© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196
This photograph, taken during the production of Carol Jerrems’ unfinished 1975 short film School’s out, features students from Heidelberg Technical College who Jerrems taught and photographed, including Mark Lean (front, left) and Jon Bourke (centre, head resting on car) who also appear in Vale Street.
In the photograph, six boys lounge on and around a car. Two wear the distinctive cardigans that identify them as Sharpies. The composition captures the latent energy of a group of youths with nowhere to be and nothing to do. Not a single gaze meets the camera, and yet it is a layered and captivating tableaux. Arms bend, bodies buckle. Flesh is out, jeans are tight. This is youth in its glorious nonchalance.
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Gift of Mrs Joy Jerrems 1981.
© The Estate of Carol Jerrems
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.
Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
