Rachel Griffiths chooses her Archibald

As Finding the Archibald concluded last night on ABC, Rachel Griffiths made a big decision.

In the Archibald’s 100th year, Griffiths had been on a mission to find a portrait which, for her, sums up the changing face of Australia.

“In the end, I realised one portrait alone can never talk to where we’ve come from, where we are or where we’re going. So I have two,” she revealed.

She chose two portraits, linked by family.

They were 1956 winner Albert Namatjira by William Dargie and a self portrait by (grandson) Vincent Namatjira, which was highly commended by judges in 2018.

“I couldn’t choose between these portraits, and I realised they’re so important together. But it’s so appalling to think that at this time that Dargie chose to paint Albert, First Nations people were being forcibly removed from their families and were not even citizens in a country they’ve had continuous culture for 60,000 years. So there was something radical about Dargie saying, ‘This man is a distinguished Australian.’

“And if we jump forward, almost 70 years to have Vincent Namatjira paint his great grandfather, not as the sad First Nations man, but to paint him as The Man on his land, in his truck, is claiming Albert back and placing him within the context of what he meant for his people.”

“But I think this story isn’t finished. I would hope that at the 150th anniversary of the Archibald, that there would have been a painting that speaks to the moment when all Australians see Aboriginal culture and history as our culture and history.

“So I think we have a way to go, because we’re just starting to listen.”