Rainbow Serpent

Rainbow Serpent consists of a series of framed works arranged in two mosaic grids displayed on each side of the Festival Theatre Grand Staircase. A wave of light, signifying an Aboriginal Creation figure known as the Rainbow Serpent, creates a unifying meta-design across the entire image. This work is one of a series begun after Nolan saw the blossoming of the Central Australian desert after many years of drought in 1967. The miracle of long dormant seeds germinating and the patterns of growth inspired this colourful series, a contrast to earlier works representing Australias arid interior.

When this artwork was reframed in 2007, conservators found the inscription Little Snake written on the back of the works. This may in fact be its intended name.