Gina Rinehart demanded National Gallery ‘permanently dispose’ of Vincent Namatjira portraits
The billionaire mining magnate directly appealed for the two “so called” portraits by Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira to be taken down.
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Gina Rinehart demanded the National Gallery of Australia “permanently dispose” of two portraits of her by Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira, new emails have revealed.
The billionaire mining magnate made a direct appeal to National Gallery of Australia (NGA) chair, Ryan Stokes, in April.
In messages obtained by The Sydney Morning Herald under freedom-of-information (FOI) laws, Ms Rinehart asked for the “so called” portraits to be taken down.
“Pl (sic) permanently dispose of the 2 so called portraits of me,” she wrote to Stokes.
News.com.au has contacted Ms Rinehart through Hancock Prospecting for comment.
The portrait was part of Archibald Prize winner Namatjira’s since-closed exhibition, Vincent Namatjira: Australia in colour, which also included satirical portraits of Queen Elizabeth II, AFL great Adam Goodes, and former prime ministers Scott Morrison and Julia Gillard.
Namatjira’s exhibition had been open for more than a month when Ms Rinehart contacted Mr Stokes, who is also the CEO and managing director of Seven, after the portraits were brought to her attention.
Mr Stokes immediately referred the “interesting” missive to NGA director Nick Mitzevich, The Herald reports, writing that he was “not sure entirely how we respond”.
Hours later, he replied to Ms Rinehart that it “might be helpful … if the Director of the National Gallery speaks with someone” she nominated “to discuss the context and possible options”.
Dr Mitzevich advised Mr Stokes it would probably not be “helpful to enter into a debate on the artistic merits of the paintings”.
In another email, sent by Ms Rinehart to the two men on April 15 and previously released under FOI laws to The Guardian (though heavily redacted), said a “concerned friend” had alerted her of the paintings’ existence and urged the gallery to “plan differently”, though the context is unclear.
Dr Mitzevich responded two days later, and thanked Ms Rinehart, who is Australia’s richest person, for “her correspondence”.
“I am not sure if you have seen the exhibition in person, however I wanted to give you some further context,” he wrote.
“One of the portraits you referenced is part of a 21-panel painting, of 20 famous subjects with Vincent’s own self-portrait, all painted with a similar rawness reflecting the artist’s intention to convey that everyone in Australia is equal.”
Namatjira’s style is “certainly his own and he approaches a broad range of subjects with equanimity and humour”, Dr Mitzevich continued, adding that the NGA’s aim is to “present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art”.
“Sometimes these works may be unpopular or challenging.”
Dr Mitzevich also sent a warning to Federal Arts Minister Tony Burke that Ms Rinehart was “rallying” influential friends to voice complaints about the portrait.
The deluge of criticism from Ms Rinehart, her company Hancock Prospecting and her backers, including elite Australian swimmers Kyle Chalmers, Cate Campbell and Shayna Jack, was not enough to sway the NGA into removing the paintings. Since 2012, Ms Rinehart has poured almost $40 million into funding the pursuits of Australian swimmers through her company’s Hancock Prospecting Swimmer Support Scheme.
More than 26 emails were sent by the 70-year-old’s supporters, The Herald reports, describing her as “one of Australia’s most prestigious people” and calling for the portraits to be removed for their “disrespectful” and “extremely upsetting” portrayal of the miner.
“In my opinion, this artwork should be removed and replaced with a portrait celebrating her and all she has done and continues to do for Australia,” one said.
Not only was the campaign to have the portraits taken down unsuccessful – it also had the opposite effect.
Dr Mitzevich told a Senate estimates hearing in May that visitors to the NGA had grown 24 per cent since the story broke, while Ms Rinehart’s reported distaste at Namatjira’s work made international headlines across America, Europe and England.
Fellow Archibald Prize winner Blak Douglas applauded the NGA for standing its ground, saying in May that it was “evident (Ms Rinehart’s) narcissism has been challenged by one simple portrait”.
“One positive thing about exhibiting as a political artist is that by and large Australians have a great satirical appreciation,” he said.
“We are a nation of humorists and satirists and generally people will have a good chuckle about these things.”
Namatjira said at the time that he paints “the world as I see it”.
“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?’” he said.
“I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad.
“Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.”
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