Murray Bartlett

Artist Samuel Hodge creates portraits that foreground queer narratives, the intimacy of friendship and the emotional complexity of contemporary everyday life. Drawing on a personal archive accumulated over more than two decades, Hodge continually revisits, rearranges and recontextualises his photographs, exploring the way images acquire new meanings over time. This portrait of Australian actor Murray Bartlett (b. 1971) was taken during a photoshoot for Butt, an influential magazine known for its candid photography and writings on queer culture. Bartlett is celebrated for bringing authentic intimacy to LGBTQIA+ stories, playing queer characters in various acting projects including Looking, Tales of the City and Welcome to Chippendales. In 2022 he won an Emmy Award for his role as the chaotic resort manager Armond in The White Lotus.

Hodge has photographed Bartlett on numerous occasions. Emerging from a period just before Bartlett’s international breakthrough, this photograph reflects the trust established through an ongoing creative relationship. Bare-chested, wearing only a necklace and his signature moustache, Bartlett meets the viewer’s gaze with calm assurance. The portrait conveys a quiet vulnerability and sincerity without performance, the subject at ease in the company of a friend.

Purchased with funds provided by Wayne Williams 2026