Patrick John O'Doherty

A lizards gaze

This series was taken on a farm about 100KM outside of Johannesburg in the north western Magaliesburg mountains. These mountains are some of the oldest in the world around 2.2 billion years. In this series I wanted to channel the deep feelings I have for this area as I have been coming here to hike and camp since I was a child. There is a crystal clear fountain on top of the mountain, which cuts its way down a quartzite valley and pours gently into sky blue pools. The water is sweet, soft and healing. If you are patient tiny fish will gently pluck the dead skin from your body while the prehistoric eyes of curios lizards stare deep into your soul. I find great comfort sitting here in silent meditation imagining that it’s one hundred and fifty thousand years ago when our closest human ancestors once lived, died and held each other tightly when exposed to the elements. I wanted to transport the viewer to a world where time has no impotence; a place where there is no beginning and no end, to a world where spirits hide in the reflections and shadows, as the midday sun rests it’s spent flames on the ancient landscape.