As we continue to look back on all the wonderful young people we met during Youth Week in April 2023, this week Mona publishes the photography of Jemima Nugent, a promising young artist who has been documenting the female champions of the agriculture industry who inspire her.
I first took an interest in art through school photography classes. My teacher, Mrs Martinez, who is a professional photographer, taught me a lot in how to create a technically and conceptually strong photo. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to be involved with a number of women and photographers within the agricultural industry teaching me how to use my photography and film making as points of marketing.
I enjoy the freedom I get when taking photos. All my photos are individual to me and created in my own style. I love the way I am able to express so many thoughts, feelings, and ideas within a single artwork. As an artist and photographer, I have always been interested in documenting my environment, my life on the farm and women working the land.
I work a lot with other people, either taking photos for them personally, aiming to capture beautiful moments between people and, quite often, their animals. However, I also photograph with the aim of advertising and marketing a product, particularly in the beef industry for studs. I often take my camera to shows and take photos of people doing what they love with the animals they love.
In 2021, I won the Business Branding Scholarship offered by Angus Australia which allowed me to work with Angus Australia’s marketing and design team to design a logo for my business and advertise it in the Angus Bulletin, a magazine available to all Angus Australia members. I have also competed in local shows and art exhibitions, with multiple winnings.
My latest series (still in progress) celebrates the often overlooked contributions of women in the agricultural industry. I aim to shine a light on the hard work and resilience shown by these women, women who continue to inspire me in the face of discrimination and stereotyping and who have played a vital role in contributing to our farming communities for generations.
My latest series invites the audience into the lives of women across the Riverina and invites viewers to share in their experiences on the farm, in the office and in the show ring. My work aims to start a conversation surrounding gender roles within this industry, whilst also being a celebration of the progress made so far. I invite all my sisters to acknowledge and honour their important role in our agriculture industry.
Artist Profile
Jemima Nugent is 18 years old and currently completing her studies at Wagga Wagga Christian College. She enjoys photography and film making.
A special thank you to Amanda Martinez for her work with Tahlia to produce the text and images for this blog post.
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