Skip to main content
Menu

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.

(indistinct chatter) 3, 2023

Arini Byng

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024 Finalist

pigment photographic print on paper (frame: 65.7cm x 46.4cm depth 1.1cm)

Arini Byng
born Australia 1987

(indistinct chatter) 3 2023
pigment photographic print on paper

(indistinct chatter) 3 is an intimate and personal work, which pictures an improvised duet between my father Travis Byng and myself. Together we move vulnerably and tenderly, negotiating each other’s limbs, with the subtle tensions inherent in the shared discovery and exploration of cultural and familial themes. The title refers to a caption seen in films, when multiple conversations are taking place but no particular dialogue is discernible. Here, this background conversation is brought centre-stage, without reducing the exchange to a retelling for voyeuristic eyes. The viewer is invited both to consider the specificity of my family narrative, and how we all handle and perceive our own memories, histories and experiences.’

Naarm/Melbourne-based artist Arini Byng explores the affective qualities of materials, gestures and settings to negotiate political scenes and navigate experiences of identity, history and memory.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2024

© 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