When Canberra artist and former Australian Army member Kris Kerehona entered the Australian War Memorial's 2019 Napier Waller Art Prize with a portrait of his father, veteran James Bruce Taawhi Kerehona, he never imagined the legacy it would create.
The portrait, which was highly commended and accepted into the Australian War Memorial's National Collection, shows James in the final months of his life, surrounded by his cherished birds.
For Kris, it was more than an artwork - it was a way to honour his father's service, resilience, and influence on his family.
"Dad wasn't one to get his photograph taken. He was always frowning or refusing," Kris said. "But one day when I was visiting him, he just let me take his photo."
James was an Australian Vietnam veteran of Māori heritage. He was wounded in combat, surviving an explosion that drove a steel stake through his hand.
Despite the hardship, Kris remembers his father speaking of his service with pride and respect, not only for his comrades but also for those he once fought against.
"Dad fully respected the North Vietnamese. He even went back to the battlegrounds years later with my younger brother to revisit the sites he needed to see again," Kris said.
James adopted Kris as a baby after marrying his mother, and Kris took his surname. Growing up in a bicultural family, Kris said his father instilled the values he still carries today.
"He raised me with incredible values and an open mind. My normal life was a mix of brown and white, bicultural Anglo and Māori. I wholeheartedly believed that's what Australia could be: multicultural, inclusive, fair. And Dad showed me how to live that way."
For Kris, the Napier Waller Art Prize offered more than recognition. It was an opportunity to turn grief into legacy.
"After he passed away, the photo became a shared symbol for all the family when we came together. Knowing Dad's story lives on at the Memorial means a lot," he said.
Australian War Memorial Director Matt Anderson PSM said stories like Kris' demonstrate the power of the prize to connect personal histories with the nation's shared memory.
"The Napier Waller Art Prize is not only about artistic achievement but about honouring service and sacrifice in all its forms.
"Each work submitted tells a story, and together they create a rich tapestry of experience that helps all Australians understand the impact of military service," he said.
Entries for the 2026 Napier Waller Art Prize open on Friday 26 September 2025, inviting serving and former ADF personnel to contribute their own stories of courage, service, and resilience.
About the Napier Waller Art Prize
The Napier Waller Art Prize recognises artistic excellence among current and former Australian Defence Force personnel.
It provides a unique platform for veterans to reflect, heal, and share their experiences through art in any medium including painting, photography, sculpture, or digital.
