The National Portrait Gallery in Canberra is set to compile the most iconic portraits of celebrities dressed in various states of undress for an exhibition – “Bare: Degrees of Undress“.
Skin-baring portraits of Michael Hutchence from INXS, legendary Australian band Sherbet, Ian Thorpe, Dame Edna Everage, Billy Slater, Germaine Greer and Megan Gale are just a four of more than 90 portraits set to be displayed at the gallery.
Michael Hutchence’s bare-chest is on display in a 1997 image by photographer Polly Borland while Sherbet’s photograph by Lewis Morley captures them completely naked, in their prime.
“Bareness is not as extreme as nakedness and not as refined as nudity. Bareness emphasises something about a subject’s identity as well as reflecting society,” said exhibition curator Penelope Grist in a statement.
“The decision to uncover part, or all, of the body in a portrait is at least as significant as a choice of clothing. Visitors to Bare will see these portraits in a completely new way.”
The exhibition will be accompanied by a production titled “Skin” which will be held at Canberra’s Youth Theatre.
The exhibition is set to open Friday 14th August and will run right through until 15th November. Entry is free.
See some more images from the exhibition, below.
Sherbet /Photo By Lewis Morley 1974
