Month: March 2026

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Emily Jacir at the Sydney Biennale

Emily pictured with choreographer Andrea De Siena during rehearsals

In a previous post early last November (https://www.johnmcrae.com/emily-jacir-selected-for-the-25th-biennale-of-sydney/), I mentioned how my friend Emily Jacir had been selected among the international artists to exhibit at the 2026 Sydney Biennale by Artistic Director Hoor Al Qasimi, who is also the president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation in the United Arab Emirates. Titled “Rememory,” this edition of the Sydney Biennale focuses on themes of history, memory and belonging.

The recently re-opened “Entertainment Hall” of the White Bay Power Station where the walls are covered with the flaking paint of murals painted in a “by-gone” time, when the hall was privy to the social interactions of the many workers at the power station.

Alongside her moving video/sound installation featured at White Bay Power Station, Emily, together with dancers and three Italian artists (Andrea De Siena, Walter Laureti, & Valeria Taccone), workshopped an amazing performance entitled “The Belly Cries and the Dogs Laugh”. This piece was choreographed and presented in the space of the Entertainment Hall, a wonderful building attached to the former Power Station in Rozelle, a space that was re-opened for this explicit purpose, for the first time since being decommissioned in 1984.

I was privileged to photograph and document the development and staging of this amazing artistic expression (see above for some images of the rehearsal/workshop process). The following images were taken during the final presentation, which took place in Sydney over four performances in mid-March during the first weekend of the Biennale.

All in all, it was an emotional, inspirational event. It ended with most of the audience on their feet, dancing together with Emily and the other performers. It was fascinating for me to see the development and rhythmic process that is involved in creating such a performance, from the heart-felt choreography of Andrea De Siena, to the exceptional sound track devised by Walter Laureti, together with the haunting vocals of Valeria Taccone.

The cast of “The Belly Cries and the Dogs Laugh” performed at the Sydney Biennale, 2026
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Sydney Mardi Gras Parade 2026

In Sydney, once again it was time to head to the streets of Darlinghurst for a celebration of diversity and inclusion in the form of the 48th Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, the focal point of the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival. This year with more than 170 floats and 10,000 marchers, the parade was an explosion of colour.

It’s an opportunity for everyone to dress up, perk up and have a good time, from the crowds of people lining Oxford Street and Flinders Street (the main parade route) to the numerous participants in the parade itself, adorning the various floats. This year’s theme was Ecstatica  – Our Joy is Power! It was a wild mix of pride, passion and glitter-fuelled resistance. Following are some of my photographs from my time spent during the preparations of the parade and at the event.

Positive Life NSW

I shot the 2026 parade for the organisation Positive Life NSW. I traveled along the parade with the Positive Life float, capturing the joyful moments of the interaction between the parade participants and the general public cheering us on from the sidelines. It was invigorating and celebratory. The energy of the crowd swept you up in the moment, so much so that the 2km walk seemed to come and go in a flash.