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.

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.

Bart Willoughby (No Fixed Address) at 'The National Land Rights Action' march

1982
Juno Gemes

gelatin silver photograph on paper (image: 32.8 cm x 22.8 cm, sheet: 40.5 cm x 30.5 cm)

Bart Willoughby (b. 1960) is a Pitjantjantjara and Mirning singer/songwriter who is one of the Stolen Generations. Taken away from his family in Ceduna, South Australia at three years old, he spent most of his childhood in a children's home. Music was his escape. Known for his distinctive fusion of reggae with traditional Indigenous influences, Willoughby studied at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music at the University of Adelaide where he met musicians Ricky Harrison, Leslie Lovegrove Freeman and John Miller. In 1978, they formed No Fixed Address, Australia's first Indigenous rock band, the first to sign a record deal, and the first to tour overseas. Their reggae rock hit 'We Have Survived' remains a classic protest song. In 1989 he was included in the Midnight Oil tour in America, drumming for Yothu Yindi and Native American musician John Trudell. After the tour he formed the band Mixed Relations. He received the inaugural Indigenous ARIA Australian Lifetime Achievement Award for his Outstanding Contribution to Indigenous Music in Australia in 1993. He currently fronts The Bart Willoughby Band.

Best known for her work as a documentary photographer, Juno Gemes took this image during an unguarded moment in the midst of a busy protest march. The portrait shows Willoughby at 22, early in his musical career.

Gift of the artist 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Juno Gemes/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

Juno Gemes (age 38 in 1982)

Bart Willoughby (age 22 in 1982)

Subject professions

Performing arts

Donated by

Juno Gemes (22 portraits)

© 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