This monumental bronze and mother-of-pearl sculpture depicts a dugong swimming in the moonlight. The animal is shown at the moment when it curls its tail to dive down to the seagrass beds, its feeding ground. Kisay Dhangal embodies the dynamic power and agility that make the dugong one of the world's most beautiful endangered marine species. In this sense, the patterns engraved on the dugong's body evoke the destruction of seagrass beds, mainly caused by large ships that drive this mammal, as well as other species, from the underwater meadows essential to their survival. This ecological message is intimately intertwined with traditional patterns, which embody a rich cultural heritage and valuable knowledge about dugongs and their natural habitat.

Alick Tipoti created this sculpture in collaboration with Brisbane-based company Urban Art Projects (UAP). A team of UAP artisans worked alongside the artist to shape the artwork and adorn its bronze surface with engraved motifs. UAP also assisted Tipoti in the creation of his 2008 sculpture Adhaz Parw Ngoedhe Buk, which is now part of the National Gallery of Australia's collection. Watch the video of the creation of this artwork