The Look (group exhibition)

Geelong Gallery will present a powerful new exhibition from the National Portrait Gallery – The Look. The first venue on a national tour, and the only Victorian destination, the exhibition consists of 68 portraits that provide a comprehensive line-up of identities and styles. It features subjects from all walks of Australian life; young, old; Indigenous, non-Indigenous; women and men; household names, and people who may be completely unknown to many.

Bryan Brown, 2008 by Adam Knott. Collection: National Portrait Gallery.
Bryan Brown, 2008 by Adam Knott. Collection: National Portrait Gallery.

National Portrait Gallery (NPG) Curator, Joanna Gilmour explains that The Look highlights some of the most striking contemporary photographic portraits in the NPG collection.“The guiding curatorial principle for The Look has been to celebrate a diverse group of sitters who are united in owning and rocking their distinct ‘Look’.”

Megan Gale, 2002 by Ellen Dahl. Collection: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.
Megan Gale, 2002 by Ellen Dahl. Collection: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.

The works span five decades, from the George Spartels early 1970’s portrait by Ivan Gaal to Tilman Ruff 2019 by Nikki Toole, and include works by photographers Adam Knott, Julian Kingma, Michael Riley, Petrina Hicks, Tracey Moffatt, David Rosetzky, Ingvar Kenne, Andrew Maccoll, and many others. Famous faces in the exhibition include; Nicole Kidman, Heath Ledger, Carla Zampatti, Bryan Brown, Lee Lin Chin, Megan Gale, Cate Blanchett, Rachel Griffiths, Ian Thorpe and Layne Beachley just to name a few.

Entry prices apply: Adult $11 | Concession $9 | Members $8 | Child $6 | Family $28

Noni Hazlehurst, 1977 (printed 2011) by Lorrie Graham. Collection: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.
Noni Hazlehurst, 1977 (printed 2011) by Lorrie Graham. Collection: National Portrait Gallery, Canberra.

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April

Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

Brisbane: Until 13 July 2025. Amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954) extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered only recently. This exhibition is curated by seven Brisbane photographers.

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

May

Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.

Perth: From 31 May – 28 Sept 2025. Featuring 85 works from three major series – Deep Springs, Overpass, and Cross Country – the exhibition spans twelve years of Contis’s evolving photographic practice.

June

Melbourne: June 5 - 16 August 2025. The explore the history of Alan Adler's photobooths and their cultural significance, alongside visual stories told by the community.

Adelaide: 7 June – 16 August. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this photographic exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance.

Melbourne: 7 June – 31 August. Protest is a Creative Act seeks to address issues around the body, sexuality, race, national identity and the environment.

Canberra; June 19 - July 12 2025. The River Report is a five-day map of when a normal Yitilal (wet season) turned into a major disaster and the local inhabitants were once again displaced.