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.

Bushwalk, 2021

Matthew Abbott

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022 Finalist

digital print on paper (frame: 59.3cm x 79.2cm depth 3.0cm)

During a five-day bushwalk across their traditional homelands in West Arnhem Land, Vernon Garnarradj and his daughter Vinnisha follow a fire lit by members of their clan. These cool burns move slowly, burning only the undergrowth and removing the build-up of fuel that feeds bigger blazes. Narwarddeken people do not see fire as bad or destructive, but as a way to rejuvenate the land and bring their country back to life.

Courtesy of the artist

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2022

Other NPPP photos from Matthew Abbott

Heath 2015 by Matthew Abbott
2016 Finalist
Joel, Mitchell Queensland, 2014 by Matthew Abbott
2015 Finalist
Frog Hunter, Damien Wurrkidj, 2011 by Matthew Abbott
2012 Finalist
© 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