After a sell out 2010 season at Sydney’s Belvoir Street Theatre, 2011 is another exciting year with a National tour to some incredible locations!

Visit the venue links to book your tickets. See further below for the show’s synopsis, credits & tech specs.

International Community Arts Festival, (Workshop presentation) Rotterdam, Holland.

30th March – 4th April

Creative development and showing in Roebourne, WA.

18th July – 30th July

Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne, VIC.

10th August – 28th August

Drum Theatre at Dandenong Town Hall, Dandenong, VIC.

1 September – 4th September

Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong, Victoria.

8th September – 10 September

Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra, ACT.

14 September – 17th September

Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong, NSW.

21 September – 24th September

Northern Rivers Performing Arts Group, Lismore, NSW.

30 September – 1 October

]]> http://www.namatjira.bighart.org/blog/1098/feed/ 0 http://www.namatjira.bighart.org/blog/1090/ http://www.namatjira.bighart.org/blog/1090/#comments Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:48:04 +0000 Cecily http://www.namatjira.bighart.org/blog/1090/ Welcome to the Namatjira Project online.

Do you know Albert?

“Unta itja kaltja namalanga, atha nganha ilama. Albert-anha itja nama relhaka rretnya”

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Our 2011 tour of Namatjira is just about the kick off… come and see the show!

Click on these links to the theatres and book your tickets instantly.

10 -28 August,  Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne

1- 4 September,  DRUM Theatre, Dandenong

8 – 10 September, Geelong Performing Arts Centre, Geelong

14- 17 September, Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra

21 – 24 September, Merrigong Theatre Co., IPAC, Wollongong

30 September – 1 October, NORPA, Lismore.

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Ivy from Sophia Marinos on Vimeo.

WHAT’S NEW: Read about our the project’s trips ‘On Country,’ painting with the Namatjira family, on the blog page…. Check out the new photos on the right!

Watch this interview from October 2010 with Trevor Jamieson, Derik Lynch and Wayne Blair by ABC’s Fenella Kernebone, in association with ART+SOUL at the Art Gallery of NSW.

In the news…

The Namatjira project’s Composer, Musician and Virtuoso Genevieve Lacey in the Sydney Morning Herald:

Recorder given a second wind

by Robin Usher, The Sydney Morning Herald  June 21, 2011.

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Exhibiting watercolour painter Kevin Wirri about life in town camps:

He never won the battle but is still fighting

By Michael Gordon, The Age June 7, 2011.

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The show comes to Lismore:

Journey of Namatjira takes to the stage

By Helen Hawkes, Northern Star May 30, 2011.

Do you know Albert? “Unta itja kaltja namalanga, atha nganha ilama. Albert-anha itja nama relhaka rretnya”
I’ll let you in on a secret… ‘Albert’ is not actually a traditional name…

Come and explore…

The Namatjira project is the theatre show Namatjira and accompanying art exhibition, as well as a creative community development process happening on the ground in Alice Springs and Hermannsburg community. On our website you can read the latest news about the activities of the project, and have a look at our photos of all the different project activities happening here. In these pages you can find out about Albert Namatjira, learn about the history of the project below, our events and performances, and read media articles on the project, as well as get regular updates on the project and thoughts from key creative members. Before any of that, here is a brand new short film hot of the press from the Namatjira Project. Check it out!

Want to see more films and info about them? Go to our Vimeo Channel here.

Project History

8 August 2009 marked fifty years since  internationally acclaimed watercolour artist and Western Aranda man, Albert Namatjira, passed away. The Namatjira project is a celebration of his life and legacy: it is a creative community development project, an original, critically acclaimed  theatrical work, and accompanying touring watercolour exhibitions.

The project is run by award winning arts and social change company, Big hART. It emerged as a legacy to the Ngapartji Ngapartji project, through which we have worked with Indigenous communities in the Central Desert region since 2005. The Namatjira story came to the attention of writer/director Scott Rankin as a result of working with Elton Wirri, a a kinship grandson of Albert’s. Elton, now 21, has worked on Ngapartji Ngapartji since he was 14 years old, and toured the country with the performance piece, receiving applause from audiences for his chalk drawings depicting Western Aranda landscapes.

