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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.

Fred Hollows

1993
Kerrie Lester

oil and hand-stitching on canvas (overall (irregular): 256.5 cm x 134.0 cm)

Professor Fred Hollows AC (1929–1993), ophthalmologist, made his way to Australia from New Zealand, where he had trained as a doctor and become a communist. Completing his specialist training in England and Wales, in 1965 he began work as an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of New South Wales. Soon, he began investigating eye disease in Aboriginal communities. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s he worked to raise public awareness of ill–health prevailing amongst Indigenous people, while pioneering treatments of trachoma and other eye diseases that halved the incidence of curable blindness in Aboriginal populations in more than 450 outback communities. He also established successful eye treatment schemes overseas, notably in Nepal and Eritrea. The gruff doctor was Australian of the Year in 1990 and was given a State funeral following his death from cancer three years later. The Fred Hollows Foundation continues his work, spearheaded by his widow, Gabi Hollows, who is a designated Living National Treasure in her own right. Sydney-born painter Kerrie Lester (1953-2016) was one of the first artists commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery, and her painting of athlete Cathy Freeman was among the first fifty works acquired for the Gallery’s collection. In 1999, Lester gifted a further three works to the Gallery: her portrait of film producer Margaret Fink, a finalist in the 1989 Portia Geach Memorial Award; her portrait of jazz performer James Morrison, an Archibald finalist in 1996; and this painting of Hollows, which also featured in the Archibald Prize exhibition.

Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the artist 1999
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
© Kerrie Lester/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

Kerrie Lester (age 40 in 1993)

Professor Fred Hollows AC (age 64 in 1993)

Donated by

Kerrie Lester (2 portraits)

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency