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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.

Johnny, 2006

by Sean Hobbs

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2007 Finalist

Johnny, 2006

Vera Butcher was born on Wednesday, April 5, 1916. She has lived through two World Wars and the Great Depression, and as a young woman walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge when it first opened. Her parents, Adelaide and James Lett, who both had Chinese ancestry, would often cook San Choi Bao, a traditional Chinese meal, for Vera and her six older siblings. However, references to the meal were anglicised and so, if asked, the Lett children would tell their classmates they ate 'johnny' for dinner. When Vera married and had three children of her own she cooked them 'johnny'. Her youngest daughter Verella, who is my mother, would cook 'johnny' also. It is only recently that Vera has begun to acknowledge and even celebrate her heritage. Earlier this year she attended my wedding to Stephanie who is half-Chinese. We served San Choi Bao to all the guests.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2007
(More information, View all 75 photos)

10pm-1am # 7
Frank
Demons
Alice in Wonderland

Related information

Lindy Lee - Birth and Death, 2006 by Robert Scott-Mitchell
Lindy Lee - Birth and Death, 2006 by Robert Scott-Mitchell
Lindy Lee - Birth and Death, 2006 by Robert Scott-Mitchell
Lindy Lee - Birth and Death, 2006 by Robert Scott-Mitchell

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2007

Previous exhibition, 2007

Photography is the most pervasive and popular medium for portraiture and makes a natural fit with the Gallery, being a natural extension of the Gallery's longstanding commitment to photography as a contemporary portrait medium.
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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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