For Jenani, the step into the paddock to follow the grain growing season wasn’t as straightforward as it sounds. It began in 2017 when she took the leap of faith from a stable job as a nutritionist to develop her fine art portfolio.
Two years prior, Jenani had the opportunity to document the harvest season in Wagga Wagga — and fell in love.
“At the time I just wanted to see what I could create with a camera,” she admitted.
“But, being a nutritionist, I was also talking to people about food. It was once I was there, saw the grain and the people working that I was overwhelmed.
“It was a moment where I realised I had been talking to people about food but I had no idea how it was produced.
“So I wanted to share the story — and from 2015 onwards the idea kept brewing.”
There is an adage: from little things, big things grow; and so the idea began to germinate.
In 2018 Jenani approached organisations in the agricultural industry for sponsorship. One of those was the Stick Shed in Murtoa where the first Land is Family exhibition was held.
Jenani followed the harvest season with a sixth-generation farming family.
“I documented the whole season. It was wonderful because it’s about exploring farmers’ relationship with the land, as well as the bond between farming and fine art.
“But it has evolved into something I didn’t expect, and helped define family.
``As an artist, that is the most rewarding part.
“Land is Family has found its origins, its family. Everyone connects with it in a different way.”
For farming communities, it can bring back fond memories of childhood or offer a view of farming through a different lens. But for Jenani, it’s about showing just how strong the Australian spirit is, and our connection to the land.
“People connect to their food a lot more when they know how it grew, and who did it,” she said.
“It also celebrates the resilience of farming families and the people around them. It’s their passion that drives them through the tough times.
“A lot of people haven’t seen the Wimmera-Mallee in this way, even though they may have been growers themselves.”
In fact, the family Jenani stayed with to document the harvest hadn’t even seen some of the things she captured.
“The lentil flower piece is so precious, my grower hadn’t seen one in that detail,” she said.
“We got to see each other’s side of things. The project took a long time but my process is something that takes a while, I immerse myself in the environment.
“The camera is just a tool, it was about connecting with the community and with my grower partner.”
Twelve pieces of Land is Family are on display at Echuca Library until March 8; it is free to visit in the local history area.
Jenani Therone will also be the second guest speaker at the International Women’s Day event on March 8 at 2.15 pm. She will be joined by renowned author Toni Jordan who has written Addition, Fall Girl, Our Tiny Useless Hearts, Nine Days (VCE English Curriculum 2020) and The Fragments.
Bookings for the IWD event are available via the library website.
The afternoon will include the two guest speakers, opportunity to ask questions of both the author and the artist, book signings and afternoon tea.
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