Australia’s richest woman, Gina Reinhart, demands that the National Gallery remove her image

Australian mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has demanded that a painting of herself, which she finds unattractive, be removed from display at the Australian National Gallery in Canberra.

Her portrait appears alongside many others, including Queen Elizabeth II, AFL player Adam Goodes and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an exhibition by renowned Indigenous artist and Archibald Award winner Vincent Namatjira.

Namatjira’s work is known for his paintings that are caricatures of people with almost cartoonish shapes.

For example, one picture of King Charles in the Australian desert shows him in full formal clothing and appearing to have no neck.

Dozens of complaints have reached the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) over a photo of Australia’s richest woman, including some of the athletes she sponsors through her company Hancock Prospecting, nine newspapers reported.

One of them reportedly accused the NGA of “carrying out the orders of the Chinese Communist Party” through Reinhardt’s photo.

On the NGA’s website, Reinhart is listed as a “friend” of the gallery having donated $9,999 ($6,700 USD).

The NGA refused to move the painting, which will be on display until July 21.

It was hung in March as part of the exhibition Vincent Namatjira: Australia in Color featuring 21 pieces of his work.

“Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired the work of Jackson Pollack Blue Poles“There has been a dynamic debate about the artistic merits of the works in the national collection and/or on display in the exhibition,” the NGA said in a statement.

“We bring artwork to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.”

In 2022, Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting canceled a $15 million sponsorship deal with Netball Australia.

The uproar erupted when Indigenous player Donnell Wallam was said to be uncomfortable wearing a uniform bearing the Hancock Prospecting logo.

This was reportedly due to comments made by Reinhart’s father, Lang Hancock, in the 1980s. He infamously suggested in 1984 that Indigenous Australians should be sterilized in order to “reproduce themselves” in the coming years.

After concern in the team about Hancock’s involvement became public, the company canceled its sponsorship deal, saying it “did not want to add to the problems of division in netball”.

Rinehart’s Roy Hill company will also cease sponsorship of Netball WA and the West Coast Fever team.