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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.

The Gallery’s Acknowledgement of Country, and information on culturally sensitive and restricted content and the use of historic language in the collection can be found here.

Martin Sharp

c. 1974
Greg Weight

gelatin silver photograph on paper (sheet: 40.5 cm x 50.5 cm, image: 30.5 cm x 44.8 cm)

Martin Sharp AM (1942–2013) was a printmaker, painter, cartoonist, designer, songwriter and filmmaker. Born in Sydney, Sharp was founding co-editor with Richard Neville and Richard Walsh of Oz magazine, contributing cartoons to the controversial journal. When he and Neville relocated Oz to London, Sharp continued as art director, producing posters that were sold through the magazine. For a time he lived with Eric Clapton, collaborating with him on song lyrics and designing album covers for his band, Cream. Returning to Australia in 1969, Sharp helped set up the Yellow House, an artists’ space in inner Sydney which became a focus of the underground art scene of the 1960s. Sharp is renowned for his poster designs for the Nimrod theatre in the 1970s, and for his obsessions with Tiny Tim, toys and Luna Park. In the late 1970s he was engaged to oversee the restoration of the Park, but in 1979 a terrible fire in its Ghost Train took seven lives. Amidst talk of redevelopment, Sharp and his supporters formed the Friends of Luna Park to lobby for its retention as a going concern.

Gift of Patrick Corrigan AM 2004. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Gregory Weight/Copyright Agency, 2024

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Works of art from the collection are reproduced as per the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The use of images of works from the collection may be restricted under the Act. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

Artist and subject

Greg Weight (age 28 in 1974)

Martin Sharp (age 32 in 1974)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

Donated by

Patrick Corrigan AM (130 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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