PATRICK SHIRVINGTON | Cacophony of sound at the waterhole

"In 2022 I was awarded a residency in the far north west of NSW. Over four weeks I observed the arid landscape of Sturt National Park. I had a vague idea of what the area would present to me as subject matter, and as the hours passed, whether it be my observation in full sun or shadow or into the night there was something else that wasn’t just the bushland. To my delight through every hour of change there was an ever-present movement through the stillness, a broken moment as nature moved to the soft rhythm of the Emu. These are the things unseen.

Over the next few weeks I observed these great creatures crossing before me from sunrise, under different skies through to twilight, with slow meandering steps, then suddenly.. startled…they would dash around in comic fashion as though begging for my attention. An inquisitive creature they would gradually make their way towards me to observe my activity…then dash off in a flurry of dust.”