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As the residency has progressed we have begun to develop distinct areas and themes we would like to focus on individually:

1.The Bogong moth, it’s connection with the past indigenous population and how it is attracted to light -fitting into the theme of Phantasmagoria.

2.The Power Lines arterial line through the valley, connecting towns to power stations and drawing power and light from the river

3.The ferocity of the water and its constant movement that is harnessed by the power plants.

4.The Dams that store this energy- massive monolithic, quiet structures that hold immense pressure.

We have explored the dams extensively, with Erin filming static shots both in daylight and floodlit night, as well as under the full moon. We’ve also activated them sonically with feedback, exciting their inner chambers resonant frequencies. One night filming I noticed a Bogong moth resting (or possibly dying) on the frame of the floodlights. I managed to get some close up footage of it that excited me enough to be on the look-out for more of them. The next night we noticed our kitchen window was attracting moths from the outside which allowed us to capture more, ultra close up shots. I have never thought of myself as someone who could pull of photography and video of living animals, but there’s something about the moths twitching bodies that really fascinates me and I am very happy to have the footage.

The other major process we have used in our time here has been photographing the turbulent water of the river, just before it hits the Bogong power station, at night with the use of strobe lights. The effect is of violent glimpses of the water, sometimes almost completely abstract if viewed without context. It’s a great pairing though of the water and the power it is capable of generating. The silvery light of the strobe turning the waters current into an electric one.