Through the lenses of over 50 artists, 100 faces brings together 100 works drawn from three photographic collections to explore the portrait in its many forms, as well as what it means to collect portraiture both publicly and privately.

This exhibition draws from two private Melbourne collections, belonging to the Harris and Rosenthal families. Works from these collections have been placed in conversation with our significant public collection to reveal a rich diversity of faces. From celebrities and cultural figures to anonymous individuals caught unawares on the street, this exhibition features works by major Australian and international artists.

Covering a vast timespan, from the 1860s to today, 100 faces encompasses a range of styles and approaches, including staged studio portraiture as well as candid street photography. While many of the artists in this exhibition use portraiture to capture specific people and faces, others adopt the genre to explore broader themes, such as time, death, intimacy, personal and cultural identity, as well as the history of representation.

Artists: Leonce Raphael Agbodjelou, Tony Albert, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Brook Andrew, Atong Atem, Jack Cato, Katthy Cavaliere, Harold Cazneaux, IJ Chidley, Maree Clarke, Nancy Cohen, Michael Cook, Olive Cotton, Paul Cox, Max Dupain, Rennie Ellis, Andre Evinson, Sue Ford, Gisèle Freund, Thomas Skelton Glaister, Nan Goldin, Ezra Goulter, Katy Grannan, Ren Hang, Brendan Hennessy, Bill Henson, Mark Ivan Hinderaker, Ruth Hollick, Zhang Huan, Carol Jerrems, Yousuf Karsh, André Kertesz, Shea Kirk, Christopher Köller, Jacques-Henri Lartigue, John William Lindt, Ruth Maddison, Ricky Maynard, Rod McNicol, Georgia Metaxas, Lisette Model, David Moore, May Moore, Lewis Morley, Shirin Neshat, Helmut Newton, George Perry, Émilie Réignier, Francis Reiss, Michael Riley, Athol Shmith, Geoffrey Smith, Paul Strand, Mark Strizic, Sofia Tekela-Smith, Christian Thompson, Lyndal Walker, Weegee

Curators: Angela Connor, MGA Senior Curator and Stella Loftus-Hills, MGA Curator