A new home for Antone Bruinsma ‘Moon Dance’

Project Description

In 2026 we finalised a project to relocate a public artwork that was previously installed on Mt Gravatt campus in 1980.

The sandstone sculpture, Antone Bruinsma ‘Moon Dance’ (c.1980), is now positioned along the Johnson Path on Brisbane South (Nathan) campus.

Bruinsma studied at the Queensland College of Art & Design, Griffith University from 1977 -1979, after which the Mount Gravatt Teachers College purchased ‘Moon Dance’ in 1980 – the first artwork sale in a career that now spans almost 50 years. In a full-circle moment for ‘Moon Dance’, both the Teachers College and the Queensland College of Art & Design merged with Griffith University in the early 1990s, resulting in Bruinsma’s sculpture now being held in the Collection of his alma mater.

After over 20 years located in a pond outside the Mt Gravatt Library, ‘Moon Dance’ has finally made the move across the Pacific Motorway to its new home in the garden outside the Sewell Building (N12).
Working with contractors Albert Smith Signs, the long process to move the artwork across the Pacific Motorway was completed in April 2026, preserving the artwork for future generations of staff and students.

Project Personnel and Beneficiaries

This project was spearheaded by Collection Manager Carrie McCarthy and the Griffith University Art Museum team, and supported by Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Scott Harrison.

Outcomes to Date

We have ensured that 46 years after it was first acquired, ‘Moon Dance’ will become a central feature of the on-campus experience at Brisbane South (Nathan) campus, reaching new audiences and providing enjoyment for Griffth University staff and students.