Cascades Female Factory Finding Light in the Dark

Grumpy Sailor was approached by Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority to create an immersive experience for the Cascades Female Factory, evoking empathy around the unrelenting living conditions convict women and children experienced in the 1800s.

Our brief was to represent the historical voices of women and children, engendering an emotional crescendo to complement the rich history and unique artefacts at Cascades Female Factory.

'Finding Light in the Dark' follows the emotional journey of three women at different stages of life. A compilation of video vignettes slowly reveal narrative threads; snippets of their daily life juxtaposed against sombre landscapes. The images and sound draw upon the universality of experience — away from costume and location, to rest solely on the faces, hands and textures that surrounded the women at Cascades Female Factory.