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| SEEING THE CENTRE The art of Albert Namatjira 1902 - 1959 Proudly sponsored by  |
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Introduction to the exhibition Albert Namatjira is one of Australia's best-known artists, whose landscape paintings are iconic images synonymous with the Australian outback. However, one hundred years after his birth on 28 July 1902, Namatjira has become both a national symbol and a scapegoat for the social policies and aesthetic prejudices of the time, his art virtually ignored by the mainstream Australian art world. Namatjira's paintings express his relationship with the Arrernte country, particularly the Western Arrernte lands, for which he was a traditional custodian. Through his intense scrutiny of specific places and his sensitive response to their individual qualities, Namatjira enables us to see the Centre as a multi-faceted region of Australia. A region of extremes, central Australia is far from a 'dead heart'. Water is a powerful presence; it is the central dynamic for change.
Its absence or presence is the source of much of the diversity of
visual forms and motifs that engaged Namatjira throughout his painting
career. The 'red heart' is a misnomer for a land in which
light and distance are key factors that shape perception, fragment
forms and transform colour. Namatjira developed a rich repertoire
of compositional devices to express his experience of being in this
world. In so doing, he expands our vision. He opens our eyes and
our senses to new ways of seeing the Centre. |
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Education notes
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Itinerary
* Exhibition dates are subject to change, please contact venue
before your visit. |
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