This image is a photographic manipulation of breaking waves and surf made into the form of a Maugean Skate. The Skate is a critically endangered species native to the west coast of Tasmania. It's numbers have been halving every 5-6 years for decades due to the introduction of Atlantic Salmon to its habitat in industrial qualities, reducing oxygen levels in the water and suffocating the species. It is projected to be extinct in the next decade, all to provide a few hundred jobs.

Josh Dykgraaf is a photographic manipulation artist based in Melbourne, Australia.

His work features manipulations of his own photography - each piece is composed of hundreds of photos using material Josh has shot, each requiring 30-80 hours to make, with the resulting images usually having thousands of layers. His work explores world building, sense of scale and wonder - deconstructing and reforming the world we live in.

For the last few years, he has been particularly focused on the impact that we as a species are having on the natural environment around us, exploring wildlife conservation and climate change.

He comes from a background in commercial image making for advertising and graphic design, working for major companies and agencies around the world - he then brings that skill set and image making sense to his personal art.

*Please note artwork will not be shipped until after the 2024 Finalist Exhibition which ends in mid-October 2024.