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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.

Jeffrey Samuels, Boomalli workshop

2003
Juno Gemes

gelatin silver photograph on paper, edition A/P (sheet: 50.8 cm x 60.7 cm, image: 31.9 cm x 44.1 cm)

Jeffrey Samuels (b. 1956), a Ngiyampaa/Ngemba painter, illustrator, designer, mixed-media artist and printmaker, is one of the Stolen Generations and seeks to affirm his Aboriginal identity and cultural heritage through his work. One of the ten founding members of the Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Cooperative, Samuels began his art education in 1974 with an Aboriginal Study Grant, which enabled him to complete a Diploma in Fine Art at the Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education. Gaining a fellowship from the Australia Council's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board in 1983, he learned about traditional painting and culture from artist Lindsay Roughsey on Mornington Island and undertook further study at Sydney's City Art Institute. Since then he has taught art in schools, tertiary institutions and prisons, lectured in contemporary Aboriginal art at the University of Copenhagen, and spent several periods as an arts administrator. He has participated in exhibitions including Koori Art '84 and Blackroots: Indigenous Gay and Lesbian Art (1997). His works have been featured in the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and displayed across main entry points of the International Convention Centre in Sydney, and his waratah design is the NSW state logo. Samuels is represented in national and regional galleries including the National Gallery of Australia and the Art Gallery of NSW. In 2020 Samuels was involved in concept development and hand-drew map graphics for Ambassadors, a display of Aboriginal cultural heritage at the Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney.

Gift of the artist 2010
© Juno Gemes/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

Juno Gemes (age 59 in 2003)

Jeffrey Samuels (age 47 in 2003)

Subject professions

Visual arts and crafts

Donated by

Juno Gemes (22 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency