Egg Stories
Egg Stories is a research project in process investigating family histories and uncovering matrilineal links to farming women and their stories. The work Un/broken is a retelling of the story of my great great grandmother Maria Kanowski (nee Kajewski), mother to 14 children and keeper of the eggs on her family farm on the Darling Downs.
Un/broken was exhibited as part of Harvest – a museum program with City of Moreton Bay council at the Redcliffe and Pine Rivers Heritage Museums in 2026. Harvest digs down into the rich agricultural heritage of our region - its deep roots, thriving present, and bold growth for the future. The exhibition celebrates stories of this Country which has always been home to Aboriginal people. Country has been managed expertly for tens of thousands of years and continues to see abundant yields produced by today’s farmers. Through a vibrant mix of historical objects, striking photographs, and personal stories, Harvest reveals how agriculture has always influenced our land, economy, and ways of life.
Un/broken was a selected finalist in the 2024 Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Prize and the 2023 Moreton Bay Art Prize.
Artwork Didactic:
Un/broken
2023
Cyanotype on eggshells, volcanic rock
Looking at the notions of connection, Un/broken examines the binds that tie through family relationships, histories and pastimes. Perched on volcanic rock from Moreton Bay, delicate eggshells pay homage to continuous matrilineal links to farming. Inside each shell, tiny cyanotype prints of mothers and grandmothers in Prussian blue.
Photo acknowledgment: Photos courtesy of the artist
