Nunna’s Devotion was a finalist for the Head On Portrait Prize in 2023 and exhibited in the Head On exhibition at the Bondi Pavillon art gallery in the finalist group exhibition. I was thrilled that this image was selected but initially wasn’t sure if it would be acceptable because it does not have a person physically depicted in the image. I have been told that this is a rare occasion for the Portrait Prize, but not one that excludes photographic portraits for the prize. Nunna’s Devotion is an image of a space representing a person's life, experience and belief. That is what makes this photograph a portrait.

From an aesthetic perspective, the image is an interesting one. The furnishings display an aesthetic from decades ago that represents an era of Nunna’s life. The colour palette is muted red, pink, white and brown and works well within the furnishings period. There is, however, a somewhat eerie feel to the image of the baby doll encapsulated within the box structure of the television set. While it is clear it is an effigy of Jesus as a newborn, the ambiguity adds an interesting dimension. It has a compelling element of two meanings and engages the viewer to read the image more closely.

Tech Notes: Nunna’s Devotion was shot on a Hasselblad CM500 film camera with an 80mm lens using Kodak Vericolour III film and processed in C41. Lighting was available light.

Written by Glenn Porter - 03 June 2024

All images and text are copyrighted to Glenn Porter, all rights reserved.