Elle Ngo, What lies beneath the surface, 2026 (PLACES 2026)

What lies beneath the surface, 2026 documents the Jillabenan fossil stream cave in Yarrangobilly on the traditional lands of the Wolgalu people of the Wirajuri nation; through monochrome film, long exposures, and careful framing I translate the cave’s slow aqueous choreography from underneath—drips, flows, freezes—into a study of speleothem forms that mimic fossil coral, revealing tonal textures of mineral, moisture, and shadow. The cave’s cold silence positions the viewer in a distanced position. What is witnessed is an under‑earth space that nonetheless feels intimate, calling for quiet acknowledgement of the sacred spirits and human histories embedded in the karst limestone. The work foregrounds restraint and ethical seeing, as a breath and sigh, treating these formations as an archive of time, memory, and cultural depth largely unknown to the public.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.