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COVID-19 lockdowns earlier this month provided a Melbourne artist with a unique opportunity to display her ‘graphic’ art display in the Wimmera. 

Photographic artist Michelle McFarlane featured her work at Natimuk’s Goat Gallery after getting trapped in the town during the State Government’s circuit-breaker lockdown.

Art is... festival organisers had planned for McFarlane’s art to feature at Horsham’s Jubilee Hall. 

McFarlane said her piece ‘Death on The Street’ was a confronting collage of dead animals she had photographed across Australia.

“The piece involves more than 300 snapshots of animals captured and portrayed in a sequence of where they died in relation to the road,” she said.

“The photo collage was originally accompanied by large-scale wall murals that convey both the horror and harmony of death.” 

The pictures are a ‘real world’ visual reference of animals that have died in front gardens, pathways, urban streets, outback dirt roads, country highways and shorelines. 

McFarlane captured the collection on phone cameras over a period of six years. 

She said the idea emerged out of conversations with her friend Marion Huxley, who was an experienced entomologist. 

“We both share an interest in the natural world and if I’m looking for an ID on an animal I send her a photo,” she said.

“She is also like my personal Google search assistant.” 

McFarlane said she enjoyed her time in Natimuk and working alongside other artists in the rural community.

“As an artist who lives and works in Melbourne, where people can sometimes take themselves and their art a little too seriously, I need a regular dose of the Wimmera arts community, where people express themselves with humility,” she said. 

“I especially enjoy being involved in the Natimuk community, where people throw around big and bold ideas and everyone comes together to make them happen.” 

Art is... festival organisers made major changes to the event’s itinerary due to the lockdown and subsequent restrictions.  

Director Sarah Natali said many events and activities had been postponed to July and August. 

More information about Art is… events can be found online at www.artiswimmera.com.