Gang-Gang Cockatoos, known for their brilliant red crests, were once ubiquitous and iconic in some parts of Australia, including the area where I grew up, near Canberra.

Their population has declined by over 70% in the last 20 years due to habitat destruction, with the sharpest drop occurring during the 2019-2020 bushfire season where approximately a third of the species’ distribution was impacted by the fires. They became classified as vulnerable in 2022, and are under consideration to be officially listed as endangered later this year.

In reference to this event, the piece features a Gang-Gang Cockatoo recreated using images of scorched and burning leaves that I placed and a fireplace and photographed as they burned.