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…
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.
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.
Namatjira may not be on stage at the moment but it is a busy time for all of us in Sydney, Alice Springs, Melbourne and Tassie. Currently we are building towards our 2011 Australian tour and our presence in Rotterdam at the International Community Arts Festival from 30th of March to 4th April 2011. Here [...]
“Jamieson’s is a great virtuoso performance, channelling Namatjira into the the 21st century…” The Australian – 1 October 2010. Reviewed by John McCallum. “It doesn’t happen often, but sometimes, if I’m very, very lucky, a production or a performer comes along that stops me in my tracks – one that’s so undeniably good that I’m [...]
NEWS FLASH NAMATJIRA WINS 2 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS Congratulations to the Namatjira show’s Derek Lynch for winning Best Newcomer and Scott Rankin for Best New Australian Work at January’s Sydney Theatre Awards night. Namatjira. The show is already selling well in our tour locations. Now is the time to recommend the same unmissable and memorable experience you [...]
The Namatjira show has just completed its 2011 tour. A whirlwind of success, we saw sell out houses, critical acclaim, connected with community groups in 3 different states, and saw more of the Namatjira family come with us on tour. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the show we have now confirmed national tour dates [...]
Albert Namatjira is Australia’s most famous Indigenous watercolour artist but his story is hardly known. For example, did you know that Albert… was among the first Indigenous people to become an Australian citizen at a time when Indigenous people were still categorised as ‘flora and fauna’? was arrested for supplying alcohol to ‘Indigenous people’, who were [...]
After the raging success of this cross artform strategy in 2010 & 2011, get set for an incredible array of exhibitions alongside the tour of Namatjira in 2012! Ormiston Gorge in West McDonnell Ranges by Elton Wirri. Image courtesy of Ngurrajuta Art Centre. 2012 Exhibition Dates Coming soon… If you’re interested in catching the [...]
NEWS! Just look what our friends have made possible… 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 [...]
LOOK WHAT WE’VE JUST FOUND… 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 [...]
The Namatjira project would not be possible without the support of our partners: The Ngurratjuta Iltja Ntjarra ‘Many-Hands’ Art Centre represents 3rd generation Western Aranda watercolour artists who continue to paint in the tradition of their grandfather, Albert Namatjira. Many of the artists are Albert’s direct descendants. Ngurratjuta is a key partner in the Namatjira project and will [...]
The Namatjira show has just completed its 2011 tour. A whirlwind of success, we saw sell out houses, critical acclaim, connected with community groups in 3 different states, and saw more of the Namatjira family come with us on tour. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the show we have now confirmed national tour dates [...]
