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National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 Finalist
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has been blind since birth and has become one of Australia's most respected musicians. When we discussed his portrait before the session he said the main point he wanted me to convey was the pride he has for his Aboriginal people. I used the red from the Aboriginal flag for the background and lit Gurrumul with a series of spots to convey the depth of his devotion to his people. Gurrumul's music has been described as 'unadorned' so I decided to photograph him in the same way.
Dr G Yunupingu (1970-2017), a man of the Gumatj clan of north-east Arnhem Land, learned to play guitar, keyboard, drums and didgeridoo as a child.
Guy Maestri’s portrait of the musician was conceived after the artist saw Gurrumul perform in Sydney on New Year’s Eve 2008.
In its second year at the National Portrait Gallery, and for the first time touring to other venues, the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2009 continues to present surprising perspectives on the nature of contemporary portrait photography.
