Skip to main content
Menu
What's on The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

Another ruin I, 2023

Meng-Yu Yan

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 Finalist

pigment photographic print on paper (frame: 86.7cm x 62.2cm depth 3.8cm)
Another ruin I, 2023

Meng-Yu Yan
born Australia 1992

Another ruin I 2023
pigment photographic print on paper

‘What is the place of photography in a world over-saturated with images? Instead of creating, I wanted to destroy my images, to delete everything on my camera roll. Inspired by queer photographer Jimmy DeSana, I turned to my photographs with a knife and began to cut into them. Queer representation and identity politics has become tokenising and flat. I wanted to rip into the surface of the image to reach something deeper. Photography as a medium can sometimes feel distant and removed, but here, cutting into the surface of my own image became hands-on and personal.’

Meng-Yu Yan 颜梦钰 is a queer, non-binary, Australian/Chinese artist based on Wallumedegal Land in Sydney, best known for their creation of mystical dreamscapes and haunting self portraits.

People's Choice Award

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

Voting closes Sunday 29 September 2024.

Submit vote

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024
(More information, View all 34 photos)

Through a child's eyes
Reinhold
Ivy
Teenagers 2024

Other NPPP photos from Meng-Yu Yan
(More information)

Margaux, 2021 Meng-Yu Yan
2023 Finalist

Related information

Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt
Alexis with moon, 2024 Amos Gebhardt

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.
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

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

Support your Portrait Gallery

We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency