It is a city viewed through its history of migration.

From 2005-2009, 50 Sydneysiders with cultural and artistic roots from across the globe contributed. Monologues, short films, arguments, songs, costumes, agreements, music, ensemble dance pieces, speeches and more were made.

They were presented in a series of showings and forums and, ultimately, weaved together into a theatre performance and then feature documentary of the same name, This City is a Body.

I just want to make a comment about you bringing different art forms and cultures together… and how natural it is, I want to add, that people like you, from different backgrounds, find it almost a must to bring together different art forms, because it is as if one art form cannot contain.

I see you, as a group, exactly like explorers, going into new territory, whilst you are both the explorers and the cartographers, so as you move into this new territory… you’re actually circumscribing, describing, refining a land that becomes clearer and clearer and clearer as you travel…

I am looking at you, getting a sense of us, going out into the ocean, and that is extremely powerful, extremely hopeful, it is an incredible statement that you’re making and that you’re bringing us in that journey… and you’re open, see here you are, you’re absolutely open, everything you see, everything you’ve done, even to this forum, even the way that you stand, in front of us, is all about hope and courage and vision. I really commend you.

- Audience Member

Opening scene of This City is a Body, Hyde Park Barracks Museum, Sydney. The audience is standing on three flights of stairs: amongst them performs the musician, singer and narrator. The dancer is on the ground floor. 

Dancer: Latai Taumoepeau
Musician: Robin Dixon
Singer: Mahesh Radhakrishnan
Narrator: Shakthidharan
Editor: Shakthidharan
Filmed by: Elias Nohra

Led by CuriousWorks' Creative Director, Shakthi Sivanathan, The Migrant Project was Shakthi's first creative initiative: the second, now running, is The Lanka Project.