Thursday 6 February – Friday 28 February 2025
Marri Ngarr artist Ryan Presley's site-specific commission Paradise won is prominently positioned at the Gallery’s entrance. This ambitious new work invites conversations about the ongoing legacies of colonisation and celebrates First Nations survival and autonomy.
The exhibition is a vibrant and dynamic exhibition by acclaimed contemporary artist Joan Ross. Transforming scenes from colonial artworks through a digital ‘cut and paste’ technique and her signature fluorescent yellow, Ross explores critical issues like climate change, greed and consumerism.
Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this salon-style hang references the lavish 18th- and 19th-century European salons where paintings were hung floor-to-ceiling.
Experience the vibrant flowers and foliage in our Western Courtyard through drawing and observation.
Carol Jerrems: Portraits is a major exhibition of one of Australia’s most influential photographers. Jerrems’ intimate portraits of friends, lovers and artistic peers transcend the purely personal and have come to shape Australian visual culture.
Bookings availableThis show, staged alongside the major exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits, spotlights the work of three contemporary Australian artists whose work sits in dialogue with Jerrems’ legacy.
Join us in the Gallery as we explore our latest exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits and its key themes. Discover how Jerrems’ work defined a decade and continues to shape how we think about photography today.
Bookings availableLearn about the architecture of the building before journeying through the Gallery to hear about the lives and legacies of the portrait subjects and the artistic techniques used to tell their stories.
Bookings requiredJoin a short introductory tour of the National Portrait Gallery and discover a few key portraits.
Bookings availableDrop into the Gallery for free creative activities inspired by the flora and fauna featured in the vibrant exhibition, Joan Ross: Those trees came back to me in my dreams.
Do we have a treat for the smaller humans in your life! Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.
Bookings requiredDo we have a treat for the smaller humans in your life! Little Faces is for babies and toddlers (with their grown up) to play, sing and have fun discovering a portrait together.
Bookings requiredHave something to say? Passionate about a cause? Be inspired by Carol Jerrems' photos capturing the women's movement, rebellious youth, and First Nations activism.
Join us for our first February Photography Focus. Helen Ennis, Emeritus Professor, Australian National University (ANU), and Harry Kilcullen, ANU researcher, delve into photography from the National Portrait Collection.
Bookings requiredCelebrate love and art this Valentine’'s Day with a unique date (with your partner or mate!) at the Gallery.
Join us for an in-depth discussion about the work of influential photographer Carol Jerrems, whose work is on view in our major exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits.
Bookings requiredGrab your Free on Fridays ticket to experience the exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits and then delve further into the artist’s life and work with a screening of Girl in a Mirror: A Portrait of Carol Jerrems.
Join us in the Gallery as we explore our latest exhibition Carol Jerrems: Portraits with Auslan interpretation.
Bookings requiredDraw while listening to live music by the Falatoese Sisters, Olivia, Grace and Lizzie, as they perform a mix of pop, indie and gospel-inspired covers alongside heartfelt originals.
Our February Photography Focus concludes with the work of three contemporary photographers – Ying Ang, Katrin Koenning and Anu Kumar – whose photographs are currently on view in if only we could take the time: contemporary Australian photography.
Bookings requiredEnlighten Festival is back for 2025 and will once again light up the nation’s capital over 11 days of culture and creativity.
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