Beeyali is a Kabi Kabi word meaning “to call” and a creative collaborative research project using science to visualise the calls of wildlife. Conceived by Lyndon Davis, a Kabi Kabi man, in collaboration with sound artist Leah Barclay and photographer Tricia King, Beeyali was first commissioned as a large-scale projection work for New Light 2021, presented by ANAT and Illuminate Adelaide in association with the Adelaide Festival Centre.

The trio experimented with cymatics, an interdisciplinary field studying visible sound vibrations, where patterns are created in substances like sand or water when exposed to sound frequencies. Pioneered scientist by Hans Jenny in the 1960s, cymatics revealed how sound waves generate intricate geometric patterns, drawing parallels between these forms and natural patterns in ecosystems. Beeyali is guided by Lyndon’s belief that understanding these patterns is fundamental to human health and connection to Country.

Blending Indigenous knowledge, creative practices, and technology, the Beeyali project aims to sound an alarm for the multitude of vulnerable species on the brink of extinction in Australia.

The Beeyali project, 2021, Lyndon Davis, Leah Barclay, Tricia King. Beeyali is a Kabi Kabi word meaning “to call.” Photographs Tricia King.

“Beeyali illustrates beautifully the deep resonances between Lyndon’s practice in the weavings of his ancestral technologies and knowledge systems and story telling with contemporary ideas of technologies” says ANAT CEO, Melissa DeLaney. “In ANAT SPECTRA 2022, I remember Lyndon speaking on his discovery and wonder in working with Beeyali and how the images generated through digital technologies and sound, so perfectly reflected the patterns and stories he carries from Country.”

Beeyali is growing, thanks to a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts, which will enable it to include the White-bellied Sea-Eagle and Humpback Whale—two culturally significant species on Kabi Kabi Country.

Read the Creative Australia feature The Art of Listening: How sound practices are giving voice to an environment in crisis

Read more about Beeyali

Lyndon Davis is an internationally acclaimed Aboriginal Artist, educator and Cultural performer. Lyndon was born and raised on the Sunshine Coast, and is a Traditional Custodian and representative of the Local Gubbi Gubbi / Kabi Kabi people. His work is held in national and international collections and has been commissioned by various high-profile organisations, museums and art collectors. His experimental art practice has been commissioned for festivals including Floating Land and Horizon Festival where he has developed immersive installations, interactive experiences and large-scale projection artworks featuring his Kabi Kabi designs.

Dr. Leah Barclay is an Australian sound artist, designer, and researcher working at the intersection of art, science, and technology. Her research explores ecoacoustics, using terrestrial and aquatic soundscapes to support conservation, scientific research, and public engagement. With over 15 years of experience in underwater recording, Leah creates complex sonic environments highlighting climate change and fragile ecosystems. Her works, ranging from virtual reality to site-specific installations, have been presented globally, including at Times Square and the Eiffel Tower for COP21. Leah leads projects like Biosphere Soundscapes with UNESCO and River Listening, advancing ecoacoustics and developing innovative technologies. She is the Discipline Lead of Design at the University of the Sunshine Coast and co-leads the Creative Ecologies Research Cluster.

Dr. Tricia King researches creative arts health projects, focusing on enhancing well-being for older people through photography and creative practices. Using methods like photo voice, photo-elicitation, and collaborative photography, her ethically driven, participant-centered projects emphasize friendship and reciprocity. Tricia works with aged care residents and people with dementia, exploring their lived experiences to boost well-being, socialisation, and communication. Her current interdisciplinary collaborations with health professionals aim to increase creativity and movement. Additionally, her creative practice investigates how remote experiences of natural environments foster ecological empathy, cultural knowledge, and connection to place.

Lyndon Davis’ work “Beeyali,” New Light 2021, Adelaide Festival Centre screens. Photograph Frankie The Creative. Lyndon collaborated with Leah Barclay & Tricia King on “Beeyali” for New Light 2021.

In partnership with the University of the Sunshine Coast ANAT SPECTRA 2025 :: Reciprocity will be held on Kabi Kabi Country in the heart of the Sunshine Coast Biosphere Reserve.