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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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Vale Street, 1975

Carol Jerrems

gelatin silver photograph on paper (image: 20.2cm x 30.3cm. sheet: 40.4cm x 50.5cm. frame: 54.7cm x 74.2cm)

The word ‘iconic’ is often applied to this photograph. Made when Jerrems was only 26, Vale Street quickly gained a place in the visual culture of 1970s Australia. It was included in the survey publication Australian Photography, edited by Laurence Le Guay, a year after it was made and later graced the front cover of Australian Photographers: The Philip Morris collection (1979), paired with Max Dupain’s Sunbaker (1937) on the back cover.

Vale Street was initially exhibited in 1975 at Brummels Gallery, Melbourne, where it sold for $45 to the National Gallery of Australia. Over subsequent years, it has entered most major collections in Australia, and in 2020 it made headlines as the most expensive Australian photograph sold at auction.

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Purchased 1976.
© The Estate of Carol Jerrems

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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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