Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM (b.1934), poet, essayist and academic, grew up in Melbourne, went to Scotch College, trained in the RAAF and worked as a journalist while studying at the University of Melbourne. In his honours year, he published his first book of poetry. In 1961, he became a fellow in Australian Literature and Creative Writing at the University, and from 1965 to 1967 was at Yale as a Harkness Fellow. Subsequently, in Melbourne, he progressed in his old Department, assuming a personal chair in 1988. His poetry collections include The Amorous Cannibal (1985), Selected Poems 1956-1994 (1995) and By and Large (2001). His critical works include Falling into Language (1990) and Read it Again (2005). In addition, he has edited several anthologies including The Golden Apples of the Sun: Twentieth Century Australian Poetry (1980); and The Oxford Literary History of Australia (1998, with Bruce Bennett and Jennifer Strauss). He is now Professor Emeritus in the Australian Centre of the University of Melbourne, of which he was the founding director.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Purchased with the assistance of the Circle of Friends 2014
© Kristin Headlam/Copyright Agency, 2021
National Portrait Gallery Circle of Friends (16 portraits supported)
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.
Artist Kristin Headlam and poet Chris Wallace-Crabbe discuss their art.
Fiona Gruber investigates the work of Australian painter Kristin Headlam.
