National Portrait Gallery

24/06/2026

23/06/2026

Who is she?!

Our next cover star for Portrait Magazine has dazzled international stages, wooed the world with song, dance and laughter, is an advocate on the rainbow road AND will have a brand new portrait unveiled in our Gallery later this year.

Any guesses?

22/06/2026

"I just think interiors are such an important part in people's lives"

Someone's home can tell a story about who they are, how they live, what they like and even give insights into the quirky parts of their personality.

In our 'John Brack x Noel McKenna: A face in the mirror' exhibition, sometimes the idea of portraiture extends from a direct portrayal of a single subject into the way their domestic environment is rendered - angles, objects and furniture all play a part of the overall narrative. At times, these scenes can be interpreted as hesitant, awkward, lonely, shy and sometimes mischievous. But like all of us, they can be tender and tentative.

This exhibition is on show until the 19th July, come in to see it free!

18/06/2026

Only a month left to explore 'John Brack x Noel McKenna: A face in the mirror' exhibition.

On show until the 19 July - see it free!

18/06/2026

Suits, suits and more suits!

'Power suits: The fit within the frame' is tailored to the curious.

Spanning the 1930s to today, the exhibition includes painting, photography and mixed-media. With plenty of familiar faces, be sure to lean in for the suits and leave with the stories.

16/06/2026

"There's 100 stories in this picture"

In 1982, Bob Brown led the campaign for the preservation of the Franklin River in Tasmania, arguably the most significant environmental action in Australia to date. The federal government legislated to prevent the dam’s construction and successfully took the Tasmanian government to court after they ignored the legislation.

Artist Harold Thornton was one of 6000 protestors who formed the Franklin River blockade. He worked on
this picture – part portrait of Bob Brown, part history painting – while he was in the campsite and later in his Hobart and Sydney studios.

From the policemen having tea with the green figures to the delicate management of human waste this artwork has unexpected details just waiting to be uncovered.

Currently on show in 'Power suits: The fit within the frame' exhibition.

14/06/2026

"Really started with the pheasant"

In this portrait of Maggie Beer by Del Kathryn Barton we get a spellbinding and dream-like collection of symbols that personally resonate with Beer. When making the work, Barton asked Beer to provide a list of her favourite fruits and vegetables from each season. The chosen ingredients, including peas, asparagus, peaches, quince, pomegranate and tomatoes, become pictorial elements woven around the central figure. But it's the pheasant that tells the story of Beer's deeper connection with love and life.

'Maggie' is currently on show in Gallery 2!

11/06/2026

“I fell in love with them even more deeply”

Artist Angela Tiatia took on one of the Gallery’s most ambitious portrait commissions to date. With the all 23 CommBank Matildas FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ Squad spread across the globe this was no small feat.

The outcome? A magnificent moving image work that is both tender and powerful!

We have been overjoyed to witness how this portrait became an absolute sensation at the Gallery. Visitors have come from all over the country, adorned in their football jerseys and beelining it to Gallery 3 to sit back and fully immerse themselves in the 23 minute video (with some visitors even enjoying it on repeat!).

This video portrait will be on show until 21 June before going on tour.

09/06/2026

The world around us can be a fascinating place. Thanks to artists like Noel McKenna we get to see some of life's simple moments through the eyes of another.

'John Brack x Noel McKenna: A face in the mirror' exhibition is on show until 19 July.

08/06/2026

"Something about his focus in the painting"

When AFL great Neale Daniher AO (1961–2026) was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2013, he used his tenacity and his platform to bring visibility to the disease. Through his organisation FightMND he tirelessly advocated for research into effective treatments and a cure for MND, raising over $140 million in the process.

The former Australian rules footballer and coach began his AFL career at the Essendon football club in 1979. After retiring as a player in 1990, Daniher was assistant coach for Essendon and Fremantle before becoming senior coach for the Melbourne Demons, guiding the club to the Grand Final against Essendon in 2000.

Micheal Peck formed his idea for this portrait after reading Daniher’s 2019 memoir, in which he calls MND ‘The Beast’: ‘an ugly piece of gear, hairy and dark, like a huge hybrid of a blowfly and a moth’. It was important to Daniher that the portrait illustrate the reality of the disease, particularly its impact on his arms and hands. ‘It was not comfortable for Neale to sit like this,’ Peck said, ‘but he was determined to capture the right image. This alone is testament to his strength and determination.’

Daniher wears a Big Freeze beanie, in recognition of FightMND’s annual fundraising event: the Big Freeze match between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG. In 2025 Daniher was named Australian of the Year in honour of his work in raising funds and awareness for MND.

On 25 May 26, Neale Daniher passed away. Our deepest condolences go out to Daniher's family, friends and community.

His portrait is currently on view in Gallery 2.