Skip to main content
Menu
What's on Prizes The Portraits Watch
The Gallery Governance & Board Circle of Friends
Learn Access Search the website
close close
What's on The Portraits The Gallery Learn Watch More O

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.

Stepping out

Australian Love Stories online
 

In 2020, the National Portrait Gallery asked Nick Cave to tell us the story behind this 1998 portrait.

Nick Cave, Susie Bick and Luke Cave, 1998 (printed 2020) Dominique Issermann. Courtesy of the artist © Dominique Issermann
Nick Cave, Susie Bick and Luke Cave, 1998 (printed 2020) Dominique Issermann. Courtesy of the artist © Dominique Issermann

This is what he sent to us: ‘Susie and I had just met. I was staying in a country house with a garden in West Cork, drying out for a while. I was with my little boy, Luke. Susie came to the garden to visit me with her dear friend and photographer Dominique Issermann. Dominique has a concealed and surreptitious way with her camera and has taken many extraordinary photos of Susie and me, over the years. Susie and I are taking a “country walk”. I love that neither of us clearly have any idea how to navigate the countryside — me in my suit and Susie in her heels. Little Luke is racing off into the distance. Susie and I look like we are walking on the moon. These were our first hesitant and supported steps into a beautiful life together.’

That’s one to get your heart started! You are 9 stories away from seeing your love score...

Choose your next love story

Roy and HG: John Doyle as Roy Slaven (L) and Grieg Pickhaver as HG Nelson: in studio (radio), c. 1990 Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. © 1990 ABC
Roy and HG: John Doyle as Roy Slaven (L) and Grieg Pickhaver as HG Nelson: in studio (radio), c. 1990 Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. © 1990 ABC
Roy and HG: John Doyle as Roy Slaven (L) and Grieg Pickhaver as HG Nelson: in studio (radio), c. 1990 Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. © 1990 ABC
Roy and HG: John Doyle as Roy Slaven (L) and Grieg Pickhaver as HG Nelson: in studio (radio), c. 1990 Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. © 1990 ABC

A bromance in banter

Robert Klippel
Robert Klippel
Robert Klippel
Robert Klippel

The long game

Artist kisses subject, 2014 Sophia Hewson. Private collection. © Sophia Hewson. Photo: © AGNSW
Artist kisses subject, 2014 Sophia Hewson. Private collection. © Sophia Hewson. Photo: © AGNSW
Artist kisses subject, 2014 Sophia Hewson. Private collection. © Sophia Hewson. Photo: © AGNSW
Artist kisses subject, 2014 Sophia Hewson. Private collection. © Sophia Hewson. Photo: © AGNSW

Erotic-platonic

Yellow portrait (portrait of Alex Jelinek)
Yellow portrait (portrait of Alex Jelinek)
Yellow portrait (portrait of Alex Jelinek)
Yellow portrait (portrait of Alex Jelinek)

When opposites attract

Lan Wang
Lan Wang
Lan Wang
Lan Wang

Exile burnishes love’s bond

Related information

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The Gallery

Visit us, learn with us, support us or work with us! Here’s a range of information about planning your visit, our history and more!
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night
The National Portrait Gallery building at night

Support your Portrait Gallery

We depend on your support to keep creating our programs, exhibitions, publications and building the amazing portrait collection!
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
Visiting the Gallery

Plan your visit

Information on location, accessibility and amenities.
Home Contact Media Privacy statement User agreement Social media and community guidelines
© National Portrait Gallery 2024
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
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