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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.

Mela, 2022

Bahram Mia

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023 Finalist

digital photograph on paper (frame: 113.2cm x 113.2cm depth 3.7cm)
Mela, 2022

Sitting on a picnic table by Parramatta River in Western Sydney after school, Somia and Sharara, recently arrived humanitarian entrants from Afghanistan, celebrate Zainab and Nasreen's (twins also from Afghanistan) birthday. Little moments and picnics (Mela) like this are the norm in Afghanistan and Afghan culture, especially around nature. For young Afghan diaspora girls who find themselves in a new world and home, these have taken on more significance, as recent socio-political turmoil in Afghanistan has seen access to public life, education, economic participation and other rights gradually eroded for women and girls. Shot on Pentax 645n, Kodak Portra 800.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023
(More information, View all 47 photos)

Jaye
Téa-Anna Parvathy Murrin – Australian cultural identity
Mirror II
Davide

Related information

Ruby (left view), 2022 Shea Kirk
Ruby (left view), 2022 Shea Kirk
Ruby (left view), 2022 Shea Kirk
Ruby (left view), 2022 Shea Kirk

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023

Previous exhibition, 2023

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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