Patrick Johnson (b. 1972), sprinter, set an Australian 100m record of 9.93 seconds in Mito, Japan in 2003, becoming the first Australian to run the distance under ten seconds. Born in a speedboat off the Queensland coast, Johnson was raised by his fisherman father after his mother died when he was two. Although he attended many different schools, often swimming ashore to do so, he proceeded to the ANU to undertake a degree in politics and Asian Studies. Fluent in five languages including Cantonese, he now works at the Department of Foreign Affairs. After making his race debut in the Australian University Championships in 1996 - the year he began training at the AIS - he won the 200m national championships in 2001 and 2003 and the 100m in 2003, and gained a bronze at the Commonwealth Games 4 x 100m relay in 2002. Johnson has been selected to run in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 2004
© Estate of Penny Tweedie
Penny Tweedie (47 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves.
This exhibition celebrates Australians whose unique life experiences symbolise social and cultural forces. Uncompromising individuality defines them. The portraits are drawn from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of contemporary photography and drawing.
Drawn from some of the many donations made to the Gallery's collection, the exhibition Portraits for Posterity pays homage both to the remarkable (and varied) group of Australians who are portrayed in the portraits and the generosity of the many donors who have presented them to the Gallery.
