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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.

Electric!

Portraits that pop!

Celebrate the Gallery’s 20th birthday summer with Electric! Portraits that pop! The collection exhibition features a mix of bright, bold and colourful paintings, prints and photographs, and buoyant video portraits.

More information on Electric!

Selected images

35 images
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Sir Robert May AC KT
Sir Robert May AC KT, 1999 Polly Borland. © Polly Borland
Christine Manfield
Christine Manfield, 1997 Selina Snow. © Selina Snow
Acacius (Stigmata) - Tony Carden
Acacius (Stigmata) - Tony Carden, 1991 AñA Wojak. © AñA Wojak
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman, c. 1980 Lewis Morley. © Lewis Morley Archive LLC
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Imbruglia, 1999 Polly Borland. © Polly Borland
Roslyn
Roslyn, 2016 Sally Ross. © Sally Ross
Me
Me, 1992 Ken Done. © Ken Done
HM Queen Elizabeth II
HM Queen Elizabeth II, 2001 Polly Borland. © Polly Borland
Neil Armfield
Neil Armfield, 2010 Adam Cullen. © Adam Cullen/Copyright Agency, 2024
Glenn Murcutt
Glenn Murcutt, 1992 Ken Done. © Ken Done
Marcia Hines
Marcia Hines, c. 1981 Lewis Morley. © Lewis Morley Archive LLC
Ian Roberts (after Coypel 1709)
Ian Roberts (after Coypel 1709), 2003 Ross Watson. © Ross Watson
George Tjungurrayi
George Tjungurrayi, 2002 Matthÿs Gerber. © Matthÿs Gerber
Reg Richardson AM
Reg Richardson AM, 2014 Mitch Cairns. © Mitch Cairns
Matt Moran
Matt Moran, 2004 Murray Fredericks, Lisa Giles. © Murray Fredericks and Lisa Giles
Henry
Henry "Seaman" Dan, 2009 Nathan Kelly. © Nathan Kelly
Professor Germaine Greer
Professor Germaine Greer, 1999 Polly Borland. © Polly Borland
Adam Scott: at Sanctuary Cove Golf Course
Adam Scott: at Sanctuary Cove Golf Course, 2006 Robin Sellick. © Robin Sellick
The golden girls: Jodie Henry, Lisbeth 'Libby' Trickett (née Lenton), Giaan Rooney, Alice Mills, Brooke Hanson, Leisel Jones
The golden girls: Jodie Henry, Lisbeth 'Libby' Trickett (née Lenton), Giaan Rooney, Alice Mills, Brooke Hanson, Leisel Jones, 2004 Robin Sellick. © Robin Sellick
Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Hewitt, 1998 Robin Sellick. © Robin Sellick
Shane Warne
Shane Warne, 2006 Robin Sellick. © Robin Sellick
Leigh Bowery
Leigh Bowery, 1984 Robyn Beeche. © Robyn Beeche Foundation
Untitled #21/09 (after Ricci, 1700; featuring Matthew Mitcham)
Untitled #21/09 (after Ricci, 1700; featuring Matthew Mitcham), 2009 Ross Watson. © Ross Watson
Barry McDonald
Barry McDonald, 1997 Selina Snow. © Selina Snow
Neil Perry
Neil Perry, 1997 Selina Snow. © Selina Snow
Stefano Manfredi
Stefano Manfredi, 1997 Selina Snow. © Selina Snow
The Movie Star (David Gulpilil)
The Movie Star (David Gulpilil), 1985 Tracey Moffatt. © Tracey Moffatt
Courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney.
Cathryn Fitzpatrick
Cathryn Fitzpatrick, 2006 Toni Wilkinson. © Toni Wilkinson
Anneliese Seubert
Anneliese Seubert, 1997 (printed 2014) Ingvar Kenne. © Ingvar Kenne
Miranda Otto
Miranda Otto, 1997 Montalbetti + Campbell. © Montalbetti & Campbell
Untitled #88 (Captain Brad Kilpatrick and Kylie Minogue, Balibo, East Timor, 20 December 1999)
Untitled #88 (Captain Brad Kilpatrick and Kylie Minogue, Balibo, East Timor, 20 December 1999) Matthew Sleeth. © Matthew Sleeth
Bruce Petty
Bruce Petty, 2008 Bruce Petty. © Commonwealth of Australia
Johnny Warren OAM MBE
Johnny Warren OAM MBE, 2008 Natasha Gadd, Rhys Graham
Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly, 2013 Warwick Thornton. © Warwick Thornton
Layne Beachley
Layne Beachley, 2008 Petrina Hicks. © Commonwealth of Australia
35 images
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Related information

Leigh Bowery
Leigh Bowery
Leigh Bowery
Leigh Bowery

Power of Portrait Photography

Visual Arts (upper primary)

9:15am, 2:00pm, Thu 4 Sep

Join us for an engaging and interactive program tailored for upper primary students, where they will build critical thinking skills to interpret photographic portraits.
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso

Shop Talk

Magazine article by Stephen Phillips, 2016

Angus and the arbiters talk (photo) shop for the National Photographic Portrait Prize.
Layne Beachley
Layne Beachley
Layne Beachley
Layne Beachley

Collection: Icons

Volume One

Previous exhibition, 2018

When a portrait communicates determination and individuality as boldly as these do, it has the potential to become an iconic image. For the Gallery’s 20th birthday this display brings together a group contemporary photographic portraits of inspiring women and men.
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