Caleb Nichols-Mansell is a proud Tasmanian Aboriginal man with deep connections to country, community, culture, and spirit which inform his practice and process as an artist and leader. With an extensive portfolio in graphic design and digital art, Caleb is now experimenting with large-scale festival and public art installations. His work delves into the politics of identity, land, and cultural heritage, aiming to generate conversation and provide an intimate look at modern Tasmanian Aboriginal life. Having been involved in public art commissions throughout Lutruwita/Tasmania, he is passionate about embedding Aboriginal art, culture, stories, and knowledge throughout the island.
Artist's Statement
“this is my land, this is my sea, stands as a luminous testament to the enduring bond between the Palawa people and their ancestral lands and waters. Presented as part one of Ten Days on the Island’s Love Letter to Pataway series, this installation not only acknowledges the industrial heritage of Pataway/Burnie but also reaffirms the intrinsic Palawa culture and identity that permeate the region.
By adapting lyrics from Midnight Oil’s ‘Burnie’, I’ve intertwined contemporary expression with cultural heritage, prompting reflection on our collective responsibility to protect and honour the environment. The artwork serves as both a reminder and a call to action, urging the community, corporations, and policymakers to reflect on their connection to the land and sea, and to consider the legacy they wish to leave for future generations.
this is my land, this is my sea invites viewers to engage in a moment of accountability, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world and inspiring a commitment to its preservation.” – Caleb Nichols-Mansell
Image Credit: Grant Wells
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