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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.

Collection: Icons

Volume One

Previous exhibition
from Saturday 24 February until Sunday 3 June 2018
Layne Beachley
Layne Beachley, 2008 Petrina Hicks. © Commonwealth of Australia

When a portrait communicates determination and individuality as boldly as these do, it has the potential to become an iconic image. For the Gallery’s 20th birthday this display brings together a group contemporary photographic portraits of inspiring women and men.

The Dance - David McAllister
The Dance - David McAllister, 2016 Peter Brew-Bevan. © Peter Brew-Bevan

In ancient Greece an eikōn was a likeness of an exemplar, someone whose labours and deeds inspired our own striving. Later, medieval icon paintings depicted saints and deities.

Ian Thorpe
Cathy Freeman
1 Ian Thorpe, 2002 James Houston. © James Houston. 2 Cathy Freeman, 1995 Montalbetti + Campbell. © Montalbetti & Campbell, Currently on display.

Two-thirds of the Gallery’s 2,600 portraits are photographs. Since its invention by French scientist Nicéphore Niépce two centuries ago, photography has become the dominant portrait medium of our time.

Kurt Fearnley
Dan Sultan
Carla Zampatti
1 Kurt Fearnley, 2012 Adam Knott. © Adam Knott, Currently on display. 2 Dan Sultan, 2011 Martin Philbey. © Martin Philbey. 3 Carla Zampatti, 2015 Georges Antoni. © Georges Antoni.

Collection: Icons Volume 2 opens on 7 June.

3 portraits
view all

Lee Lin Chin
Lee Lin Chin, 2004 (printed 2021) George Fetting. © George Fetting/Copyright Agency, 2024.

Related people

Dr Christopher Chapman (curator)

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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.

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.

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