Supporters defend artist behind Gina Rinehart portrait after calls for its removal

Supporters of Western Australian artist Vincent Namatjira OAM have backed his right to artistic freedom amid demands for the withdrawal of his work from the National Gallery of Australia.

Today, the National Association for the Visual Arts said, "While Rinehart has the right to express her opinions about the work, she does not have the authority to pressure the gallery into withdrawing the painting simply because she dislikes it".Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has issued repeated calls for Namatjira's series of caricatures called "Australia in Colour" to be removed from the gallery over his depiction of Rinehart .

"Freedom of Expression is a universal human right highly valued by artists," NAVA Executive Director Penelope Benton said.They said his installation of paintings "offered a critical exploration of Australia's complex colonial history and its ties to the British Empire through subversive wit and caricature".

His subjects in the 2021 work include the late Queen Elizabeth II, Cathy Freeman, and Captain Cook alongside his own self-portrait.Vincent Namatjira with Vincent Namatjira: Australia in colour, installation view, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, 2024

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