Shenane Jago

Kurtijar

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Shenane is a proud Kurtijar woman, living and working in Normanton, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland. Shenane has been creating arts for over ten years, and in 2022 she launched her first solo exhibition “My Country of the Norgin” at UMI Arts Gallery in Gimuy (Cairns), a mark of graduation of UMI Arts’ Exhibition Ready program.
Shenane learned from other local artists and elders, especially Lydia Parry, about Indigenous art and pottery. She has also worked closely with Deb Eldermire (The Pottery Place, Cairns) to learn more about building sculptural ceramics and using advanced firing techniques. Shenane has incorporated into her work her understanding of the importance of Indigenous art and its role in storytelling and the preservation of culture. Shenane has become a leader in the arts, mentoring and developing other artists in the lower Gulf region, young and old. She has also continued to work on her own art practice, pushing her ceramics skills further and teaching herself to paint.
My Country of the Norgin is the culmination of several years of work by Shenane, in both Normanton and Cairns; the result is an evocative collection of sculptural ceramics in the shapes and colours of her home country. Each piece is unique, and celebrates the landcape she is surrounded by.
“I wish to give people a taste of the country in the Gulf where I am from and grew up. My art is inspired by the environment, colours, and animals of my country. Food sources are respected and treated with pride, and as part of country. My country is beautiful, wild and respected.”