PM Anthony Albanese gifts Pope Leo XIV artwork by Victor Harbor artist Amanda Westley

An SA artist was surprised to wake to news that one of her paintings had been given to Pope Leo XIV by the Prime Minister.

A Victor Harbor artist had “no idea” that one of her paintings had been gifted to Pope Leo XIV by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese until she woke to social media messages on Tuesday.

Ngarrindjeri artist Amanda Westley said she initially thought the news was a prank.

“I thought it was fake … I thought it was a joke, to be honest. The photo was such good quality, I thought that it must be AI generated.”

A painting by Victor Harbor artist Amanda Westley is given Pope Leo XIV by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during an audience in The Vatican. Picture: Vatican Media

Raukkan (Meeting Place) by Ngarrindjeri artist Amanda Westley was given to Pope Leo XIV by the PM. Picture: Vatican Media.

Ngarrindjeri artist Amanda Westley. Picture: Gallery M

Mr Albanese gave the work, titled Raukkan (Meeting Place), to the Pope when the two met at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on Monday.

Ms Westley said that two of her works, including Raukkan, had been purchased by the Federal Government from a Canberra gallery “a couple of years ago”.

“It didn’t say where they were going or what they were for. Then it’s popped up as a gift for the Pope,” she said.

“I’m not sure what they’re planning to do with the second one.”

The mother of two, 39, said she felt honoured but was “very proud” for the Ngarrindjeri people to be represented on the international stage.

“I think it’s huge for Ngarrindjeri mob,” she said. “It’s an actual place, the Point McLeay mission, that was handed back and retitled Raukkan.”

Westley’s work is currently part of an exhibition at Marion’s Gallery M, and will be in another group show at Artworx Gallery in Goolwa during the SALA Festival in August.