Skip to main content
Menu
What's on Prizes The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

Pulangkita pitjangu (When the blanket came), 2019

Rene Kulitja and Rhett Hammerton

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist

Pulangkita pitjangu (When the blanket came), 2019

Ara Irititjawanu ngarala ngaranyi wiyaringkuntja wiya alatjitu Tjamu-ku munu Kami-ku palumpa pulampa Walytjapiti iriti nyinanytja tjuta-ku nganampa nyangatja wantikatingu Tjukurpa ngura manta munu wangka malatja malatja-ku Nganana wiyaringkunyangka tjitji malatja tjuta-ngka ma-kanyilku Pulangkita pitjangu munu wangka nganampa tjutunu Nganana English wiya Kulinmalanya Nganana panya pitjanytjatjara tjuta!

Our culture has been passed down endlessly through the ages, by our grandfathers and grandmothers. Our families – many generations – left this behind for us: law, places, land and language, to be inherited by all those that come after them. And when we are gone, they will be for our children after us to hold and look after. This blanket came and covered over our language. But let us remember – we are not English. We are Pitjantjatjara!

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020
(More information, View all 47 photos)

Farmer, fisher, scholar and scribe
Phoebe turned one hundred
The Saviour
1967

Other NPPP photos from Rhett Hammerton
(More information)

Nyangatja Ngayuku Mara (These are my hands), 2023 Rhett Hammerton
2024 Finalist
Katherine, NT / Harrietville, VIC, 2017 by Rhett Hammerton
2018 Finalist
Cliffy, 2015 by Rhett Hammerton
2016 Finalist
Kumantjayi, 2010 by Rhett Hammerton
2011 Finalist

Related information

The eye and the heart

About Face article

6 April 2020

Nici Cumpston immerses herself in the collective vision of the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020.
The mahi-mahi, 2019 Rob Palmer
The mahi-mahi, 2019 Rob Palmer
The mahi-mahi, 2019 Rob Palmer
The mahi-mahi, 2019 Rob Palmer

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020

Previous exhibition, 2020

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.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2025
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