Be Longing Be Longing is a contemplative series that honours the solemn beauty of standing dead trees found across Wurundjeri Country. These majestic remnants of another time endure in slow decay, becoming a quiet source of comfort during a period of personal transition. After moving out of my family home, I encountered these trees on walks and saw myself in them as I was cut from my family tree, yet still standing. They became mirrors, reflecting both grief and resilience. Far from lifeless, these trees are vital ecological contributors, releasing nutrients into the forest floor and forming islands of biodiversity. I was drawn to the way they hold space for other life, reminding me that otherness, too, has a purpose and necessity. As part of the installation, I foraged branches and tree stumps from near my family home and carried them with me through the different homes I was moving through at the time. Offering a space to see beauty and meaning in what remains and continues to stand, even when cut down, Be Longing is both a personal and ecological meditation on endurance.