PROJECT DWELL 2020
Louise Grayson pauses to reflect upon her rural home, and others like it across Australia, in her latest series of works titled: PROJECT DWELL.
Strong dialogue around what we call “home” was thrust to the forefront during the global COVID lock down.
Questions emerged about who constitutes our “family” and how we interact with the space we choose to occupy.
Photographs in PROJECT DWELL reflect how human histories and their stories are weaved seamlessly with the environment they choose to call home.
They show the essential connection between people and place.
Louise takes her ongoing interest in how people are entwined with one another, and their environment, to explore how people live in harmony with their natural landscape.
Photographs respond to the dual challenges of drought and bushfires Louise witnessed on her own rural property near the Byron Bay Hinterland, Australia, in 2019.
These experiences, couple with COVID restrictions limiting her usual international project work, has compelled her to visit farms and properties across rural Australia to explore how people weave their lives with their landscape.
Resulting images show passionate landowners eagerly leading the way across their paddocks showcasing regeneration projects and precious waterway renewals.
Human constructions blend with the natural environment to reflect a desire by the photographer to see co-operation between people and their land. A man-made lake carved from the earth will only fill with water if nature determines to end drought.
The environment emerges as the hero in these photographs. It is clear Louise is an ambassador for the natural landscape and shares a love for rural Australia with the farmers and landowners featured throughout her work.
The resulting images explore issues of environmental development and cooperation between people and the land.
With current massive media speculation about our global environment, Project DWELL raises timely questions within its imagery.