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‘Looking Out, Looking In’
Exploring the Self-Portrait
Mar 2023 - Aug 2023

An installation view from ‘Looking Out, Looking In’ featuring Davida Allen's Mother swinging her baby 1989 / © Davida Allen and Vincent Namatjira's Albert and Vincent 2014 / © Vincent Namatjira/Copyright Agency, QAG, March 2023 / Photograph: J Ruckli, QAGOMA

‘Looking Out, Looking In: Exploring the Self-Portrait’ explores the complex and fascinating subject of the self-portrait. Works by Australian and international artists, from the past to the present, display a wide range of approaches. While some artists look inwards to reflect on themselves in self-effacing ways, others seek to project a more flamboyant image.

Drawing on QAGOMA’s rich and diverse Collection, the exhibition was devised against the backdrop of contemporary ‘selfie’ culture. We have become increasingly attuned to the self-image through social media and reality TV, providing a context in which to examine the enduring human interest in the self. The exhibition includes artworks that reflect our times, as well as earlier examples of the genre. Seen together, they reveal significant cultural shifts and universal themes.

'Looking Out, Looking In' was on display in QAG's Gallery 4 from 11 March to 6 August 2023. 


An installation view from ‘Looking Out, Looking In’ featuring Davida Allen's Mother swinging her baby 1989 / © Davida Allen and Vincent Namatjira's Albert and Vincent 2014 / © Vincent Namatjira/Copyright Agency, QAG, March 2023 / Photograph: J Ruckli, QAGOMA

Collection artworks featured in ‘Looking Out, Looking In’

Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1936-01-01

Self portrait 1936
Artwork Self portrait with Ambrose Patterson, Amy Lambert and Hugh Ramsay this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1901-01-01

Self portrait with Ambrose Patterson, Amy Lambert and Hugh Ramsay c.1901-03
Artwork The artist and his wife this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1904-01-01

The artist and his wife 1904
Artwork Doublonnage (Marcel) this artwork made of Type C photograph on paper bonded to aluminium, created in 1988-01-01

Doublonnage (Marcel) 1988
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1938-01-01

Self portrait c.1940
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait (from 'The Bicentennial folio') 1987
Artwork Self portrait at being crowned the father of Australian drawing with 25 flies this artwork made of Graphite and colour pencil on paper, created in 1983-01-01

Self portrait at being crowned the father of Australian drawing with 25 flies 1983
Artwork Structural emblems of a friend (self portrait) this artwork made of Oil on canvas board, created in 1941-01-01

Structural emblems of a friend (self portrait) 1941
Artwork Maturing this artwork made of Single-channel video (DVD): 30 minutes, colour, silent, created in 2008-01-01

Maturing 2008
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Art make-up 1967-68
Artwork Chemical transfiction (alloyed self portrait as a slice of life or the atoms of point by point) this artwork made of Charcoal, coloured oil crayon and pencil on thick wove paper, created in 1984-01-01

Chemical transfiction (alloyed self portrait as a slice of life or the atoms of point by point) 1984
Artwork Siamese smile: Siamese intellectual (from 'Siamese smile' series) this artwork made of Oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 1995-01-01

Siamese smile: Siamese intellectual (from 'Siamese smile' series) 1995
Artwork Untitled #129 this artwork made of Type C photograph on paper, created in 1983-01-01

Untitled #129 1983
Artwork Basic scientists unanonymous (from 'Self portrait drawings' series) this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint and pastel on felt paper, created in 1991-01-01

Basic scientists unanonymous (from 'Self portrait drawings' series) 1991
Artwork Sleeping in New York this artwork made of Oil, pigment, plastic pearls and buttons on canvas, created in 1991-01-01

Sleeping in New York 1991
Artwork Self portrait - showing seven incarnations this artwork made of Oil, photographs, gold, cicada on composition board with glass front, created in 1970-01-01

Self portrait - showing seven incarnations 1970
Artwork Rapt this artwork made of Videotape: 5 minutes, colour, stereo, created in 1998-01-01

Rapt 1998
Artwork Self portrait no. 26 this artwork made of Silk organza screen printed with a photographic image of the artist and applied with hexagonal patchwork pieces and coloured threads, created in 1982-01-01

Self portrait no. 26 1982
Artwork SO HAPPY 2 b in yr photo this artwork made of Oil on panel, created in 2014-01-01

SO HAPPY 2 b in yr photo 2014
Artwork Untitled this artwork made of Oil on panel, created in 2015-01-01

Untitled 2015
Artwork Self-torso this artwork made of Bronze, created in 1934-01-01

Self-torso 1934, cast 1992
Artwork Standing nude (Self-portrait) this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1918-01-01

Standing nude (Self-portrait) c.1919
Artwork Self portrait (standing nude) this artwork made of Charcoal on paper, created in 1998-01-01

