When Dragonflies Fly Low

The River Wye, running from Plynlimon to the Severn Estuary is the fourth longest river in the UK. As with all rivers, the Wye is the life of the communities it flows through. This River however, is being constantly damaged by farming, food production and most notably, sewage. In 2024 alone, the River Wye saw 14,640 hours of pollution from combined sewage outflows along its banks. This combined with all other forms of pollution means that the Wye does not fit standards for River health in the UK and Europe, this has been the case for almost 10 years.

Images displayed in this exhibition come from a 20 mile stretch of the River Wye, from Monmouth to Chepstow. Investigating the rural and industrial landscapes around the river, these images show what cannot be seen beneath the Rivers surface. These images are from researching the points of high pollution along the River and exploring the surrounding area.

When Dragonflies Fly Low, comes from the phrase “When dragonflies fly low, a storm is coming” originating in the Tamil Nadu state of India. While not unique to Tamil Nadu, this is a phrase for predicting weather by the movement of Dragonflies.

When there is a collection of low atmospheric pressure, migratory insects move in the pressure columns down to the surface of the River. If you were to see insects low to the ground then rain is coming. In the UK, the amount of rain is linked to how much pollution could be entering the Rivers.

The project thus far has been influenced and inspired by Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane. Not only is it where I first read of the Tamil phrase, but has been my inspiration for photographing what I now think of as a living entity.

This exhibition would not have been possible without the support of the EMERGE team for pushing my practice further over the past year. The team at Locksbrook for printing all the artwork. Monty, for looking over countless edits, wall plans and his help installing. Finally, Amy, my partner who has been a constant advocate for my work, always there on the late nights or early mornings and supporting me through it all.
Thank you everyone.