Simon Hogan

Simon Hogan was born circa 1930 in mid-western Spinifex between Paltju and Lingka. Simon’s exact age is unknown as dates of birth were estimated by the A.E.M. missionaries when the Spinifex people, on arrival at Cundeelee, were “sorted” into family groups, given English names and approximate dates of birth. During childhood two fathers, one born at Warakunu and the other at Munki raised Simon. Simon’s mother’s country is around Tjulya. The Spinifex people were a relatively discreet southern Pitjantjatjara tribal group with ties to the north and east that lived a fully traditional hunter-gatherer life until the late 1950’s to early 1960s when most people either walked into Ooldea and Cundeelee or were taken by AEM missionaries to Cundeelee Mission. As a late teenager or nyiingka living in seclusion from Aboriginal society prior to initiation into manhood, Simon and an older brother made an epic journey from the Spinifex lands to a Christian Mission at Mt. Margaret. He travelled there via the frontier mining towns of Laverton and Leonora. The older brother chose to stay at Mt. Margaret and Simon returned to the Great Victoria Desert and initiate into manhood. Sometime after initiation Simon travelled across the Serpentine Lakes into South Australia to find a wife. He married Inyika and they had two of their seven children in country before going to Cundeelee Mission around 1960. A second wife, Ngantiri, also traveled in with Simon’s family group. From 1995 Simon Hogan was a prominent member of a group of senior traditional owners from Spinifex country who lobbied the WA State Government for Native Title. Although Simon spoke no English he was a confident, initiated Pitjantjatjara man who spoke to senior government officials regarding ownership of country and culture. Exclusive Native Title rights were granted to Simon Hogan and the Spinifex people in 2000 of over 55 000 sq kms of the Great Victoria Desert in WA. In 1997 the Spinifex people began painting with acrylic paints on canvas, painting traditional stories using this contemporary medium. Simon again took a leading working with intense concentration and focus to translate Tjukurpa (stories or mythologies) into public artworks. The Spinifex people also produced collaborative works two of which, men’s’ and women’s’, were used in the preamble to the successful Spinifex Native Title claim.

Simon is an effusive individual who introduces himself as “Mr. Hogan” and will happily recount his many exhibition travels throughout Australia and the world. For over a decade he carried a photo of himself and Gough Whitlam in his wallet until the photo eventually disintegrated. The photo was taken during the 1998 Pila Nguru Native Title touring exhibition. The Whitlams were invited to open the exhibition in Canberra. In 2009 Simon travelled to Linz, Austria to be an Artist in Residence during the 2009, Linz Cultural Capital of Europe Exposition. He is a tireless ambassador for Spinifex custom and culture. In 2015 well into his 80’s he travelled to London representing the Spinifex people at an exhibition at the British Museum, where he met with HRH Prince Charles.

Over the years Simon Hogan’s enthusiasm and focus for painting on linen has not diminished. His status as a painter in his own community and on a national and international level has steadily increased over these years making him one of the most sought-after Spinifex artists. His works feature in many public and private collections.

Solo Exhibitions
2024 Lingka - Simon Hogan, 8 Hele Gallery, Alice Springs, NT
2021 Wati Kutjara Lawrence Pennington & Simon Hogan, Raft Artspece, Alice Springs, NT.

