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A monochrome photographic portrait of four men with candid expressions wearing suits.

Power suits: The fit within the frame

Next on tomorrow from 10:00am to 5:00pm

Power suits: The fit within the frame

A monochrome photographic portrait of four men with candid expressions wearing suits.

Overview

Dressed to impress and tailored to turn heads, the suit is ubiquitous in portraiture, used to confer power, achievement and authority. But what else does it say about the subject?

Celebrate the fashion icon in the Gallery's collection exhibition Power suits: The fit within the frame. In a playful display of more than 100 collection works and select loans, meet significant Australians in their finest from Johnny O'Keefe, Sherbet, Michael Hutchence and Nicole Kidman to influential judges, politicians, entrepreneurs and scientists. Spanning the 1930s to today, the exhibition includes painting, photography and mixed-media by artists such as Judy Cassab, Clifton Pugh and Max Dupain as well as contemporary works by Atong Atem, Romance Was Born and Michael Cook. Unpicking the wardrobe staple, the exhibition explores the evolution of power dressing and how it reflects changing perceptions of status and identity.

Image: The Boys Next Door, 1978 Michel Lawrence. © Michel Lawrence

Dates

16 May 2026 – 23 May 2027
May 2026
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June 2026
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July 2026
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August 2026
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September 2026
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October 2026
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November 2026
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December 2026
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January 2027
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February 2027
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March 2027
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April 2027
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May 2027
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National Portrait GalleryKing Edward Terrace, Parkes, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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When

Next on tomorrow from 10:00am to 5:00pm

Where

National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes

Price

Free

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