Torres Strait artist Brian Robinson transforms Maritime Museum into Vivid’s largest Indigenous program

The Australian National Maritime Museum’s rooftop will become an animated Pac-Man battleground where Torres Strait motifs chase pop culture icons across geometric flowers and bold patterning. Cosmic Chase transforms the harbour precinct into what organisers describe as a kinetic, retro-futurist lens blending ancestral mythology with arcade-era fantasy.

The installation anchors the Museum’s largest Vivid Sydney program to date, championing Torres Strait artist Brian Robinson from 22 May to 13 June. Robinson’s work celebrates Indigenous artforms and storytelling through two monumental installations that bring the Museum’s waterfront precinct to life after dark.

For visitors seeking immersive Indigenous storytelling during Vivid Sydney, Sea Gathering on 2 June offers a free one-night event combining light installations, live music, food and hands-on cultural workshops. The program transforms the museum into a living canvas where visitors move freely across rooftop lookout, waterfront boardwalk and illuminated installations.

Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said Robinson’s work holds a remarkable ability to bridge ancient stories and contemporary culture. “We are thrilled to see his imagination brought to life on such a monumental scale at the Australian National Maritime Museum for Vivid Sydney 2026,” he said.

Museum Director and CEO Daryl Karp AM described the 2026 program as especially ambitious. “We are especially proud to celebrate the extraordinary work of Brian Robinson, whose richly imaginative practice brings together ancestral knowledge and contemporary creativity,” she said.

Robinson, born in 1973 on Waiben (Thursday Island), belongs to the Kala Lagaw Ya and Wuthathi language groups of Zenadth Kes (Torres Strait). The Cairns-based artist is known for printmaking and public sculptures that explore imagery drawn from ancestral iconography, uniquely interwoven with popular culture and science fiction.

Sea Gathering draws from Torres Strait traditions of coming together to share stories, knowledge and resources. The 2 June event includes a panel discussion featuring Robinson and marine biologist Emma Camp on Great Barrier Reef conservation, alongside former triple J host Adam Spencer and coral reef ecologist Dr Ben Fitzpatrick.

Head of Indigenous Programs Matt Poll said Robinson’s art shows the living, evolving, maritime worlds of Zenadth Kes. “It is not just aesthetically compelling; it is a living document of resilience,” he said.

The Vivid program runs alongside Robinson’s collaborative exhibition Ur Wayii (Incoming Tide), currently showing in the Museum galleries. The indoor exhibition showcases First Nations artwork, sculpture and traditional maritime knowledge, anchoring the outdoor light installations within the Museum’s permanent commitment to Indigenous storytelling.

Unlike previous Vivid years where Indigenous programming was ancillary, the 2026 Maritime Museum program dedicates its entire focus to a single First Nations artist. This marks the Museum’s largest and most immersive Vivid commitment to date.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper described this year’s Museum program as one of its most ambitious yet. “As a valued Vivid Sydney Program Partner across our Light and Minds pillars, their 2026 offering enriches the festival with imagination, depth and creative excellence,” he said.

The program also includes Wonderverse by Patch Theatre and Vivid Moonlight Sea Kayaking Experience. Sea Gathering is free but has limited capacity as the Museum transforms into a single shared harbourside meeting place on the night of 2 June.