Group Exhibitions
2025 Rawa Tjunguku - working together a long time, Red Dot Fine Art, Singapore.
2025 Tiny and Precious, Agency Projects, Collingwood, VIC.
2024 Spinifex People: Art and stories from Pila Nguru, WA Museum Boola Bardip, Perth, WA.
2024 Sovereigns of the Memory, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Brussels.
2024 From the Spinifex Country, Aboriginal and Pacific Art, Sydney NSW.
2024 Pila: the Space Between the Dunes, Salon Art Projects, Darwin, NT.
2024 We are Wati, Short Street Gallery with Studio 29, Cairns, QLD.
2024 Spinifex 2024 - Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2024 Uwankara Utulu - All Together, DLan Contemporary New York, USA.
2023 Sun and Shadow - Art of the Spinifex People, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA.
2023 Sun and Shadow - Art of the Spinifex People, Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2023 Spinifex Country - Paintings from Spinifex Arts Project, D’Lan Contemporary, Melbourne, VIC.
2023 Artists of Tjuntjuntjara, Aboriginal and Pacific Arts, Sydney, NSW.
2023 Salon des Refusés, Salon Art Projects, Darwin, NT.
2023 New Work from the Spinifex Arts Project, DLan Contemporary, New York.
2023 Voir l’Invisible, Museum d’Angoulême, in conjunction with Aboriginal Signature, Estrangin Gallery and supported by the Australian Embassy in France, the French Embassy in Australia, Angoulême, France.
2022 Living Water, Raft Artspace, Alice Springs, NT.
2022 Desert Mob 2022, Desart, Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT
2022 Short Street Gallery Broome, WA.
2022 Spinifex Arts Project 25 year anniversary show, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2022 Origin of the World, NAP Contemporary, Mildura, VIC.
2022 Aluni - Resonance - Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
2022 Résonances millénaires - Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
2022 Eurantica art fair - Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
2021 Spinifex Wati Tjuta, Aboriginal and Pacific Arts, Sydney NSW.
2021 Mein Freund der Baum, ARTKELCH Collectors Lounge at kptec, Schorndorf, Germany.
2020 Spinifex Artists - On Our Country, Japingka Gallery Fremantle. WA.
2019 “Wati: Men from Spinifex” Aboriginal and pacific Arts, Sydney, NSW.
2019 Explosion, Aboriginal Signature • Estrangin Gallery, Brussels, Belgium.
2019 Art Paris 2019, ARTKELCH at Art Paris 2019, Paris, France.
2018 Nguru Ninti - Knowing Country, Artkelch, Freiburg, Germany.
2018 Pila nguruku kapi walkatjara – Painted Waters of Spinifex Country, ARTKELCH at Skulpturenpark Wesenberg, Germany.
2018 Residence of the Australian Ambassador - Brussels, Belgium.
2017 Wuste - Meer - Schpfermythen ArtKelch Gallery presented at The Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum Cologne, Germany.
2017 Spinifex Arts 20th Anniversary, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle. WA.
2017 ‘Gems from the remote Deserts’ Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Gallery, at the Parcours des Mondes, Paris.
2017 Spinifex Ascendent Short Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2017 Spinifex: Aboriginal Paintings from the Robert Kaplan and Margaret Levi Collection, Nevada Museum of Art, Reno, Nevada. U.S.A.
2017 FINALISTS. 1997 – 2017, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany.
2017 Farben der Wüste, ARTKELCH at Teppichhaus Jordan, Waldshut-Tiengen, Germany.
2016 Pila Nguratja - In Spinifex Country Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne VIC.
2016 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Art Award (Individual and Mens Collaborative). Museums and Art Gallery NT. Darwin, NT.
2016 Rawa Nyinanyi- Unbroken. Outstation Gallery, Darwin. NT.
2016 Exposition Spinifex Arts Project, Aboriginal Signature Estrangin Fine Art, Belgium.
2016 Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, SA Museum, Adelaide. SA.
2016 Tjungutja – Art of the Spinifex Collaborative, Redot Fine Art Gallery, Singapore.
2016 Geisterstunde bei ARTKELCH, ARTKELCH, Freiburg, Germany.
2016 Purungu und Narrupa Sammlung, in association with P. & A. Klein and ArtKelch, Kunstwerk, Germany.
2015 Spinifex Arts Project 2015. Aboriginal and Pacific Arts, Sydney, NSW.
2015 Tarnanthi - Festival of Comtemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide. SA.
2015 Wo das Stachelkopfgras wachst. ArtKelch, Freibery, Germany.
2015 Kulunypa- selected small works from the Spinifex Arts Project. Outstation Gallery, Darwin. NT.
2015 Indigenous Australia enduring civilisation, The British Museum, London.
2014 Spinifex Artists, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA.
2014 Tjuntjuntjara Nguratja- Tjuntjuntjara is home Harvey Art Projects, Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.
2014 Tjuntjuntjara - recent works from Spinifex Country Shorts Street Gallery, Broome, WA.
2014 Spinifex Tjukurpa ReDot Gallery, Singapore.
2014 Spinifex Arts Project 2014, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2014 Pila- Spinifex Land Outstation Gallery, Parap, Darwin. NT.
2013 Spinifex Arts Project, ARTKELCH at art Karlsruhe 2013, Karlsruhe, Germany
2013 The Wild Ones Raft Artplace, Alice Springs, NT.
2013 Spinifex Arts Project ArtKelch,Freiburg,Munich,Hamburg, Bodensee, Lake Constance, Germany.
2013 Salon des Refuses, Outstation and Paul Johnstone Galleries in the Old bank building Smith and Bennet st Darwin, Darwin, NT. (Mens Collaborative).
2013 Kuwaritja - New Works of the Spinifex People Outstation Gallery, Darwin, NT.
2012 Tupun Nguranguru – People of the Sandhill Country 45 Downstairs Gallery, Vivien Anderson, Melbourne, VIC.
2012 Spinifex - People of the Sun and Shadow John Curtin Gallery, Curtin University, Perth, WA.