Self portrait (standing nude) 1998
Artwork Puberty (from 'Persona and shadow' series) this artwork made of Cibachrome photograph on paper, created in 1984-01-01

Puberty (from 'Persona and shadow' series) 1984, printed 1991
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait with pe'a (back view) 1995, printed 2004
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait with pe'a (front view) 1995, printed 2004
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait with pe'a (side view) 1995, printed 2004
Artwork Internal/external: suspension for obsolete body (San Francisco, United States, 1983) (from 'Suspensions' portfolio) this artwork made of Photo-etching taken from documentary photograph on BFK Rives paper, created in 1990-01-01

Internal/external: suspension for obsolete body (San Francisco, United States, 1983) (from 'Suspensions' portfolio) 1990-91
Artwork Sitting/swaying: event for rock suspension (Tokyo, Japan, 1980) (from 'Suspensions' portfolio) this artwork made of Photo-etching taken from documentary photograph on BFK Rives paper, created in 1990-01-01

Sitting/swaying: event for rock suspension (Tokyo, Japan, 1980) (from 'Suspensions' portfolio) 1990-91
Artwork Heels (from 'An Inventory of Gestures' series) this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 1:50 minutes, looped, colour, sound, created in 2014-01-01

Heels (from 'An Inventory of Gestures' series) 2014
Artwork Mother swinging her baby this artwork made of Oil on marine plywood, created in 1989-01-01

Mother swinging her baby 1989
Artwork Albert and Vincent this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on linen, created in 2014-01-01

Albert and Vincent 2014
Artwork They say this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2010-01-01

They say 2010
Artwork No one said this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 2010-01-01

No one said 2010
Artwork Someone else's king and someone else's country this artwork made of Type C photograph on lustre paper, mounted on aluminium, created in 2014-01-01

Someone else's king and someone else's country 2014
Artwork Venus #7 this artwork made of Giclée print using Ultrachrome ink on Ilford white film on paper, created in 2007-01-01

Venus #7 2007
Artwork Something More #1 this artwork made of Direct positive colour photograph on paper, created in 1989-01-01

Something More #1 1989
Artwork Blinded by the light this artwork made of Type C photograph with surface varnish on paper on plywood in gold frame, created in 1991-01-01

Blinded by the light 1991
Artwork At the Bar of the Pub with no Beer camera John Elliott this artwork made of Giclée print on paper, created in 2009-01-01

At the Bar of the Pub with no Beer camera John Elliott 2009
Artwork Madame de Pompadour née Poisson (1721-1764) this artwork made of Hard-paste porcelain modelled after a Sèvres original, with Rose Pompadour ground colour, silver details and transferred photograph. Interior of tureen transfer printed, created in 1989-01-01

Madame de Pompadour née Poisson (1721-1764) 1989
Artwork Untitled this artwork made of Colour photograph mounted on aluminium, created in 2007-01-01

Untitled 2007/2008
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Watercolour, pastel and pit on paper, created in 1969-01-01

Self portrait 1969
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on watercolour paper, created in 2016-01-01

Self portrait 2016
Artwork Self portrait with cat this artwork made of Colour woodblock print on cream wove paper, created in 1930-01-01

Self portrait with cat 1930
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Oil on canvas laid on board, created in 1938-01-01

Self portrait 1938
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self portrait 1932
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Oil on composition board, created in 1956-01-01

Self portrait 1956
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Oil on canvas, created in 1775-01-01

Self portrait c.1780
Artwork The plasterer (self-portrait) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph, sepia-toned on paper, created in 1933-01-01

The plasterer (self-portrait) c.1938
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Pen and brown ink on cream wove paper on cardboard, created in 1948-01-01

Self portrait 1948
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Self-portrait, Harbin, Heilongjiang province, 17 July 1967 (from 'Red-colour news soldier' portfolio) 1967, printed 2008
Artwork Four finger exercise for two hands this artwork made of Photo-relief etching from lino on paper, created in 1982-01-01

Four finger exercise for two hands 1982
Artwork Self portrait (non objective composition) brown (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) this artwork made of Woodblock print on paper, created in 1988-01-01

Self portrait (non objective composition) brown (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) 1988
Artwork Self portrait (non objective composition) red (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) this artwork made of Woodblock print on paper, created in 1988-01-01

Self portrait (non objective composition) red (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) 1988
Artwork Self portrait (non objective composition) ultramarine blue (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) this artwork made of Woodblock print on paper, created in 1988-01-01

Self portrait (non objective composition) ultramarine blue (from 'AUS Australien' 1988 portfolio) 1988
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Ink on paper, created in 1978-01-01

Self portrait c.1980
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Ink on paper, created in 1978-01-01

Self portrait c.1980
Artwork Self portrait this artwork made of Ink on paper, created in 1978-01-01

Self portrait c.1980

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