Female Labour Constellation One Female Computers at Sydney and Paris Observatories worked in parallel yet under conditions that differently enabled these women to access the science of mapping the stars.

Gendered Stars Constellation Two  Many stories about our Universe are based on binary, patriarchal myths. But there are other systems and alternate gender tales to tell. To coincide with the Venus flyby 15 October 2020.

Unbounding Seeing Constellation Three Forget the myth of the all-seeing lone male astronomer. Around the world today, countless women are unbounding the past and future of astronomy. A portal for those who really see space.

This is the story of the Sydney Female Computers one 20 teams of women employed in observatories around the world to create a vast photographic map and catalogue of the stars. Created by Lily Hibberd and Toner Stevenson for the 22nd Biennale of Sydney: NIRIN, in conjunction with the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, this video reveals what these women really discovered about the stars and that were more than just machines.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Din Heagney is a writer, editor, researcher, art director and teacher.
Lily Hibberd is and artist and writer.
Dr Toner Stevenson is Honorary Affiliate, History, at the University of Sydney. 

We acknowledge Australia’s First Nations as the first astronomers, and the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation on whose ancestral lands and under whose skies Sydney Observatory stands. We pay our respects to Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, past and present, and through them to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

COUNTING: the women star computers Women played a pivotal role in counting the stars at Sydney Observatory. But their labour went uncounted, until one day Toner Stevenson discovered a small wooden box hidden in the Observatory Library containing employment cards of all who worked there. Created for the 22nd Biennale of Sydney: NIRIN 2020 by Toner Stevenson and Lily Hibberd, with the narration of Julie-Ann Robson, this short film reveals the work and lives of the star computers as it is written on the cards ‘Boundless – out of time’, for NIRIN, 22nd Biennale of Sydney, begins with 'Remapping Sydney Meridian', a virtual walk along Sydney's meridian hosted on Sydney Observatory's blog, as part of Lily Hibberd's artist and research residency with the Powerhouse Museum. Meridian Walk