2011 Uwankara – Whole lot of Everything: Paintings from the APY/NPY Lands and Spinifex Country 2002-2011, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2011 Spinifex Artists, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle WA.
2011 Living Water- Contemporary Art of the Far Western Desert, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, VIC.
2010 Spinifex Arts Project 2010, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2010 Spinifex Artists, Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA.
2010 Desert Mob, Araluen Galleries, Alice Springs, NT.
2010 Desert Country Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, S.A. and national tour.
2010 Australian Contemporary Indigenous Art Now, Chiaroscuro Gallery, Santa Fe USA in association with Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2009 Tracking the Wati Kutjara Coo-ee Gallery, Sydney, NSW.
2009 Spinifex Artists Ab-Original Gallery, Austria.
2009 Spinifex Artists 2009 Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA.
2009 Desert Mob Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2008 Western Australian Indigenous Art Awards, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth WA (Men’s Collaborative)
2008 Spinifex Artists Recent Work Short St Gallery, Broome, WA.
2008 Kapi Ninti: Knowing Water Knowing Country, Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne VIC.
2008 Desert Mob Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2007 Ten Years On Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA.
2007 Seattle Arts Museum, Seattle.
2007 New Spinifex Works Short St Gallery, Broome, WA.
2007 Desert Mob Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2007 Best of the Best Framed Gallery Darwin, N.T.
2006 Spinifex - New Works Marshall Arts, Adelaide, S.A.
2006 Flinders Lane Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2006 Desert Mob Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, NT.
2006 Art of the Spinifex People Japingka Gallery, Perth, WA.
2005 Spinifex Mob Coo-ee Arts, Sydney, NSW.
2005 Spinifex Artists Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London, England.
2005 Law and Land Aboriginal Art Museum, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
2005 Desert Mob Araluen Art Centre, Alice Springs, N.T.Pila Nguru-Aboriginal Art Museum, Utrecht, NetherlandsCoo-ee Arts, SydneyDesert Mob ShowAraluen Galleries
2004 Spinifex Arts Project Harbour House Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland.
2004 Colour Power - Aboriginal Art post 1984 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic. National Gallery of Victoria Harbour House gallery, Zurich; Short St Gallery, Broome

2003 Spinifex Paintings Raintree Gallery, Darwin, NT.
2003 Spinifex Arts Project 2003 Span Galleries, Melbourne, VIC.
2002 Putitja Nguru - Art of the Spinifex People Japingka Gallery, Fremantle, WA.
2002 Native Title Business – Contemporary Indigenous Art, Australian National Tour
2001 Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT.
2001 Spiral Arm Gallery, Canberra. ACT.
2001 Flinders Arts Museum, Adelaide, SA.
2001 Broken Hill City Regional Art Gallery, Broken Hill, NSW.
2001 All About Art Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne, VIC.
2000 Pila Nguru - Art and Song of the Spinifex People Western Australian Museum, Perth, WA and National Tour.

Awards
2024 Finalist, Wynne Prize 2024, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
2016 Finalist 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museums and Art Galleries, Darwin, N.T
2016 Finalist (Highly Commended) Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize, SA Museum, Adelaide. SA.
2016 Finalist (Mens Collaborative) 33rd Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museums and Art Galleries, Darwin, NT.
2015 Finalist Western Australian Indigenous Art Award, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth, WA.
2013 Finalist (Mens Collaborative) 30th Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Award, Museums and Art Galleries, Darwin, NT.

Collections
ART GALLERY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
ART GALLERY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
ARTBANK, AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT COLLECTION. AUSTRALIA.
BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, ENGLAND.
HARRIET AND RICHARD ENGLAND COLLECTION
KLUGE-RUHE ABORIGINAL ART COLLECTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, USA
MUSEUM FÜNF KONTINENTE, MUNICH, GERMANY
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA, CANBERRA, ACT.
NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA, MELBOURNE, VICTORIA.
SAMMLUNG ALISON UND PETER W. KLEIN, NUSSDORF, GERMANY
SAMMLUNG PETER DÖHLE SCHIFFAHRTS-KG, HAMBURG, GERMANY
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, SEATTLE, USA. (MENS COLLABORATIVE)
STAATLICHES MUSEUM FUR VOLKERKUNDE, MUNICH, GERMANY
THE ART GALLERY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, SYDNEY, NSW (MENS COLLABORATIVE)
THE LEPLEY COLLECTION, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
THE PATRICK CORRIGAN COLLECTION, SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES.
W. & V. MCGEOCH COLLECTION
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM, PERTH, W.A.