ShonaTell explores the worlds we create around ourselves—the personal landscapes shaped by our travels, careers, friendships, and life’s triumphs and challenges. At its heart, ShonaTell celebrates the objects we hold dear: the art, artefacts and treasures that carry our memories, values and passions.
We ask people to tell us about the stories behind some of their most cherished possessions. Each object tells a story, and the items become a window into a life and spark a conversation about identity, creativity, and the issues that matter most to them.
ShonaTell isn’t just about objects; it’s about the human stories they embody and the connections they inspire.
The stuff behind ShonaTell
Sitting on my couch, surrounded by ‘stuff’, I started thinking about the stories these objects tell. Everywhere I looked—bookshelves, walls, coffee table, floor—I was reminded of key moments in my life.
Consciously or not, I inherited the trait of ‘keeping things’ with some meaning and a story to tell. Some of my earliest memories relate to the importance of objects, belongings, mementos. The constant refrain from my mother and her mother was: “Don’t throw that away, you’ll appreciate it someday”. Whether it was my first shoe, an exercise book, a tooth, a curl of my grandfather Jack’s hair, or a toy, I was constantly reminded “it might not mean anything now, but it will when you look at it later on”.
As well as being a collector of objects, I’m a collector of people. ShonaTell provides an opportunity for me to combine these two passions and explore the friends I have collected along the way and the objects they have collected, giving you a glimpse into their fascinating lives.
The unsinkable Shona Grant
After surviving the sinking of the Wahine, one of New Zealand’s worst maritime disasters, Shona Grant has continued to collect objects that fill her Melbourne home.
Born in Timaru, on the South Island of New Zealand, Shona is the original portfolio career guru. Moving from social worker, to publishing, to catering, to retail, to modelling, and now media.
Her prized possessions include a growing library of books of all genres, cats, paintings, photographs, objets d’art, cook books, sweaters, toys…. Unmentionables.
Advanced style
These things are mostly symbolic of the people collected along the way … through work, interests, travel and living life.