Elton Wirri creating the scenic landscape during Namatjira at Belvoir, Sydney 2010.

The project consists of ongoing creative development workshops with Artists from the Namatjira watercolour tradition, and their families and friends. The workshops include facilitated storytelling sessions, on-country painting trips, performance and leadership workshops. Early in the project we presented a Celebration of the Life of Albert Namatjira, which involved the theatrical work-in-progress, songs from the Ntaria Ladies Choir and Archie Roach, as well as a preview of the accompanying watercolour exhibition, at the Araluen Centre, Alice Springs on the 7th and 8th of August, 2010.

From there, the show Namatjira moved on to premier at Sydney’s Belvoir Street Theatre, in September 2010, co-produced by Company B, one of Australia’s leading theatre companies and most prestigious venues. The  season sold out and was a huge critical success, check out our media page for reviews. The accompanying watercolour exhibition was so popular at Sydney’s Birrung Gallery that Big hART was compelled to schedule a second exhibition at Damien Minton Annex Gallery. Due to the huge success of the 2010 premier season, Namatjira then embarked on a 9 week tour in 2011, through Melbourne, Geelong, Dandenong, Canberra. Wollongong and Lismore.

The Namatjira project is made in partnership with Ngurratjuta Many Hands Art Centre, which represents many of Albert Namatjira’s descendants, including six of the eight members of his family who toured as part of the cast of Namatjira. They were: Lenie Namatjira, Betty Wheeler, Mostyn Kantilja, Ivy Pareroultja, Kevin Namatjira, Gloria Pannka,  Hilary Wirri, and Elton Wirri.

Big hART is adamant that the project work to the benefit of the Namatjira family and is constantly working towards ensuring the positive outcomes of the project are sustainable and ongoing.

On August 11 2011 Big hART helped the Ntaria Ladies Choir and community launch their new CD Tjina Kngarra (The Best of Friends) at the event Aramala Wutjika (While looking, Listening). A huge event, watched by over 200 of the community, it was live webcast to an audience of over 600 at Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre. What’s the amazing thing? This CD would not have been possible without the support and donations of Friends of the Namatjira Project. To find out more about the Friends group please read on below.

The Ntaria Ladies Choir singing to launch their new CD Tjina Kngarra

To purchase a copy of this CD click here and follow the link to Tracks of the Desert

Become a friend!

Donate now and be part of the action!

Due to the extraordinary interest of the Australian public in the story of the Namatjira family, the group Friends of the Namatjira Project was launched as part of the premier season of Big hART‘s show Namatjira.

By becoming a Friend of the Namatjira Project you will be kept up to date and given the opportunity to contribute to the important work that Big hART is doing with the Namatjira family and Western Aranda communuties, including:

• Workshops so the Namatjira painters can teach their children and grandchildren to paint

• Trips so the Namatjira watercolour painters to paint ‘on-country’

• Assisting the Namatjira family to continue to tour with the production

How do I sign up? Easy. Email us, and include your  email and postal address:  namatjiranewsletter@bighart.org

Helpful Friends:

The Friends of the Namatjira Project has instigated a donation system. If you cast your eyes in the top right hand corner of this box you will spy the DONATE button. Take your chance to support the exciting initiatives happening with the Namatjira family and their communities in 2011.

Note: Big hART is a not-for-profit organisation with Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status with the Australian Tax Office. All donations are secure payments through Paypal.

Some of our first friends include:

Robyn Archer

Kerry Armstrong

Robert Hannaford

Archie Roach

Garry Shead

Jack Thompson

The story  of Albert Namatjira and the Hermannsburg Watercolour Artists

by Damien Kamholtz, in collaboration with Lenie Namatjira & her family, David Roennfeldt, and the children of Ntaria (Hermannsburg).

This beautiful full colour bilingual picture book tells the story of Albert Namatjira through the paintings of children from his home Ntaria (Hermannsburg). The book says “He was acclaimed across the world as a watercolour artist. He met leaders of great nations. But his heart was always to be with his family, in his home country. Written with young people in mind in English and Arrarata (his native language)”.

All proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to the Ntaria School.  If you wish to buy a copy please contact Namatjira Associate Producer Cecily for payment details at cecilybighart@gmail.com.au or 0n 02 9557 3076.

Big hART’s new Community Producer Shannon Huber decribes her first On Country watercolour expedition with the Namatjira family painters.

Namatjira great great grand daughter Levina learning how to paint

Following on from the sell out critical success of Namatjira at Belvoir in Sydney 2010, Big hART’s Namatijra Project is already in full swing for another stellar year. As well as a nine week interstate tour kicking off in August, Big hART continues to work in Alice Springs and Ntaria (Hermannsburg) N.T., with the Namatjira family, as they continue to paint and tell more of their story.

Leading up to theatre show and full watercolour exhibitions in August, the Namatjira family watercolour artists have been engaging in On Country watercolour workshops, which sees them travel out to the scenic and rugged landscapes of their Western Arrarnta country in the Central Australian Desert. Often painting from memory, the artists relish the opportunity to paint ‘On Country’, where they can paint surrounded by the sights and sounds of their subject.

This year Big hART welcomes their new Alice Springs based Community Producer Shannon Huber, who went out with the artists last week for the first On Country watercolour workshop for 2011. They started off from Ntaria (Hermannsburg), with family of the iconic watercolour artist Albert Namatjira taking Big hART out to Finke River to paint in the tradition of their grandfather.  The workshops are an opportunity for the artists to spend time in the places the great Albert would paint and, as he did, capture the stunning beauty of the MacDonnell ranges in the their unique watercolour style.  With the heavy rain that has soaked Central Australia recently the Finke River was teeming with fish and the desert was bursting with green.

Ivy Pareroultja, kinship granddaughter of Albert Namatjira and a skilled watercolour artist in her own right, said “It always feels like we are coming home when we come out here.”  Ivy toured with the award winning play Namatjira to Sydney last year and took part on stage.  Her and cousin Lenie Namatjira, a senior family member and granddaughter of Albert, both regularly paint at the Ngurratjuta Many Hands Art Centre in Alice Springs where they live. They plan to tour again with the show this year and take part in the telling of their grandfather’s story.

On Country workshops are part of Big hART’s ongoing work with the Namatjira family and Ntaria (Hermannsburg) community, encouraging and supporting community members to develop their skills as artists and own the rich cultural history of their area. The workshops will be happening every four weeks throughout 2011 and are a chance for those with a connection to Albert Namatjira and his country to come, sit down, learn from each other and paint the peaceful beauty of the Western Arrarnta country.

Shannon Huber and Lenie Namatjira making roo tail and snags for lunch

This week Trevor Jamieson had the honour of performing Big hART’s Ngapartji Ngapartji – One to officially open the 2011 International Community Arts Festival in Rotterdam. He is joined by performer Derek Lynch, Creative Director Scott Rankin, Creative Producers Sophia Marinos, Deb Myers and Chris Saunders, as well as others in the Big hART team who are there showcasing 4 of Big hART’s projects; Namtajira, The Pilbara Project, Northcott Narratives and Ngapartji Ngapartji.  Watch this video below, see Trevor and Derek, and  other activities from the festival, or for more details why not pay them a visit at the ICAF website. Below this you can find a film and info about the Namatjira Project.

Artwork by Jen Allison

It’s a happy time for Big hARTers… recently collaborators from 4 different Big hART projects came together in the Pilbara, in preparation for the International Community Arts Festival in Rotterdam, Holland, this month. Big hART creatives including the Namatjira team and creatives from the Northcott Narratives project and Ngapartji Ngapartji are gathered at the home base of our newest initiative – the Pilbara Project, for a meeting of the minds. A rich communal flow of creative juices was cultivated as they prepared for the festival opening performance of Ngapartji Ngapartji – One performed by Trevor Jamieson. This will be preceeded by a message from Lord Mayor Clover Moore, beemed all the way from Sydney Town Hall! Following the festival opening, Big hART will present 3 other projects including Namatjira for the ICAF program. For more details on the festival visit the ICAF website. Check out our festival flyer!

Artwork by Jen Allison