Billionaire mining magnate Gina Rinehart has ordered one of Australia’s leading art galleries to remove an “unflattering” portrait of her painted by an award-winning artist.
Australia’s richest person approached the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra in April to have Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira’s painting removed from public view.
Hancock Prospecting’s executive chair was one of 21 Australian icons portrayed by the Archibald Prize winner for his ‘Australia in Colour’ exhibition.
The “ingenious” artist portrayed Mrs. Rinehart with a horrified expression on her face and without a clear jawline.
The portrait was erected alongside other personalities represented by Namatjira, including outlaw bandit Ned Kelly, former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, late indigenous rights campaigner Eddie Mabo, AFL legend Adam Goodes and the original leader of ACDC, Bon Scott.
Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart (pictured), has pressured the National Gallery of Australia to remove an unflattering portrait of her currently on display.
It is understood Ms Rinehart directly approached NGA director Nick Mitzevich and president Ryan Stokes to demand the portrait be removed.
She is listed as a “friend” of the NGA on the fan page after making a donation to the gallery of up to $9,999.
But his request was rejected after the gallery refused to let its artistic vision be influenced by the opinion of a member of the public.
Since then, the gallery has received more than a dozen complaints from people connected to Hancock Prospecting in the weeks since the denied application, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
He also received complaints from Australian athletes sponsored by Ms Rinehart.
Some of those complaints claimed that the gallery was “doing the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party” by refusing to remove the painting.
The NGA decided not to give in to Ms Rinehart’s request and kept the portrait (pictured) of Archibald Prize winner Vincent Namatjira on display.
A friend of Mr. Namatjira who helped with a piece for the exhibition criticized the athletes for attempting to remove the artwork.
“If Olympic swimmers think they have that much decision-making power over the National Gallery, maybe Vincent and I should spend more time in the pool,” Ben Quilty told the publication.
The gallery praised Mr Namatjira for being “famous for producing paintings packed with dry wit” who rose to prominence as a “celebrated portraitist and satirical chronicler of Australian identity”.
The gallery described the exhibition itself as a “tongue-in-cheek look at the politics of history, power and leadership from a contemporary Aboriginal perspective.”
The gallery added that it “welcomes the public to a dialogue about our collection and exhibitions.”
Rinehart is one of 21 Australian icons portrayed by Namatjira in his ‘Australia in Colour’ exhibition, which also includes Ned Kelly, Julia Gillard, Adam Goodes, Eddie Mabo and Bon Scott.
“Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic debate about the artistic merits of works in the national collection and/or on view at the gallery,” Mitzevich said in a statement.
“We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the National Gallery and Gina Rinehart through Hancock Prospecting for comment.