Check out the powerful exhibition Scars of Fire by photographer Liam Cuce, now showing at the Purple Starfish in Kaniva.
With ancestral ties to Kaniva dating back to the 1800s, Liam returned not to retrace old footsteps but to document the impact of the present. Earlier this year, the Little Desert National Park fire burned through 95,000 hectares.
Liam’s work captures this moment in time — featuring mainly the Miram South fires and the Melbourne rally against the proposed Emergency Services Levy, which he attended with his grandparents. The photographs are raw and reflective.
Liam said “This project began with a drive but it’s rooted in something older. My family has deep ties to the Kaniva region going back to the 1800s when the Elsden family arrived from England. Some became blacksmiths and toolmakers. Others, like my great-great-great-grandmother Harriet, left but always remained part of the story of this land.
Scars of Fire explores what remains after disaster. I returned to Kaniva not to trace my family’s past but to witness the present. Burned ground. Silent paddocks. Fences holding everything together. These photos are about loss and repair, quiet strength, and the way memory clings to place.”
The featured photo shows Liam standing beside his work, which was previously exhibited at RMIT, where he is currently studying photography.
Exhibition details:
- Purple Starfish, Kaniva
- Open Wednesdays & Thursdays, 10 am – 4 pm
- Fridays, 10 am – 1 pm
- Final day: Thursday 14 August
All works are for sale, kindly donated by Liam, with proceeds donated to the West Wimmera Action Group Inc. — a local initiative addressing community concerns and pushing for positive change through action.
This article appeared in Nhill Free Press & Kaniva Times, 13 August 2025.
