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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.

Sleep, 2019

Natasha Bieniek

Darling Portrait Prize 2020 Finalist

Sleep, 2019

Sleep is a tiny, matchbox-sized oil painting of my husband, Nick. It shows him asleep, passed out, after a hard day at the hospital. Nick works in surgery, where the hours are long and all-consuming. Sleep has been a major focus in our household over the past year. Having a young baby has meant we’ve both gone through moments of complete sleep deprivation. My painting is a reflection of a particularly exhausting period in our lives, both emotionally and physically.

Darling Portrait Prize 2020
(More information, View all 40 paintings)

Sunny day
Susie Porter
The Hon. Alex Chernov AC QC
The human condition – Self-portrait #3

Related information

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Elizabeth
Elizabeth

Darling Portrait Prize 2020

Previous exhibition, 2020

The Darling Prize is a new biennial prize for Australian portrait painters, painting Australian sitters. The winner receives a cash prize of $75,000.
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

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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.

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