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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.

Tom at the drain, 2020

Julian Kingma

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2021 Highly Commended

Tom at the drain, 2020

Isolation sent children into new territory: what to do with themselves; how to negotiate their four walls, sometimes battling anxiety; how to find playfulness; and resisting constant screen time. Tom needs to be on the move, to create worlds within worlds. He was diagnosed with ADHD, so lockdown was particularly challenging – being told to stay home and stay indoors was excruciating for him. Yet I found optimism within him when making this portrait. While the world retreated, Tom was reminding me happiness always exists within the simplest things.

Courtesy of the artist
© Julian Kingma

Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes

Julian Kingma

An interview with Julian Kingma, Finalist in the Living Memory National Photographic Portrait Prize.

Living Memory
(More information, View all 79 photos)

Great conjunction
Mark and Saskia cool off
I'm just a suburban fashionista
Leaving Melbourne (Battle wounds)

Other NPPP photos from Julian Kingma
(More information)

Lola - Last Summer Days, 2021 Julian Kingma
2023 Finalist
Willem, 2018 by Julian Kingma
2019 Finalist
Steven Heathcote
2007 Finalist

Related information

Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes
Julian Kingma video: 43 minutes

Julian Kingma

Finalist interviews

An interview with Julian Kingma, Finalist in the Living Memory National Photographic Portrait Prize.
Cathy Freeman, 1998 Julian Kingma
Cathy Freeman, 1998 Julian Kingma
Cathy Freeman, 1998 Julian Kingma
Cathy Freeman, 1998 Julian Kingma

In profile

Julian Kingma

Magazine article by Penelope Grist, 2023

Penelope Grist explores the photographic instinct of four-time National Photographic Portrait Prize finalist Julian Kingma.
Photographer Julian Kingma smiles at the camera
Photographer Julian Kingma smiles at the camera
Photographer Julian Kingma smiles at the camera
Photographer Julian Kingma smiles at the camera

Julian Kingma

'I look for those little, quiet gestures in between'

Portrait story

Photographer Julian Kingma describes his style of quiet portraiture that captures the spaces in between big gestures.
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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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