For the first time 10 years of work by acclaimed portrait artist Vincent Namatjira will be on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia. It's part of the nation's leading annual festival of contemporary First Nations' art Tarnathi.
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00:00 A paintbrush and a sharp wit are this award-winning Western Aranda artist's weapons of choice.
00:07 "These paintings are people that I'm trying to bring down and place on my country where their power is stripped away from them."
00:16 For the first time, ten years of Namajira's work will be on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia
00:23 as part of the statewide Tarnanthi Festival featuring around 1,500 First Nations artists from across the continent.
00:31 Known for his wry take on politics, the 40-year-old became the first Aboriginal person
00:37 to win the prestigious Archibald Prize in 2020 for his portrait of Adam Goodes.
00:44 The year before, he took home the sought-after Ramsey Gong for this tongue-in-cheek, double-sided self-portrait featuring Captain Cook.
00:52 He says his artwork is about grappling with identity and putting himself in other people's shoes while allowing others to walk in his.
01:01 But his trademark humour is also a way of grappling with heavier truths.
01:07 "To look at the history of this country, to ask who has the power and why."
01:16 The festival's offerings this year also include artist talks, workshops, film and music at venues across South Australia until the end of January.
01:26 It will also see the return of the art fair after it went online during the pandemic.
01:31 "This is a really timely opportunity for people to be able to engage not only with works of art but to be able to also meet people and speak to them one-on-one."
01:42 "What I see today in this country is that the way it's changing and progressing and we all need to be connected and equal."
01:49 Forging a way ahead by pushing boundaries.
01:52 boundaries.
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