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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.

Presence and Absence

Portrait Sculpture in Australia

Previous exhibition
from Friday 22 August until Sunday 16 November 2003

This exhibition focuses on exploring national and communal identity through sculptural production in Australia, from the early decades of settlement through to the present day. The scope of the exhibition is wide and reflects two aims.

Decorative portrait – Len Lye, c.1925 by Rayner Hoff (1894-1937)
Decorative portrait – Len Lye, c.1925 by Rayner Hoff (1894-1937)

Firstly to particularise certain specific moments in Australian history, including the shaping of Aboriginal-white contact in the 19th century and the construction of national identity through the mythologies of the bushman and the ANZAC. And secondly to focus on sculpture’s historical association with the service of death, especially through its emphasis on the function of commemoration.

12 portraits
view all

Conamdatta, a North(ern) Queensland Aboriginal man, 1897 by James White (1862-1918)
Portrait bust of Mrs Gerald Marr Thompson, 1892 by Emile Leysalle (1847- after 1902)
1 Conamdatta, a North(ern) Queensland Aboriginal man, 1897 , by James White (1862-1918). 2 Portrait bust of Mrs Gerald Marr Thompson, 1892 by Emile Leysalle (1847- after 1902).
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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.

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