In 1996, Helga Leunig moved to a farm in north-east Victoria in order to raise a family, leaving her career as a professional photographer behind her, or so she thought. Here she made a vegetable patch. Made do. Lived with the beauty, simplicity and peace of country life, as well as with drought and bushfire. Out of this period of her life came these exquisitely beautiful photographs capturing family, nature and community, every image redolent with feeling.
Photographer Helga Salwe (formerly Helga Leunig) spent 15 years documenting life in a small rural community in North East Victoria where she lived on a farm. The images depict the beauty, simplicity and peace of country life, as well as drought and bushfire. There are poetic captions accompanying each image to give viewers a key or a clue to what lies behind the image. The words are intended to prick the imagination, to help the viewer to create their own story. These exquisitely beautiful photographs capture family, nature and community. Every image redolent with feeling. The exhibition has very broad appeal and has been very well received.
In 2015 Five Mile Press published a book of the images titled 'Mother Country" Acclaimed author Cate Kennedy wrote an extended essay as an introduction. 10,000 copies of the book were published and sold. One of the images in the book was shortlisted for the prestigious Bowness Photography award in 2016. Images from the exhibition are held in both private and public collections including the The National Portrait Gallery of Australia, The National Library of Australia, The Epworth Art Foundation, The Museum of Australian Democracy.
