The Birds That Watch by Amelia Kluger

As a child, Brisbane felt distant and magical. Now, as a teenager living within it, I see the city differently. My sitter Baden Phillips has spent his life designing for the Queensland Museum Kurilpa and photographing birds with quiet reverence. But to me, he represents something even more enduring: the vibrant, complex Brisbane I once imagined, and the creative future I now believe is possible.

“No one bird is more important than the other.” perfectly encapsulates Baden Phillips, a philosophical phrase that often underpins his humorous character. I placed him here, surrounded by his work, not as a static figure but as a kind of philosophical presence, someone whose impact stretches beyond what you see. The stark contrast and strong triangular composition mirror the way perception moves between clarity and ambiguity. His gaze challenges viewers to question their own place in this space, just as he’s challenged and mentored me in my art.

This portrait is about more than one man. It’s about mentorship, memory, and the evolving relationship we each have with place, identity, and art.