Yuriyal Bridgeman’s SUNA (Middle Ground) is a monumental installation and a living site for storytelling, connection, and cultural exchange. Located on the front lawn of UQ Art Museum, the work takes the form of a raun haus — a traditional Papua New Guinea Highlands round house — representing both the artist’s home and the central meeting place of Haus Yuriyal, a collective founded in the Waghi Valley, PNG.
Originally commissioned for the 22nd Biennale of Sydney in 2020, SUNA returns in 2025 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence. Bridgeman invites audiences to step into the raun haus in the spirit of suna — a Yuri word meaning “middle ground” — to connect across difference and build understanding.
Visiting Information:
Exterior viewable at any time.
Interior open Tuesday to Saturday, 11am – 2pm.
Image:
Eric Bridgeman + Haus Yuriyal, SUNA (Middle Ground) 2020. Installation view, 22nd Biennale of Sydney, Cockatoo Island. Photograph: Alex Robinson. Courtesy of the artist; Milani Gallery, Brisbane; and Gallerysmith, Melbourne.
