Skip to main content
Menu

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.

Untitled, 2009

by Tegan Russell

Untitled, 2009

Year 11, Figtree High School NSW
mixed media 
99.0 x 69.5 cm
on display at the National Portrait Gallery

We move through life blind. Do we really know who we are? How do we define ourselves? We may look to our possessions, our image, our likes or dislikes, or to others in an attempt to know ourselves, but what is left when this has gone? In my artwork I have captured the essence of myself working through blind contours, intuitively, in response to my own reflection. It is based on the elimination of thought and expectation in order to create an artwork that is a reflection of an essence, created completely in the moment.

Headspace 9

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
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