A sprawling, heart-shaped arrangement of hundreds of sheep has appeared in a field, a visual statement that appears to be the work of artist Ben Jackson. The flock's deliberate configuration forms a large heart, drawing attention to a rural landscape.
Jackson, a farmer located in Guyra, New South Wales, reportedly devised this unconventional method as a way to cope with the stresses of drought and, more recently, the isolation imposed by COVID-19 restrictions. The genesis of the sheep formations stemmed from Jackson's experimentation with feeding grain in specific patterns to his livestock during a period of severe drought. He observed that the sheep would congregate in roughly the same shapes as the patterns laid out.
This particular heart formation seems to have been conceived as a tribute, following Jackson's inability to attend his aunt's funeral due to lockdown measures. The incident occurred when the farmer was separated from his family by state borders, amplifying the personal significance of the gesture. The formation, captured from above, showcases the sheep meticulously positioned to create the symbolic shape.
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The practice of shaping livestock into discernible patterns appears to be a developed technique for Jackson, who discovered that dropping grain from a truck in the shape of musical band names would lead the flock to mimic these outlines for a short duration. The recent heart display builds upon this peculiar agricultural art form.
