20 new portraits for NPG valued at half a million

The commitment to commissioning portraits gets a $500,000 endorsement, as the National Portrait Gallery marks a 20-year legacy, and launches its next chapter.

Jessica Mauboy (2018) by David Rosetzk; supplied courtesy the artists

This year, the National Portrait Gallery of Australia (NPG) turned 20. It is a small milestone for a national institution, but one that speaks volumes concerning the gallery’s trajectory and its vision of shaping the national identity and conversation.

To mark the occasion, 20 newly commissioned portraits were unveiled this week – a commitment to the gallery’s charter made possible through the generosity of donors.

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Gina Fairley is ArtsHub's National Visual Arts Editor. For a decade she worked as a freelance writer and curator across Southeast Asia and was previously the Regional Contributing Editor for Hong Kong based magazines Asian Art News and World Sculpture News. Prior to writing she worked as an arts manager in America and Australia for 14 years, including the regional gallery, biennale and commercial sectors. She is based in Mittagong, regional NSW. Twitter: @ginafairley Instagram: fairleygina