Skip to main content
Menu
What's on Prizes The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

A portrait of the sandwich artist as a young man, 2010

by Joel Arthur

A portrait of the sandwich artist as a young man, 2010

oil on canvas

A portrait of the sandwich artist as a young man is a snapshot me at work. It reflects an artist serving sandwiches while attempting a creative path in a setting of stainless steel, fluorescent lighting and uniform. There is a stark distinction between aspiration and environment. Making sandwiches from Monday to Friday is a way to make money, yet it is hardly conducive to creativity. I have the ambition to be an artist in the true sense of the word, however, for now, I will have to settle for being a sandwich artist.

NYSPP 2010

National Youth Self Portrait Prize
(More information, View all 15 images)

sister girl
Bath
Egocentric
The wake up call

Related information

masculine/feminine, 2010 by Bridget Mac NYSPP 2010 winner
masculine/feminine, 2010 by Bridget Mac NYSPP 2010 winner
masculine/feminine, 2010 by Bridget Mac NYSPP 2010 winner
masculine/feminine, 2010 by Bridget Mac NYSPP 2010 winner

National Youth Self Portrait Prize

NYSPP 2010

Previous exhibition, 2010

An annual event, the National Youth Self Portrait Prize seeks to encourage young people to embrace self portraiture and its expressive possibilities.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

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!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

Support your Portrait Gallery

We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2025
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

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.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency