Year 2-4 Portraits - Hamley Bridge Primary School

Western Arrernte artist Vincent Namatjira was born in 1983, Alice Springs, Northern Territory. He spent most of his childhood in Perth and returned to Hermannsburg after he finished high school. It was not until he returned to Hermannsburg that Vincent learnt about his famous great-grandfather, Albert Namatjira and family of renowned artists.

Vincent Namatjira began painting with his wife at Iwantja Arts, in the Indulkana Community, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the north-west of South Australia. With the help of his wife he first started painting in a traditional dot painting style and after a few years he felt confident to paint a portrait of his great-grandfather Albert Namatjira. Vincent has continued to develop his distinctive figurative style, expressively painting portraits of politicians, historical figures and members of his family and community.

Hamley Bridge Students Respond to Vincent Namatjira

In 2023, Hamley Bridge Primary School visited AGSA to see Tarnanthi, which included the survey exhibition Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Colour. This exhibition showcased Namatjira's expanding artistic practice and brought together paintings, works on paper and moving image from public and private collections nationwide.

Back in the classroom, and beyond 2023, their teacher has continued to weave Vincent Namatjira into the classroom. The year 2-4 students looked at portraiture with the theme of power. They examined the work Australia in Colour, a series of 21 portraits depicting significant people including politicians, historical figures, athletes and musicians from Australia and overseas. In groups they discussed the idea of power and debated which figures they classified as a 'villain' or 'hero' - and why. The students then spent the term practising their drawing and painting skills, working towards creating their own three dimensional double-sided self portrait, akin to Namatjira's Close Contact.