Modern art by Aboriginal Australian student to temporarily replace traditional portraits in College hall

28 January 2013

Trinity College is using its hall to exhibit a student’s art work for the first time in its 450 year history, and all are invited to view the display.

Contemporary works by Christian Thompson, a Charlie Perkins Scholar and one of the first Aboriginal Australians to be accepted to the University of Oxford, will temporarily replace formal portraits that have hung in the Hall for many years, including Pitt the Elder and Cardinal Newman.  The large scale photographic works date from 2003 to 2010.

Sir Ivor Roberts, President of the College, stated: “Trinity College was delighted to admit Christian Thompson in 2010, a young artist with a growing reputation, to study the history of art. To support  him, the Fellows of the College agreed unanimously to make the Hall available for this exhibition.

“Christian’s work is undoubtedly contemporary and strikingly different from the formal portraits that people associate with Oxford colleges. I doubt that many or any college Halls will have been transformed in the same way as Trinity’s. We hope that visitors to the exhibition will enjoy it. It is particularly appropriate that the exhibition opens on Australia Day.”

Christian Thompson said: “Trinity College has been very welcoming to me and I am delighted to be able to use the Hall for this survey exhibition.” 

The exhibition will run from Saturday 26th January until Friday 8th February and will be open to the public during normal College opening hours.

For further information, contact Kevin Knott, Estates Bursar, Trinity College on 01865 279880 or Kevin.knott@trinity.ox.ac.uk