The Ingénue, Yarrow (Achillea sp.)

Ann Shelton is a leading photographic artist from Aotearoa New Zealand who merges conceptual and narrative approaches to image-making. Shelton first rose to prominence in the 1990s for her images and portraits documenting the Auckland art scene, as in her series Redeye (1995-97).

Recently, her practice has explored intersections between plant histories and human belief systems. Her research in this area informed jane says (2015 – ongoing), one of Shelton’s most notable bodies of work. Each photograph in the series features a striking assemblage of flowers and herbs – some grown in the artist’s garden in Hahei – that have historically been used in tinctures and tonics to induce abortion (abortifacients), induce menstruation (emmenagogues), or control fertility. Many such recipes, often kept covert and shared orally, come from ancient Western medical practices that gave people a degree of autonomy over their own health despite the associated risks.

From this series, The Ingénue, Yarrow (Achillea sp.), The Witch, Penny Royal (Mentha sp.) and The Handmaid, Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus sp.) all depict flora that have been believed to be abortifacient. The minimal arrangements follow principles of ikebana, the Japanese tradition of floral arrangement, which prioritises structure and control. This same notion of restraint continues to underscore reproductive rights and here serves as a metaphor for control of the human body. The elegance, vibrancy, and stark photorealism of these images gives them an allure that belies the traumatic and highly political narratives they speak to.