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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.

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Alan Bond

1985
Rennie Ellis

type C photograph on paper (sheet: 62.0 cm x 47.0 cm, image: 29.1 cm x 43.9 cm)

Alan Bond (1938-2015), entrepreneur, was born in London and came to Australia in 1950. After working as a signwriter and building his fortune in property development, he was named Australian of the Year in 1978, five years before he became a national hero by winning the 1983 America’s Cup for Australia. Two years later his Bond Corporation acquired the giant Castlemaine Tooheys beer empire, giving him control of more than 40% of Australia’s beer market. In 1987 he made international headlines by purchasing Van Gogh’s Irises for a world record $54 million; the same year, he bought Channel Nine from Kerry Packer for $1 billion, and built the striking Bond Center in Hong Kong. The university he funded, Bond University on the Gold Coast, Queensland, opened in 1989. Having become the most popular of the Australian magnates of the 1980s, Bond was declared bankrupt in 1992, and gaoled in 1997. His biographer Paul Barry wrote that ‘what he did in the 1980s and the 1990s was a disgrace to this country and brought us into disrepute throughout the world’. In 2008, eight years after his release and having developed overseas interests in oil and diamond mining, he bounded back into the list of the two hundred wealthiest people in Australia.

Rennie Ellis photographed Bond on the day of his daughter Susanne’s marriage to New York doctor Armand Leone, which was followed by a stupendously lavish reception at the Bonds’ clifftop home. Susanne’s dress was created by Bruce Oldfield, a favourite designer of Princess Diana’s. As Oldfield made his last refinements, Ellis went across the hall to Bond’s bedroom and photographed the tycoon as he sat on the bed watching a Tarzan movie on TV.

Purchased 2006
© Rennie Ellis Photographic Archive
www.RennieEllis.com.au

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

Rennie Ellis (age 45 in 1985)

Alan Bond (age 47 in 1985)

Subject professions

Business, trades and industry

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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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