Portrait captures a leader grounded in place, people and purpose

Taken by acclaimed photographer Sara Tautuku Orme, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Tarawhai, Ngāti Whakaue – Te Arawa, selected by Professor Thomas, the portrait depicts Professor Thomas flanked by two of her closest companions – Fresian mare Rose and standard poodle Molly. The image was shot on the Manawatū farm where Rose lives, grounding the portrait in a landscape that has helped shape Professor Thomas’ nine years of leadership at Massey University.

“The whole experience was fascinating,” Professor Thomas says. “Sara was great. The photo was taken on one of those old plate cameras, where the photographer is under a shroud, in this case her jacket, and the image is on a large format negative. I found that so interesting.”

Professor Thomas has always been inspired by nature, so having the photo taken in the native forest made sense.

“I am wearing my treasured kōauau, named Te Hau o Hineraukatauri, because it is just so precious. It was gifted to me anonymously by a carver a few years ago, and symbolises for me the deep love for and gratitude of te ao Māori that I have developed over the years. All in all, it felt very Aotearoa New Zealand, my new home.”

As for working with animals for the photoshoot, Professor Thomas says it was as complicated as you might expect.

“Sadly, we had just put down Molly’s older brother Jobe and she was very anxious and clingy to me. We couldn’t get her out of any of the photos. It was just supposed to be Rose and me. Rose wasn’t at all sure what was going on either. Strange people, strange place, lots of plants she couldn’t eat, and a lot of time standing around. So my friends brought a buddy horse who was just behind the camera to try to settle Rose, but still, her ears were telling me she thought there was a tiger behind her, about to pounce!”

Orme is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based photographer and social documentarian with a background in sociology and kaupapa Māori storytelling. Her work explores whakapapa, Māori identity, mana Motuhake (identity, autonomy, self-determination), and the enduring impacts of colonisation, often through intimate portraiture and oral histories.

“My first kōrero with Jan was her speaking about an image I’d made years earlier – a young woman draped across a horse. This immediately signalled a shared sensibility and that Jan was open to something different – a portrait that moved away from formality and allowed us space to explore,” Orme says.

“It felt like a genuine departure from the conventions of institutional portraiture, and it was a privilege to make an image that reflects Jan’s world and the way she carries leadership, “ she adds.

A new direction for a longstanding tradition

Massey University’s Vice‑Chancellor portraits have historically followed a more formal visual language – often centred on symbolism of authority and institutional power. While former Vice‑Chancellor Steve Maharey’s portrait (a photograph by Distinguished Professor Anne Noble ONZM) marked a departure from this tradition, Professor Thomas’ portrait takes that evolution further.

Working closely with Orme and Massey University Art Curator Mark Kaneko, Professor Thomas sought an approach that felt authentic to her leadership style: collaborative, grounded, and focused on the collective rather than the individual, deliberately avoiding the conventions of traditional portraiture.

“I wanted the image in the native forest, to avoid the standard ‘regalia seated on a carved wood chair’ look. I wanted the other side of Vice-Chancellors to show, not just the academic side. This is a place where I leave my Vice-Chancellor title at the gate. It’s a happy place. Going through the native forest through to the farm where Rose lives is a bit of a ritual, and one that has been truly nourishing for me.

Of the 12 portraits that Orme took of Professor Thomas, this particular image was chosen because, although she occupies a smaller portion of the frame, she is surrounded by key elements of her identity. The focal plane is deliberately set fractionally ahead of her, symbolising her leadership philosophy – ensuring the organisation being led, rather than the person leading, is the focus of attention.

Choosing the artist

The selection of Orme followed a careful search for a New Zealand photographer whose work demonstrated a powerful, humanist approach to portraiture. Orme’s ability to capture women with strength, nuance and emotional depth resonated strongly with Professor Thomas. Orme has a particular talent for capturing both power and vulnerability in the frame.

The final images were captured on both digital and large format film. Twelve negatives were produced in total, with the selected image described by Mr Kaneko as the one that felt “truest to Jan.”

The final print measures 40 X 30 inches, and is displayed in the Refectory building on the Manawatū campus, alongside the other former Vice-Chancellor portraits. Professor Jan Thomas was Vice-Chancellor of Massey University from January 2017 until January 2026, and is the university’s sixth Vice-Chancellor.