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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The Matriarch, 2021

Joey Chan

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022 Finalist

digital print on paper (frame: 106.7cm x 86.4cm depth 2.0cm)
The Matriarch, 2021

Every time I see my 90-year-old grandma Lai Chu, I stare in awe at her. I'm in awe of her resilience living through decades of war, poverty, migration and pandemics. I'm in awe of her spirit as she battles through the effects of ageing, once looking at pneumonia in the face and saying 'Not today'. I'm in awe of how she springs back up after a physical fall, losing her front teeth on her way down. I take her picture every visit, wanting to immortalise her while I grapple with her mortality.

Little did I know when I took this portrait that it would end up being her last. Now I stare in awe at this photograph, hoping that I will inherit the inner strength she's left behind.

Courtesy of the artist

Joey Chan
Video: 1 minute 32 seconds

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022
(More information, View all 50 photos)

The Zammitt Family
Lauren and Poppy
Mr. Zee
Last day lockdown

Related information

Silent Strength, 2021 Wayne Quilliam
Silent Strength, 2021 Wayne Quilliam
Silent Strength, 2021 Wayne Quilliam
Silent Strength, 2021 Wayne Quilliam

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022

Previous exhibition, 2022

The exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

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