Is This Really Me? ... Billionaire Furious Over His Portrait Displayed in Art Museum

Wide Forehead and Indistinct Jawline Stand Out
"Unpleasant Depiction... Request to Remove the Work"

A billionaire businessman requested the removal of his portrait displayed at the National Gallery but was refused.

On the 15th (local time), foreign media including The Guardian reported that Gina Rinehart, a billionaire who made her fortune in the mining industry in Australia, demanded the removal of her portrait exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia but was denied. Rinehart is said to have requested the removal due to an unpleasant depiction of herself. Indeed, her portrait shows a broad forehead and an indistinct jawline.

Rinehart's portrait is currently displayed alongside those of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Julia Gillard, Australia's first female prime minister, and Adam Goodes, an Indigenous Australian football player.

Gina Reinhart. [Image source=The Guardian]

The artist who painted the portrait is Vincent Namatjira. He is a renowned painter who has won the Archibald Prize, the most prestigious and honorable award in the Australian art scene.

However, the gallery refused Rinehart's request to remove the portrait. The gallery issued a statement saying, "We reject the request to remove the portrait and welcome public dialogue about our collections and exhibitions." It added, "The National Gallery has seen lively discussions about the artistic value of the exhibited works. We present artworks to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience, and learn about art."

Following the gallery's refusal, Rinehart's portrait is scheduled to remain on display until the exhibition ends on July 21.

Meanwhile, Rinehart is known as Australia's richest person and a mining magnate. In 1992, she inherited the Hancock Prospecting Group, which was in deficit, from her father Hancock and turned it profitable, paving her path to success.