Feral Camel as Lyre Bird in Ferntree Gully in the Dandenong Ranges by Eugene von Guérard 1857

This piece starts in the genre of a popular traditional Australian Colonial artwork by Eugene von Guérard from 1857, titled 'Lyre Bird in Ferntree Gully in the Dandenong Ranges.' I've moved the painting of a lyrebird into the digital space and used the Surrealist methodology of manipulation to give meaning and context to ideas of identity, nationality, belonging, immigration and citizenship, as well as the environmental impact of migration. The lyrebird is replaced by a feral camel balloon animal, paying homage to Jeff Koons, an artist who explores the meaning of art in a media-saturated era, by referring to his popular balloon animal works from 1995-2010.