Mandy Martin (b. 1952) is a painter, printmaker and teacher. Born in Adelaide, she lectured at the South Australian School of Art before coming to Canberra, where as a lecturer in painting at the School of Art at the Australian National University she mentored a generation of Canberra painters. The work in front of which she crouches in this photograph is reminiscent of the painting for which she is best known, the gigantic landscape that hangs in the main committee room of Parliament House. Martin is a passionate environmentalist; she explains that 'the motivation for her work 'has been and still is the urgency to address the major issues of land-use and exploitation in Australia'.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Leo Christie 2003
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
© Anne Zahalka/Copyright Agency, 2021
Leo Christie (10 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
Naomi Cass, Director of the Centre of Contemporary Photography, in conversation with Anne Zahalka.
Over the last five years the National Portrait Gallery has developed a collection of portrait photographs that reflects both the strength and diversity of Australian achievement as well as the talents of our photographers.
