00:00 A paintbrush and a sharp wit are this award-winning Western Aranda artist's weapons of choice.
00:07 "These paintings are people that I'm trying to bring down and place on my country where their power is stripped away from them."
00:16 For the first time, ten years of Namajira's work will be on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia
00:23 as part of the statewide Tarnanthi Festival featuring around 1,500 First Nations artists from across the continent.
00:31 Known for his wry take on politics, the 40-year-old became the first Aboriginal person
00:37 to win the prestigious Archibald Prize in 2020 for his portrait of Adam Goodes.
00:44 The year before, he took home the sought-after Ramsey Gong for this tongue-in-cheek, double-sided self-portrait featuring Captain Cook.
00:52 He says his artwork is about grappling with identity and putting himself in other people's shoes while allowing others to walk in his.
01:01 But his trademark humour is also a way of grappling with heavier truths.
01:07 "To look at the history of this country, to ask who has the power and why."
01:16 The festival's offerings this year also include artist talks, workshops, film and music at venues across South Australia until the end of January.
01:26 It will also see the return of the art fair after it went online during the pandemic.
01:31 "This is a really timely opportunity for people to be able to engage not only with works of art but to be able to also meet people and speak to them one-on-one."
01:42 "What I see today in this country is that the way it's changing and progressing and we all need to be connected and equal."
01:49 Forging a way ahead by pushing boundaries.
01:52 boundaries.
01:52 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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