STONEFLY / HUDSON WALLIS GRANT

My main approach to making STONEFLY was to draw the viewer into the unseen world that is bubbling beneath the surface of the rivers, creeks and streams around Naarm. I wanted to disrupt the notion that the unseen is unavailable; an affliction that leads us further into an othering of nature and keeps our empathy reserved only for what we can immediately relate to. The piece introduces the viewer into a diverse and colourful world through a portal of texture and sound. This world travels on a vastly different timescale and harbours microscopic detail in every drop of water. I shot the piece with the help of aquatic scientist and macroinvertebrate specialist Edward Tsyrlin and collected all specimens for the piece in the Birrarung/Yarra river that flows through Warrandyte. All specimens were responsibly caught and released and all precautions were taken to ensure their safety and survival. The piece is meant to be enthralling, with a sense of focus on subject while also maintaining an accessibility and visual momentum. I hope in viewing the piece the potential is realised for what can be seen not only when looking up and out, but also down and in.