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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.

Writing on the Wall, 2019

Dr Christian Thompson AO

pigment photographic print (sheet: 120cm x 120cm)
Writing on the Wall, 2019

‘I work as an artist, academic and virtual reality filmmaker, connecting my own experiences to wider social, cultural and political contexts. As a Bidjara person of the central Queensland desert, I have often drawn a vivid connection to the environment throughout my 20-year practice. This self portrait references the collective anxiety and uncertainty of the climate threat that defines our times. The title is a well-known colloquialism for a situation both impending and unavoidable. Cascading wattle blossoms act as a ticking clock. Using my signature native botanical elements, I disappear into the constellation of flowers – beautiful, regenerative and ephemeral.’

Dr Christian Thompson AO is a Bidjara/Irish/Chinese-Australian contemporary artist based in Naarm/Melbourne. His declarative self portraiture often features native flowers that symbolically reflect ideas of identity, kinship, culture and connection to Country.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist

National Photographic Portrait Prize
(More information, View all 21 images)

Samantha Harris
Rosemary
Troye Sivan
Lyu with Orchid

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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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