Namatjira

The Namatjira Project by Big h'Art is bring the play Namatjira to Melbourne, followed by other Victorian locations, Canberra and rural NSW.

From the Project website: "8 August 2009 marked fifty years since  internationally acclaimed watercolour artist and Western Arrarnta man, Albert Namatjira, passed away. The Namatjira project is a celebration of his life and legacy: it is a creative community development project, which has already resulted in an original, critically acclaimed  theatrical work, and three accompanying watercolour exhibitions."

The opening night is this evening at Melbourne's Malthouse Theatre, and Mike and Gayle Quarmby (of Outback Pride) have travelled from South Australia to attend. They will be accompanying Mark Olive, indigenous celebrity chef, to the show. Gayle is the only daughter of Rex Battarbee, who originally introduced Albert to watercolour painting.

Personally, my husband and I will be attending tomorrow night's performance at the Malthouse - as much as it feels strange to leave the kids behind and go out for the evening, I'm really looking forward to seeing the play!