IN THE GALLERY: Vincent Namatjira

Vincent Namatjira

10 Feb - 1 Mar 2016

THIS IS NO FANTASY + dianne tanzer gallery is excited to present Vincent Namatjira’s first solo exhibition in Melbourne.

“I’m interested in people and their stories, and how someone from today is connected with the past. I like to paint people who are famous, and paint them here in my community, painting them in the desert puts them into an unexpected place. The politicians, the royal family, Captain Cook; they’ve all had an impact on peoples lives in Australia, for good or for bad. I’m not being aggressive or saying they’re right or wrong, I’m just looking at them, observing them. Taking the seriousness out of the past, taking the seriousness out of this country’s achievements and mistakes.”
– Vincent Namajira, 2016

Namatjira´s imagery calls on Australia’s colonial history, with recurring references to Captain Cook and the Queen, and on contemporary aspects of Indigenous life. His observational works also chart his personal history and his investigatory search for identity.