Title
Stand strong for who you are
2020
Artist
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Details
- Other Title
- Sitter: Adam Goodes - former professional Australian rules footballer
- Place where the work was made
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Indulkana
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South Australia
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Australia
- Date
- 2020
- Media category
- Painting
- Materials used
- acrylic on linen
- Dimensions
- 152.0 x 198.0 x 3.0 cm
- Credit
- Mollie Gowing Acquisition fund for Contemporary Aboriginal Art 2020
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 159.2020
- Copyright
- © Vincent Namatjira
- Archibald Prize
- Winner - 2020
- Artist information
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Vincent Namatjira
Works in the collection
- Share
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About
Vincent Namatjira is the first Aboriginal artist to win the Archibald prize in its 99-year history. This brilliant work speaks to racism in a time of global unrest. Purposefully using the colours of the Aboriginal flag as a symbol of resilience, strength and defiance, Namatjira seeks to highlight his pride in being Aboriginal, while showing great respect to Adam Goodes, with whom he has many shared experiences. Throughout his playing career the AFL footballer Adam Goodes suffered racial taunts and abuse, with the extent of this being exposed in the 2019 documentaries The Final Quarter and The Australian Dream. Knowing more of Goodes’ personal experiences through The Final Quarter, Namatjira was inspired to create this work.
‘We share some similar stories and experiences – of disconnection from culture, language and Country, and the constant pressures of being an Aboriginal man in this country. We’ve also both got young daughters and don’t want them to have to go through those same experiences.
‘When I was younger and growing up in the foster system in Perth, Indigenous footballers were like heroes to me. Goodesy is much more than a great footballer though, he took a strong stand against racism and said, “enough is enough”. I stand strong with you too, brother.’ Vincent Namatjira 2020.Art centre documentation also states:
‘Vincent originally planned a straightforward composition for the portrait but changed his mind while talking to Adam when he was sketching him. Their shared experiences created a bond of pride and strength, so he wanted both artist and sitter in the painting, standing strong and proud together. Vincent said that’s how ‘Goodesy’ shook my hand when we first met – his way of saying ‘we might be from different places, but we’re brothers’.
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Exhibition history
Shown in 3 exhibitions
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes (2020), Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 26 Sep 2020–10 Jan 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, Murwillumbah, 22 Jan 2021–07 Mar 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Cairns Art Gallery, Cairns, 19 Mar 2021–02 May 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Griffith Regional Art Gallery, , 14 May 2021–27 Jun 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, 09 Jul 2021–14 Aug 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, New South Wales, 12 Oct 2021–06 Nov 2021
Archibald Prize Regional Tour (2020), Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, Emu Plains, 20 Nov 2021–09 Jan 2022
Vincent Namatjira: Australia in colour, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, 20 Oct 2023–21 Jan 2024
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Bibliography
Referenced in 2 publications
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Bruce Johnson McLean, Iwantja, 'An Apologetically Aboriginal Interrogation of Contemporary Life', pg. 130-135, Port Melbourne, 2023, 135 (colour illustration).
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Vincent Namatjira (Artist), Vincent Namatjira, 2023, 62, (colour illustration), 63, 64 - 65 (colour illustration).
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