February 15th, 2025David’s works of resilience and reinvention

The Trees Endure, The Land Has Memory is an immersive series of photographic works by David Rosendale. 

The exhibition, created on DjaDja Wurrung Country within the Hepburn Regional Park and Wombat State Forest, captures the essence of place and the profound ties that bind us to the land, David says. 

The exhibition will be held at Radius Art Space, Hepburn, from March 1 to April 12. The opening is on March 1, 3pm – 5pm.

Emerging during the global pandemic in 2021, David’s work represents a meditative response to an unprecedented time of adversity.

The series reflects the unique opportunity for introspection and exploration afforded by this period – time to reconnect with the local landscape, delve into art history, and investigate the timeless themes of struggle, survival, and reinvention. 

Through daily wanderings in the forests and waterways of Hepburn and Daylesford, David discovered metaphors for these universal themes, mirrored in the landscape’s rich and varied histories: ancient Indigenous connections, colonial legacies, and the scars of gold mining.

Yet, the series moves beyond historical documentation, offering an intimate and painterly exploration of personal connection and resilience. 

The Trees Endure, The Land Has Memory combines painterly qualities with photographic precision, blurring the boundaries between visual mediums.

With minimal human presence in the works, the focus rests entirely on the land’s narrative – the sun rising each day, the forest transforming from darkness to light, and the profound beauty of rediscovering the world ‘en plein air’. 

This series is both a reflection on the restrictive nature of the pandemic and a celebration of liberation and rediscovery. 

A percentage of any profit will go to both the Daylesford SES & Daylesford CFA

Words & image: Contributed