Marian Drew’s ‘Australiana still life’ series draws on the European still-life tradition to explore contemporary relationships between humans and nature. The animals in her photographs have been killed through human intervention, either by introduced predators, urbanisation or vehicles. Drew describes her ideas behind the series:

Over my life I had become accustomed to seeing animals killed by cars, domestic pets and power lines. I grew up immersed in a cultural framework that supported indifference and loss of animal life as an almost obligatory consequence of our own sustenance, growth and development. Importing the perspective of the European still life tableau into the context of animal death in our own suburbs, I hoped to raise uncomfortable questions about contemporary relationships with animals and how we unknowingly inherit cultural preconceptions. Through increased awareness and a sense of intimacy I also hoped the work might contribute towards a more respectful and connected paradigm.