Exposed

In my series Exposed, I respond to Jim Richardson’s quote by exploring the idea of how we, as settler Australians, have imprinted ourselves on the rural environment. By exploring farming landscapes in New South Wales during extreme drought conditions, I examine attempts to civilise the rural environment and, in the process, expose a powerful sense of loneliness and isolation. This is suggested by the cleared landscapes where trees and houses are marooned in space and time, and the implication that people undertake long distance journeys in order to feel connected to others. In some of my images, I have given prominence to the expanse of sky to convey the insignificance of humans in this vast landscape emptied of its natural features. I have chosen to present the series in black and white in order to emphasise the pure form of the imagery without the distraction of colour.