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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.

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Style Over Substance

2020
The Huxleys

single channel moving image, 16:9, colour, sound, 6 minutes and 46 seconds, edition 1/4

Will Huxley grew up in the suburbs of Perth, and Garrett Huxley was raised on the Gold Coast. After university, where they both studied photography – Will at Edith Cowan University and Garrett at the Queensland College of Art – the artists gravitated to Melbourne where they met in 2006. Garrett and Will found that they had much in common: not least their individual experiences growing up queer in traditional suburban Australia, and their passions for art and creativity. The pair soon began to collaborate as The Huxleys, combining their separate practices of photography, filmmaking and costume design, with performance as a key element. Inspired by the attention-grabbing and the outrageous, the artists embrace the glamourous, the absurd and the provocative and in doing so challenge convention; the Huxleys persuade their audience to consider notions of gender, social mores and non-conformity. The artists continue to be in demand across the country and internationally.

Style Over Substance is the Huxleys' first video work wholly conceived, written, composed, and performed by them. Equal parts biography and declaration, this work is a well-executed and joyous depiction of the Huxleys' lives as performing artists: presented with the trademark highly polished outrageousness and humour that audiences expect of the duo's live performances.

Purchased 2021
© The Huxleys

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

The Huxleys

Will Huxley (age 38 in 2020)

Garrett Huxley (age 47 in 2020)

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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 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.

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