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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.

Meryl Tankard

2005
Ingvar Kenne

type C photograph on paper (frame: 103.0 cm x 103.0 cm, sheet: 100.0 cm x 100.0 cm)

Meryl Tankard AO (b. 1955) is an internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, director and filmmaker. She began dancing with the Australian Ballet in 1975 before working as a soloist with Pina Bausch's dance theatre in Wuppertal, Germany between 1978 and 1984. As a freelance choreographer, she established her distinctive choreography in works such as Two Feet (1988) and was commissioned for projects around the world. For three years from 1989 she was artistic director of Canberra's Meryl Tankard Company, followed by six years as artistic director of Adelaide's Australian Dance Theatre. With composer Elena Kats Chernin, she created the full-length ballet Wild Swans for the Australian Ballet in 2003. The Oracle (2009), a revisioning of the Rite of Spring, won the Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Choreography in 2010 and toured internationally. Since graduating from the Australian Film, Television and Radio School in 2010, Tankard has made several films including the award-winning documentary Michelle's Story (2015). She continues to create dance productions, including recreating Two Feet for the 2019 Adelaide Festival and choreographing Claudel for the Sydney Opera House in 2021.

Photographed by Ingvar Kenne in 2005, this portrait depicts Tankard sitting in a folding chair in a dance studio. Although she is not moving, with her elegant posture, hair scraped back and bare feet pointed it is clear she is a dancer.

Gift of the artist 2006
© Ingvar Kenne

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

Ingvar Kenne (age 40 in 2005)

Meryl Tankard AO (age 50 in 2005)

Subject professions

Performing arts

Donated by

Ingvar Kenne (15 portraits)

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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.

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.

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