To Indigenous artist Brook Andrew, the giant performance and cultural space called Cutaway under Barangaroo Reserve is a bit like the belly of a whale.
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As long as Sydney Cricket Ground, as wide as an Olympic Pool and six storeys high, it is one of the largest interior spaces in Australia. It is so big it is baffling to see how it will be filled.
But to Mr Andrew, a contemporary artist, it has the potential for enormous installations that can only be matched in a few places in the world, including the Tate Modern in London.
On Sunday, his four enormous geometric patterned inflatables will breathe life into the space when the first of a series of giant picnics - part of 12 weekends of celebrations - will welcome visitors to Barangaroo.
"The whole idea is that we are inside a cave, or a belly, or a new body that is being created. And these are like life forms, or cocoons or lungs, like in the belly of the whale," he said.
The organs will inflate and deflate, changing shape every hour, perhaps foreshadowing how the enormous cultural space will be adapted over time.
"It is a fresh space, that's why I talk about it like the inside of the belly of a whale with its rib structures. It is like the Tate Modern. There are very few spaces in the world for artists that have 15-metre ceilings. And for us [to be able] to dream big is extraordinary."
A Wiradjuri man from western NSW, Mr Andrew's contemporary work is on show at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and other galleries around the world. The installation was inspired by traditional patterned shields and the natural sandstone that borders the enormous space.
To Rhoda Roberts, the director of ceremonies and Indigenous programs, the enormous inflatables - the first artworks commissioned for the space - create a new songline that connects the Barangaroo of today with its past.
Over the next three months, three giant picnics will be held, one on the first Sunday of each month, to tell the story of Barangaroo.
The theme of the first month's picnic is Stone with an emphasis on Indigenous history. The next month's picnic theme, Sea, is about the maritime tradition, while the theme of the third month's picnic is Sky, focusing on the future.
This Sunday's welcome celebrations include Indigenous dance, food and wine, and fireworks at 6pm.
Info: Details of the next three month's programs are at Barangaroo's website.
