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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.

What's on

Monday 1 May – Wednesday 31 May 2023

Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait
Self portrait

The work of art

In Galleries Eight and Nine

Exhibition closes 23 May

It takes a village to raise a creative! Get an insight into the often-unseen work and supporters needed for the arts to thrive. The work of art documents the creative process, evoke states of creativity and inspiration, and shows us clues about the subject’s own work from the way artists portray them.

Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman

At ease

In Gallery One

Exhibition closes 27 August

Enjoy, sit back, and relax with some of our favourites from the Gallery’s collection, where they find themselves expertly – and comfortably – captured by their artists.

Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo

Portrait23: Identity

Exhibition closes 18 June

Portraiture. Not as you know it. We invite you to stretch, push, resist and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa

Portrait 23: Identity tour

11:15am, Fri 10 Mar until Fri 16 Jun

Join us in the Gallery for a free 30-minute tour of Portrait23: Identity, as we stretch, push and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Bookings available
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

2:15pm, Daily until Sun 31 Dec

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Bookings available
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023
Twelve portraits of finalists for the Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Little Darlings Youth Portrait Prize 2023

Exhibition closes 21 May

Little Darlings is for primary and secondary students, with four separate categories across Kindergarten to Year 12. Responding to the theme ‘identity’, students painted, drew, photographed, printed or combined all of these to make their portrait.

Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard

The Iconoclasts

In Gallery Three

Exhibition open every day

Australian portraiture of the mid-twentieth century was rich with the influence of European modernism, exemplified by the work of artists including Arthur Boyd, Judy Cassab and Clifton Pugh.

Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley

The Cosmopolitans

In Gallery Two

Exhibition closes 31 March

Spanning the 1880s to the 1930s, this collection display celebrates the innovations in art – and life – introduced by the generation of Australians who travelled to London and Paris for experience and inspiration in the decades either side of 1900.

Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks
Two grounps of three people standing in a studio with walls and shelves filled with artworks

Virtual Highlights Tour

Gnarly Trees

12:30pm, Tue 2 May
Live online

Join a Portrait23: Identity conversation during May! This week artists Mark Smith and Ross Coulter discuss their artworks, processes and influences with curator Penny Grist.

Bookings required
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil

Art Cart

May June 2023

10:00am, Wed 3 May until Sun 18 Jun

Ponder your place in the world and reflect on your own identity by making your own ‘me tree’.

John Mawurndjul
John Mawurndjul
John Mawurndjul
John Mawurndjul

May Spotlight

10:15am, Wed 3 May

Our monthly Circle of Friends get-together, this time with our Visitor Services Coordinator Marina, taking a look at the portait of John Mawurndjul by R. Ian Lloyd.

Bookings required
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists installation

Audio described tour

1:00pm, Thu 4 May

Join us in the Gallery as we explore Portrait23: Identity with audio descriptions for visitors who are blind or have low vision.

Bookings required
Rhythm Syndicate choir standing together on stage
Rhythm Syndicate choir standing together on stage
Rhythm Syndicate choir standing together on stage
Rhythm Syndicate choir standing together on stage

Rhythm Syndicate Choir

1:30pm, Sat 6 May

Listen along to Rhythm Syndicate’s musical offering of high energy jazz classics.

Photo credit: Art Atelier
Photo credit: Art Atelier
Photo credit: Art Atelier
Photo credit: Art Atelier

Australian Dance Week 2023

Identity

10:30am, Sun 7 May

Ausdance ACT will be in the Gallery during Australian Dance Week to enhance your Portrait 23: Identity exhibition experience!

Tarryn Gill
Tarryn Gill
Tarryn Gill
Tarryn Gill

Virtual Highlights Tour

Becoming Limber

12:30pm, Tue 9 May
Live online

Stretch out and sit back as artist Taryn Gill discusses her artwork, process and influence with First Nations Curator Rebecca Ray.

Bookings required
The Greatest Showman movie poster
The Greatest Showman movie poster
The Greatest Showman movie poster
The Greatest Showman movie poster

Film Screening

The Greatest Showman

1:30pm, Sun 14 May

Bring the family of your choice and celebrate Mother’s and Other’s Day.

Bookings required

Archibald Prize Bus Trip

7:00am, Thu 18 May

Join us for a day trip to see the finalists of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Bookings required
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau

A Stitch in Time

12:30pm, Thu 18 May

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Bookings required
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau
Latai Taumoepeau

A Stitch in Time

12:30pm, Fri 19 May

Are you a super sewer / embroider extraordinaire / confident crafter? Then why not join us in the Gallery for a sewing circle with artist Deborah Kelly!

Bookings required
Nell standing in her workshop next to a cross legged sculpture
Nell standing in her workshop next to a cross legged sculpture
Nell standing in her workshop next to a cross legged sculpture
Nell standing in her workshop next to a cross legged sculpture

Artist Talk

Nell

1:00pm, Sat 20 May

Artist Nell will be visiting us to chat about her work in Portrait23: Identity.

Bookings required
Portrait23: Identity view featuring works by Kate Beynon and Vipoo Srivilasa
Portrait23: Identity view featuring works by Kate Beynon and Vipoo Srivilasa
Portrait23: Identity view featuring works by Kate Beynon and Vipoo Srivilasa
Portrait23: Identity view featuring works by Kate Beynon and Vipoo Srivilasa

Virtual Highlight Tour

A Portrait23: Identity wander

12:30pm, Tue 23 May
Live online

Pop on your finest as we walk you through Portrait23: Identity. Yes that’s right, we’re streaming live from inside the gallery spaces!

Bookings required
The family
The family
The family
The family

Little Faces

10:30am, Wed 24 May until Thu 25 May

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “The Family” by Charles Blackman to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Bookings required
Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel
Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel
Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel
Jimmy Barnes at The Coogee Bay Hotel

In Conversation

Pub Rock

11:00am, Thu 25 May
Live online

Fluff your mullet, squeeze into your jeans and join our Director Collection and Exhibitions Sandra Bruce, musician and producer Paul Greene, and musician George Bishop of El Horses fame for a local beer garden chat about this loud and sweaty exhibition.

Bookings required
The family
The family
The family
The family

Little Faces

9:30am, Fri 26 May

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “The Family” by Charles Blackman to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Bookings required
Alter Ego
Alter Ego
Alter Ego
Alter Ego

Alter Ego

An Evening of Other!

6:30pm, Fri 26 May

Join us for Alter Ego: An Evening of Other! This 18+ late-night event is curated and produced by Kat Dopper of Heaps Gay, Queer Agency and Summer Camp Festival fame.

Bookings required
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman

Reconciliation Week highlights tours

Be a Voice for Generations

2:15pm, Sat 27 May until Sat 3 Jun

To celebrate Reconciliation Week, our free highlights tours will focus on some remarkable, resilient and inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the collection, exploring our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

Bookings available
Yves Rees
Yves Rees
Yves Rees
Yves Rees

Virtual Highlight Tour

Gender, voice and trans identity

12:30pm, Tue 30 May
Live online

Writer Yves Rees discusses Voice Notes – their Portrait23: Identity catalogue essay about gender, voice and trans identity.

Bookings required

More events

Thursday 1 June – Saturday 1 July 2023
© National Portrait Gallery 2023
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

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.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency