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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.

Dorothy

1990 (printed 2013)
Michael Riley

from the series ‘Michael Riley Portraits 1984-1990’
inkjet print on paper (frame: 57.0 cm x 43.5 cm, image: 55.0 cm x 41.0 cm)

Dorothy (Tudley) Delaney was the elder sister of Michael Riley's close friends, John and Raelene, and an administrator at Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative where Riley shot his Portraits by a Window series. She went on to work with various Aboriginal community organisations, including The Settlement, a neighbourhood centre run by the University of Sydney in Darlington, as a youth worker and in drug and alcohol outreach for Aboriginal teenagers.

For the photo shoot, Riley requested that Delaney wear 1920s period clothing, rather than her usual leggings and t-shirt. In the photograph she wears a dark dress and hat, with a crucifix hanging around her neck. The cross became a recurring motif in Riley's later work, particularly in his 1992 photographic series Sacrifice.

Purchased 2013
© Michael Riley/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

Michael Riley (age 30 in 1990)

Dorothy Delaney

© 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