Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Classes

Home: Aboriginal art from NSW – Michael Riley

Lesson 2 – portraiture

Explore artworks inspired by the practices of Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi artist Michael Riley

Student visual arts resource developed by The Arts Unit in collaboration with the Art Gallery of New South Wales

Years 5 and 6 visual arts

What will I learn?

In lesson 2 you will explore portraiture.

You will:

Before you begin

You will need:

Wiradjuri/Kamilaroi artist Michael Riley often photographed relatives within his community. The subjects sat however they wanted to sit and showed themselves however they wanted to be shown.

Watch the video Home program: Michael Riley - Portraiture and answer the following questions:

Home program: Michael Riley - Portraiture

Duration: 04:45

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this video may contain images of, and written reference to, people who have passed away.

Michael Riley Nanny Wright and Dog, 1990 from the series A common place: Portraits of Moree Murries UltraChrome pigment ink on Ilford Gold Mono Silk, 75.00 x 53.00 cm
Michael RileyNanny Wright and Dog, 1990from the series A common place: Portraits of Moree Murries 1990gelatin silver photograph55.0 x 39.0 cm© Michael Riley Foundation

2. Shoot your portraits

Shoot your own series of family portraits.

Invite your family members to decide their pose, expression, props and attire. Like Riley, you may consider shooting the portraits against a plain background.

Ask one of your family members to shoot your portrait.

Michael Riley Moree Women from the series A common place: Moree Murries, 1991
Michael Riley Moree Women, 1990from the series A common place: Portraits of Moree Murries 1990gelatin silver photograph39.0 x 55.0 cm© Michael Riley Foundation

3. Select and print your series

Michael Riley Will Burns from the series Yarns from Talbragar Reserve, 1998

Michael Riley Will Burns, from the series Yarns from Talbragar Reserve, 1998gelatin silver photograph51.0 x 61.0 cm© Michael Riley Foundation

Print each of the portraits.

Install the portraits as a series. You might consider installing them in a line or grid, in a photo album or on a wall.

Discuss what the series says about your family as individuals and as a whole. Does it reveal particular personalities, similarities, differences or memories?

Write a description about the experience of being photographed. Do you like being photographed? Does it make a difference to how you feel if you know the photographer well or not?

Congratulations! You have completed this Digital @ The Arts Unit Creative Class.

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