Discoveries: depicting his world

Albert Namatjira's reputation rests on his landscapes. His paintings of other subjects are not so well known. Recent discoveries reveal that, particularly during the early years of his career, he produced portraits, scenes of daily life, animals and buildings, all of which are either integrated into, or juxtaposed against, the land. However, this type of imagery never became a major interest but enabled him to experiment and explore different mediums, techniques and forms. Their naive charm lies in keen observation and expressive power. In these works, we sense Namatjira discovering ways to depict the world around him.