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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.

Neil Finn

1987 (printed 2021)
Alan Mitchell

inkjet print on paper (sheet: 31 cm x 44 cm)

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Neil Finn OBE (b. 1958) was born in Te Awamutu, Aotearoa New Zealand. The youngest of four children, Finn took piano lessons and often performed as a child with his older brother Tim. After playing in his brother's band Split Enz, he co-founded Crowded House with Paul Hester and Nick Seymour. Their self-titled debut album was a critical and commercial success in Australia and around the world. The band enjoyed a string of hits before playing their final concert, on the steps of the Sydney Opera House before an estimated crowd of 150,000, in November 1996. Following the death of Hester in 2005, Finn and Seymour reformed the band and released the critically acclaimed album Time on Earth. The band now also includes Finn's two sons, Liam (guitar, vocals) and Elroy (drums), and Mitchell Froom on keyboard.

Photographer Alan Mitchell took this image of Finn on the stylised set for Crowded House's music video for 'World where you live'. Shot in dramatic black and white, Finn holds a flying dollhouse in his hands just before he lets it go, which features in the opening scene of the video. 'World where you live' was shot in a warehouse at the Melbourne Showgrounds and is the second single from the band's debut album Crowded House.

Gift of the artist 2021
© Alan Mitchell

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

Alan Mitchell

Neil Finn OBE (age 29 in 1987)

Crowded House

Subject professions

Performing arts

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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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