South Australia’s Kingston Park has recently welcomed a new addition to its landscape with the installation of Indigenous art panels by renowned artist Allan Sumner. Located on the northern side of the Kingston Park kiosk, these four decorative panels serve as a partition between the kiosk’s alfresco area and the adjacent caravan park, adding cultural richness to the area. Indigenous Art Installation Enhances Kingston Park Experience
The intricate designs, laser-cut into Corten steel, were inspired by the nearby Tjilbruke Spring, a culturally significant site for the Kaurna people. Sumner, a longtime Indigenous artist, infused his artwork with themes of Tjilbruke, family, community, and the elements of fire, earth, sky, and water.
“The theme for me was definitely Tjilbruke as this is one of Tjilbruke’s campsites, and the other thing that connected for me was using the elements too – fire, earth, sky, and water,” Sumner explained. “I just wanted to keep it really coastal and make sure we have the theme there with Tjilbruke, family, and community that would have been down here.”
The panels, strategically placed to catch the morning light, cast shadows across a long bench seat and onto the ground, creating an immersive and dynamic experience for visitors. Sumner expressed his pride in seeing his artwork become part of the landscape at Kingston Park, particularly from a Kaurna perspective.
“From a Kaurna point of view, to have a cultural footprint on the ground here at Kingston Park is something that we’ve wanted for a very long time, and that makes me very proud, absolutely,” he said.
Sumner, known for his widely recognized On Kaurna Land shop front stickers and acknowledgments in The City of Holdfast Bay Council’s Our Place magazine, emphasized that storytelling is at the heart of his artistic process.
“I always try and think about the area, the people that lived in that area, the stories, and the creation stories connected to that area,” he said.
The installation of Sumner’s artwork adds depth and cultural significance to Kingston Park, enriching the experience for visitors and locals alike. As Holdfast Bay continues to honor and celebrate Indigenous heritage, projects like these contribute to a greater sense of community and connection to the land.
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