Women Dreaming was a large-scale projection displayed on an exterior wall of Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm, Brisbane. The work celebrates much-loved women whose work doesn't always get recognition outside of their communities or professions. These women are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and Elders from across Southeast Queensland, chosen for their leadership by Dr Jackie Huggins, Dr Sandra Phillips and Dr Chelsea Bond. The images acknowledge our sisters' strength and womanhood, community and knowledge, songline and sovereignty.

The work was made through yarning, laughter and cups of tea, exploring our connection to history, to culture, who we are as Aboriginal women. bell hooks in Black looks: Race and Representation says:

"Since decolonisation as a political process is always a struggle to define ourselves in and beyond the act of resistance to domination, we are always in the process of both remembering the past even as we create new ways to imagine and make the future" (Hooks, 1992 p.5)

The yarn was transferred into the studio for the image-making, creating images that drew on the returned gaze and the right to 'look'.

Programmed during the state-wide cultural celebrations Festival 2018 (created for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games) and Women of the World Australia 2018, Women Dreaming aired for four nights, situated amongst the celebration of the Commonwealth. An entity that stole, colonised, and practised the systematic destruction of Indigenous knowledge, language and culture. Australia, as part of this celebrated 'Commonwealth', is the only Commonwealth Country to have never signed a treaty with its First Nations People (Marshallsea, 2017).

The presentation comprised of several provocations that included language words, the returned gaze, and the ‘right to be seen’ or the ‘right to look’. At approximately nine meters high and sixteen meters wide, the size of the projection felt like the women's gaze challenged the audience to look. Strong black women looked back. In their gentleness, they asserted their space and culture. The grandkids of these brilliant women looked on in awe. They saw black women, older women, and their families publicly honoured. That was my favourite part of the project.

Outside of the programmed festival audience, the very public location allowed the wider community to 'stumble' across the work. Wanting to know more, many people engaged in conversations with me on treaty, constitutional recognition, language, and why only female faces were displayed.

This work was commissioned by Women of the World and Festival 2018 and celebrated Aunty Anni Ghee, Aunty Peggy Tidyman, Aunty Matilda Bani, Aunty Noritta Morseu-Diop, Aunty Liz Bond, Aunty Moira Bligh, Aunty Ruth Ross, Aunty Jeanie Bell, Aunty Linda McBride-Yuke.