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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.

Melissa Madden Gray, at home, 2020

Pia Johnson

Living Memory Finalist

Melissa Madden Gray, at home, 2020

Melissa Madden Gray is an Australian singer, dancer and theatre creator, famous for her performance persona, Meow Meow. For this portrait I wanted to photograph Melissa 'at home', to capture a glimpse of her intimate life, surrounded by her belongings, reclining next to the piano. Melissa is one of those performers who gives everything to the camera, and is so incredibly present – she makes the picture.

Courtesy of the artist
© The artist

Living Memory
(More information, View all 79 photos)

Kevin at Midnight
In another land
The cat's out of the bag
Hugs on hold

Related information

Drought story, 2020 Joel B. Pratley
Drought story, 2020 Joel B. Pratley
Drought story, 2020 Joel B. Pratley
Drought story, 2020 Joel B. Pratley

Living Memory

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2021

Previous exhibition, 2021

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.
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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.

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