The First Song

Artist Statement

This work, The First Song, emerges from a profound exploration of sound, ecology, and the intricate relationship between art and conservation. Drawing on the rich tradition of birdsong as both a natural phenomenon and a symbolic representation of life’s cycles, the piece juxtaposes two pivotal moments: the first song and the last. These dualities are embodied within the visual representation of sonograms—scientific renderings of birdsong—recorded and meticulously analyzed by the artist as part of an ongoing conservation initiative at the Tarwin River Forest. The sonograms, captured using the BirdNET's deep neural network machine learning algorithm, serve as both visual and auditory archives of the forest’s resident, transient and migratory birds.

Here in the forests of South Gippsland we are fortunate to find the Superb Lyrebird, arguably the worlds best singer and direct descendant of the worlds first songbird. The forests of eastern Australia were the birthplace of the world’s first song - around 40 million years ago. The forests here are also home to the endangered Gang-gang Cockatoo and the Pilot Bird.

These sonograms transcend their scientific origins to become abstract symbols of fragility and resilience. Positioned above, the Gang-gang Cockatoo and below the Pilotbird, the “last song” resonates as an elegy for what is threatened, while the Lyrebirds “first song” reimagines a genesis, an aural origin of the forests enduring symphony.

The medium — oil on recycled timber --- underscores the work’s commitment to sustainability, reinforcing its conceptual foundations in renewal and ecological balance. The use of recycled materials parallels the artist’s conservation ethos, while the tactile, layered application of oil evokes the immersive experience of the dawn chorus: the rich, interwoven calls of the forest awakening.

This is not merely a visual artwork but an aural invocation. The sonograms, abstract yet evocative, invite viewers to hear through the eye and see through the ear, conjuring the forest’s calls at the break of day. The piece aspires to awaken not just the senses but also a collective consciousness toward the plight of threatened species. It insists that art, must serve a purpose: to inform, to inspire, and to act as a catalyst for the preservation of our shared world.