James Russell, Arnangu (Portrait (ATEP 2017))

The word 'Arnangu' comes from the Pitjantjatjarra language of the Western Desert. While today this is the word for Aboriginal people, it is assumed to have originally been used for 'all' people. As a teacher, I have spent several years working in remote Indigenous Communities both in the Western Desert region of the northern Territory and on the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin. To say this has had a profound effect upon me is a gross understatement. My portfolio includes photographs of students I had the privilege to educate, kids my family played alongside with in the dust, friends who shared stories and culture and an amazing man who I came to call my father. The more time I spent listening to and getting to know these incredible people, the more I came to see them as people of flesh, blood and spirit....no different to me. The title Arnangu was selected for its ambiguity, particularly the concept that it could refer to 'all' people and the inference that ignoring obvious difference, in so many respects we are all the same.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.