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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.

Hetti

1990 (printed 2013)
Michael Riley

from the series ‘Michael Riley Portraits 1984-1990’
inkjet print on paper (frame: 45.2 cm x 43.3 cm depth 5.0 cm, image: 41.0 cm x 43.0 cm)

Michael Riley's portrait of Hetti Perkins, now a celebrated curator and ambassador for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artists, was originally exhibited in his first solo exhibition, Portraits by a Window, in 1990. Riley reflected on the portrait: 'Hetti is a good friend of mine, not a model and has beautiful cheekbones, beautiful face and shoulders … I didn't do much setting up … Very glamorous, just the way she is.' Then aged 25, Perkins remembers that 'Michael offered very few cues as to what he expected … but Michael's style of taking portraits was to bring all the ingredients together and then let events take their natural course, while he would appear just to sit back and observe.' Now part of the series Michael Riley Portraits 1984–1990, the sophisticated image of Hetti and fourteen other photographs stand as an intricately connected group portrait of the vibrant urban-based Aboriginal arts community in Sydney's inner-west at a formative moment. They may have gone on to become some of Australia's most influential arts practitioners, but to Riley, they were simply his close friends.

Purchased 2013
© Michael Riley/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

Michael Riley (age 30 in 1990)

Hetti Perkins (age 25 in 1990)

Subject professions

Activism

Visual arts and crafts

© National Portrait Gallery 2024
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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