Seasonal
This exhibition captures the everyday rhythms of seasonal work, as photographed by the people who migrate to Australia to do much needed farming labour: people from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste, or the backpackers doing a “working holiday” – they are a vital part of the history of Childers and regional Queensland. Photographs taken by seasonal workers on disposable film cameras show their typical daily life while in Australia: toiling in the fields, on shuttle busses to and from the farms, living in shared dormitories, and enjoying their well-deserved days off. Seasonal is collated by artist and researcher Dr Kaya Barry, as part of a three-year project investigating the value and contribution of seasonal migrants to Queensland’s horticultural communities.
Funding
Momentarily immobile: the futures of backpacking and seasonal farm workers
Australian Research Council
Find out more...History
ERA Category
- Curated Public Exhibition/Event - Exhibition/Event
Funding type
- Public funds
Eligible major research output?
- Yes
Research Statement
Background: ‘Seasonal’ showcases everyday life from the perspective of migrants who come to Australia for farming work. Temporary migrants do the bulk of horticultural work, and Queensland hosts the majority of workers. Photographs taken on disposable film cameras by people on the Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) visa show a range of experiences of rural farming places: from vast, dry landscapes or lush fields, to flooded rivers, sunshine at the beach, or overcast skies towering over large orchards, the photographs capture views of farming life. Contribution: Little is known about the contemporary migrant farm worker experience in Australia. Their voices are often left out of policy and public debates on the futures of immigration programs and the agricultural industry, yet they are the backbone of many rural and regional places. From over 700 photographs collected, 47 were selected that capture first-hand perspectives of these labour visa programs. The exhibition builds on existing scholarship about migrant experiences in Australia, and through the visual format, articulates a range of perspectives of rural localities that are rarely seen in public spaces or display. Significance: This is the first public exhibition of participatory arts research involving this temporary migrant cohort. While there is growing textual accounts and scholarly analysis of the experiences of PALM and WHMs, their first-hand accounts and creative expressions have not been documented to date. The exhibition received significant media attention (featured on ABC Landline and in local/national news), touring regional Queensland galleries.Publisher
Childers Arts Space, Bundaberg Regional CouncilPlace of publication
ChildersCopyright notes
© 2024 All rights reserved.Medium
Photographs printed on Alupanel, various dimensions.Size of work
Various dimensions. 47 photographs.Number of discrete components
47Exhibition date from
2024-04-20Exhibition date to
2024-07-14Was the work disseminated?
- Yes
Form of dissemination
- Exhibition
Scope of dissemination
- Regional
Did the work go on tour?
- Yes