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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.

The morticians, 2014

by Rohan Thomson

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2015 Finalist

Mortuary workers Michelle Keevers and Josh Wallace prepare the deceased for their funerals. Together they have seen the bodies of babies and children taken well before their time as well as those whose bodies bear the marks of a long life. They have spent hours tending to the remains of people who have died in their sleep and even more on those who have been through trauma. They believe in the importance of their work in giving final dignity to a family’s loved one, and appreciate the role they can play in the ritual of farewelling the dead.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2015

Other NPPP photos from Rohan Thomson

Matjangka Norris, 2022 Rohan Thomson
2023 Finalist
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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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