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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.

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Self portrait, Cyprus

1953
David Potts

gelatin silver photograph on paper (sheet: 40.2 cm x 30.2 cm, image: 34.4 cm x 23.8 cm)

David Potts (1926-2012) was a photographer with a career spanning more than fifty years. In the late 1940s he contributed to Laurence le Guay's magazine Contemporary Photography and worked in Russell Roberts's and le Guay's studios in Sydney, often accompanying David Moore on weekend excursions to document the Sydney scene. In 1950 he left Australia to work as a photojournalist in London. In a review of his 2000 exhibition Dawn, Dusk and other Abstracts, Robert McFarlane described Potts as one of Australia's most distinguished photographers. He wrote that 'It is a tribute to Potts's vision that he can express the beauty found in [incongruous] subjects . . . Potts is clearly at the age of contemplation, and what remarkable images he has found to meditate upon.'

Purchased 2001

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

David Potts (age 27 in 1953)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

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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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The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

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