Vincent Namatjira, the great-grandson of renowned Aboriginal painter Albert Namatjira, has painted a series of portraits of the seven most recent prime ministers for the TarraWarra Biennial. A descendant of renowned landscape artist Albert Namatjira, he is known for his idiosyncratic … Originally exhibited during the 2016 Tarrawarra Biennale and now on display at the Adelaide Town Hall, this series depicts Australia’s last seven Prime Ministers, from Bob Hawke to the aforementioned Turnbull – all the leaders who have held power during … He is the great-grandson of the Arrente watercolour artist Albert Namatjira
Vincent NAMATJIRA, Western Arrernte people, Australia b.1983 / Seven Leaders (series) 2016 / Arthur Roe Collection, Melbourne / © The artist / Image courtesy: The artist, Iwantja Arts and THIS IS NO FANTASY
The second series features the seven tjilpi (senior law men and leaders) of his community, and the third series is of the seven richest Australians. This experience inspired his 2014 Archibald Prize entry, Albert and Vincent 2014. In fact, none of Australia’s recent leaders are looking their best in Vincent Namatjira’s series of Prime Ministerial portraits. Albert and Vincent is the result of the artist’s visit to the Gallery in May 2014 to view the Collection work Portrait of Albert Namatjira 1956 by Sir William Dargie. In May 2014, Vincent Namatjira visited the Queensland Art Gallery to see the watercolours of his great-grandfather, Albert Namatjira, one of Australia’s most recognised Indigenous artists. Vincent Namatjira OAM (born 1983) is an Aboriginal Australian artist living in Indulkana, in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY lands) in South Australia.His work has been nominated for the Archibald Prize several times, and won the Ramsay Art Prize in 2019.
606 Likes, 9 Comments - Art Monthly Australasia (@artmonthly) on Instagram: “Incisive portraiture by #VincentNamatjira (from the series ‘Prime Ministers’, ‘Seven Leaders’ and…” Vincent Namatjira, Mumu Mike Williams – Mimili Maku Arts, Mimili (from ‘Seven Leaders’ series), 2016, Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 7 panels: 91 x 67cm (each). Image courtesy: The artist, Iwantja Arts and THIS IS NO FANTASY. Namatjira also honoured Aboriginal celebrities and leaders in the series 'Legends', included in his solo show Legends at THIS IS NO FANTASY dianne tanzer + nicola stein in Melbourne in the summer of 2018, which showed portraits of singers Archie Roach and Gordon Bennett, political activist Eddie Mabo, and footballer Nicky Winmar, among others. As with the series, ‘The Richest’ (2017), which consists of portraits of seven of the wealthiest people in Australia, Namatjira’s political leaders all look frozen, dull behind the eyes, whiter than white, and as if battling an internal war with their fakery and greed. Vincent Namatjira, the great-grandson of acclaimed artist Albert Namatjira, wins the Ramsay Art Prize in Adelaide for his painting Close Contact.
Vincent Namatjira was born in 1983 in Alice Springs.
APT9 QAGOMA: Vincent Namatjira. Albert and Vincent is the result of the artist’s visit to QAG in May last year. Yet the subjects of his latest series of paintings have a much more contemporary flavour. Vincent Namatjira's works The Prime Ministers 2016, Seven Leaders 21016, and The Richest 2017 are included in the prestigious APT at the Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). Stretching from Iraq to Hawaii, 'The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT9) will bring new and significant art from across the region to Brisbane. Vincent Namatjira is represented by This is No Fantasy, 108-110 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne.
Image courtesy: The artist, Iwantja Arts and THIS IS NO FANTASY. But it was William Dargie’s 1956 Archibald Prize-winning portrait of his great-grandfather that affected him most. These portraits highlight issues of wealth, power and influence in Australian society. Vincent Namatjira, Mumu Mike Williams – Mimili Maku Arts, Mimili (from ‘Seven Leaders’ series), 2016, Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 7 panels: 91 x 67cm (each). He was keen to see William Dargie’s 1956 portrait of Albert Namatjira, which won the Archibald Prize.