The series jane says by New Zealand artist Ann Shelton is a photographic garden of medicinal plants that have accompanied humanity for millennia. The selection highlights botanical species traditionally used by women for reproductive health, because of their abortive or contraceptive properties, or to help with childbirth or menstruation.

The composition of the images is inspired by the Japanese floral art of Ikebana, and refers to different archetypes of femininity. Some are central archetypes, such as The Mother, embodied by rue, or The Nurse, represented by opium. Others are of mythological origin, such as The Siren or The Sibyl, represented by wormwood and sage respectively. Still others are more contemporary, such as The Congresswoman or The Influencer, both of which take the form of showy peony flowers. For Shelton, this project celebrates our shared history of evolution alongside the plant kingdom, while warning about the loss of biodiversity caused by the ecological crisis. It is also a record of the historical achievement of women’s rights and the importance of passing on knowledge about these plants to future generations.

Born in Timaru, New Zeland in 1967, Ann Shelton is a queer photographer based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. She received her MFA from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Shelton’s recent body of work, jane says, has been exhibited internationally and the accompanying performance The physical garden, has been performed numerous times. Her museum survey, Dark Matter, curated by Zara Stanhope (Director, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery) was hosted by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in 2016 and toured to Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū in 2017. Shelton’s work has been extensively reviewed in publications including Artforum, Hyperallergic, artnet news, and Evergreen Review. She is represented in New York by Over/Under Fine Art, and in Aotearoa New Zealand by Two Rooms. Her work is collected in public and private contexts throughout Aotearoa, Australia, and North America. Shelton is Honorary Research Fellow in Photography at Whiti o Rehua, School of Art, Massey University, Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa.

Ann Shelton (New Zeland, 1967)
Jane says

2025 Edition
PhMuseum Photography Grant Winner
Outdoor installations
Venues: Las Arenas Language School and Market façade
Collaborators: EOI Getxo and Traders of the Algorta Market