MY FRIEND TIGER, 2017
VINCENT NAMATJIRA
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
122.0 x 91.0 cm
bears inscription verso: artist’s name, size and Iwantja Arts cat. 372–17
Iwantja Arts, APY Lands, South Australia
THIS IS NO FANTASY + Dianne Tanzer Gallery, Melbourne
Private collection, Perth, acquired from the above
2017 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize, Juniper Hall, Sydney, 19 October – 17 December 2017 [finalist]
Harmon, S., ‘Doug Moran portrait prize 2017 finalists’, The Guardian, 11 October 2017, https://www.theguardian.com/culture/gallery/2017/oct/11/doug-moran-portr... (accessed February 2025)
Reminiscent of Vincent Namatjira’s respectful portraits of Elders and Senior artists from the APY lands produced in 2016, this compassionate portrait of Vincent Namatjira’s friend and fellow artist Kunmanara (Tiger) Yaltangki, shows deep affection for his sitter. Yaltangki, an eccentric artist was well known for his bold, bright and often wild paintings that were a compelling blend of the artist’s understanding of land and Country, (the depiction of the Anangu concept of Mamu - spirit beings), and his love of country music and rock and roll, including such greats as Hank Williams, ACDC, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and Creedence Clearwater Revival! One of Kunmanara’s habits was to paint his hat and shoes different colours. Obviously on the day this was painted Tiger was into blue.