Who Are You: the power of portraiture at the National Portrait Gallery

Posted on 30 September, 2022

The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) is never afraid to push boundaries, ask big questions and redefine expectations—The ‘Who Are You’ exhibition is, of course, no exception.

The 130 works that give life to this expansive body of work meld beautifully with portraits from the National Gallery of Victoria, displaying the gallery’s largest exhibition to date. Through film, painting, sculpture, and ceramics, each artist redefines the very nature of portraiture, forging bold and profoundly moving works that aren’t afraid to confront our worldviews.

Opening at the NPG tomorrow, ‘Who Are You’ will gently hold your hand—leading you into this inspiring world.

For NPG Curator Joanna Gilmour, showcasing portraits in a space where there is room to cross borders, muddy lines, and dance with unconventional brushstrokes has been a liberating experience. Working alongside Karen Quinlan AM, Director of the National Portrait Gallery and Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV, ‘Who Are You’ pushes this genre beyond conventional notions.

“You get so tired of this seeming perception that portraiture, because it is a very ancient genre, is associated with tradition so strongly, people seem to think that there are these rules within portraiture that can’t be broken—whereas actually, the reverse is the case.”

“There are so many directions that you can take portraiture. And it’s not just about what someone looks like or what they’ve achieved in their lives. It’s about their identity. It’s essentially about what makes us human and what connects us all.”

Maria, 1986 (printed 2013) by Michael Riley

As you make your way through this exhibition, you will get lost in what Joanna describes as five mini-exhibitions that live within this impressive catalogue of work. Each artist’s beautiful reimaginings will make you stop and pause—allowing their importance to bubble up through channels of our subconscious. ‘I’m black’ by Hermannsburg Potters does just that.

The work captures a defining moment in Australian history where St Kilda footballer Nicky Winwar disarms the racial abuse, famously pointing to his skin—“I am black, and I am proud.” Now, reshaped in the form of a pot, with Nicky standing to be shaken on top of the lid, we surrender ourselves to its powerful messaging.

I’m black (Nicky Winmar), covered vase, 2015 by Rona Panangka Rubuntja

And for all curators working on this exhibition, it was critical First Nations’ voices were heard loudly throughout the varying bodies of works—communicating portraiture that reflects Country, plays with the landscape, and speaks the truth of First Nations people.

“We agreed on a group of five themes that are sort of central to portraiture, but in certain respects, also, very specific to Australian portraiture. There’s a section of the exhibition that talks about the relationship between place and identity.”

“And place itself is obviously a really major factor for concepts of First Nations’ identity and First Nations’ representation. Often for Aboriginal artists, it’s often not a question of depicting what you look like, but depicting your Country and, and where you’re from,” says Joanna.

Seven sisters song, Kaylene Whiskey, NGV

They say a picture speaks a thousand words, a sentiment that has perhaps never been truer as you journey through this breathtaking exhibition. The very title will resonate with you long after you leave this reflective space.

“It’s an exhibition that interrogates the whole idea about what a portrait is, what constitutes the self, and what constitutes representation and identity. It’s not just who are you? But who are we? And what does it mean to be Australian?

“And I think it encourages people to think about their own kind of self-representation. How is it that they project themselves to the world? It’s just an incredibly enriching experience.” reflects Joanna.

Photography supplied by the National Portrait Gallery.