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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.

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Fragility, 2024

Naomi Hobson

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 Finalist

pigment photographic print on paper (frame: 97.8cm x 144.0cm depth 5.5cm)
Fragility, 2024

Naomi Hobson
Southern Kaantju/Umpila
born Australia 1978

Fragility 2024
pigment photographic print on paper

‘Micky is my cousin. It’s the middle of the wet season and in between fishing places, we were all relaxing when this beetle dropped onto his face. He was a little shocked, but he gathered himself, pulled the clinging beetle off his face and let it wander off to live yet another day. I love spending time on the river with my family. The river is filled with invertebrates; they are the backbone of biodiversity, and they call the Coen River home too. It’s a shared space. I wanted to capture this connection and show that we can all live in harmony with nature and its diversity of species. Life is fragile.’

Southern Kaantju/Umpila artist Naomi Hobson lives on the banks of the Coen River in Coen, Queensland. Her paintings, ceramics and photographs address the powerful and ancient links between Country and identity, and assert a strong and confident vision of her Community.

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National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

Voting closes Sunday 29 September 2024.

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National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024
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National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

Current exhibition

from Saturday 22 June

The National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 celebrates established and emerging artistic talent from across the country.
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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.

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