Art is subjective. And while many artists are eager to share their work with the world, there is no guarantee that audiences will understand or even love it. This also applies to artist Vincent Namatjira's painting of Australia's richest woman, mining magnate Gina Rinehart.
Rinehart has called on the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) to remove her portrait, one of 21 separate works that make up a single piece in Namatjira's Australia in Color exhibition, from the exhibition, CNN reports.
Other subjects of his work include the late Queen Elizabeth II, American musician Jimi Hendrix, Aboriginal rights activist Vincent Lingiari, and former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Australian media reported that Rinehart had written to the director and chairman of the NGA asking for the painting to be removed.
In a statement, Namatjira said he paints "people who are rich, powerful or important - people who have influenced this country and me personally, directly or indirectly, for good or bad." “I paint the world as I see it,” he said. "People don't necessarily like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, 'Why did this Aboriginal guy paint such powerful people? What is he trying to say?’”
“Some people may not like it, others may find it funny, but I hope people will look deeper and see the serious side,” Namatjira added.
Rinehart is the executive chairman of Hancock Prospecting, a private mining company founded by her father, Lang Hancock. According to Forbes, Rinehart's net worth is estimated at $30.2 billion.
The National Association of Visual Arts of Australia (NAVA) expressed support for Namatjira, CNN affiliate 9News reported. “While Rinehart has the right to express her opinion about the work, she does not have the authority to pressure the gallery to remove the painting simply because she doesn’t like it,” NAVA executive director Penelope Benton said. NAVA is concerned that Rinehart's request to remove the portrait "sets a dangerous precedent for censorship and the suppression of creative expression."
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