Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart reportedly wants to oust yet another portrait of herself from Australia’s National Gallery in the painting equivalent of saying, “omg ew, delete it – I look gross”.
The second portrait was completed in 2018 by the same Archibald-winning artist as the initial controversial collection “Australia in colour”, Vincent Namatjira. The ink and pencil artwork is part of a broader collection of 16 portraits entitled the “Australia black and white”.
Also featured among those subjects are media mogul Rupert Murdoch, former AFL footballer Adam Goodes, former PM Julia Gillard and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. The full 2018 collection can be viewed here.
Per the Sydney Morning Herald, the push to get the second portrait yeeted out of the gallery (along with the first) comes from those who have enjoyed the financial support of the billionaire. This group, which includes Swimming Queensland boss Kevin Hasemann and Rio Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers, were enlisted by the mining magnate’s company, Hancock Prospecting, to lead the community campaign.
“Two portraits of our patron, Mrs Gina Rinehart AO, are of deep concern to us because they are offensive to Mrs Rinehart.” said a letter co-penned by the two men.
Rinehart has paid more than $40 million in sponsorships to Australian swimmers through her company via the Hancock Prospecting Swimmer Support Scheme.
Not all the subjects of Namatjira’s work have qualms, however.
Adam Goodes, who appears in both the 2018 and 2024 collections, doesn’t have the slightest issue with being depicted.
“An artist’s view on the world is what it is,” the Brownlow medallist said on Friday. “I have always loved the lens that Vincent has on our world.”
Good on ya, Goodesy.
Namatjira released the following statement in response to the backlash toward the most recent collection:
“People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’ I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant.”
Rinehart’s efforts to get both portraits taken down have so far been unsuccessful.
The post A Second, Arguably Funnier Portrait Of Gina Rinehart Has Emerged & She Wants This One Gone Too appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
