“If you will forgive me, I may have to just quickly look,” she said, referring to her notes (it was almost as if she’d expected to be grilled on the subject). “Alex is her first name. Cortex, I think, is her surname.”
In fact, the artist behind the “authorised” portrait is Perth-based painter Alix Korte. But she isn’t exactly courting the limelight.
This portrait of Gina Rinehart, posted on the mining billionaire’s official website without attribution, is the work of Alix Korte.Credit: ginarinehart.com.au
When this masthead called to ask if she had indeed painted a portrait of Rinehart, she replied, “No, I don’t want to discuss this”, and hung up the phone.
Though Korte is a painter of some accomplishment, whose pastel-hued works range across landscapes, seascapes, animals and “plein air” as well as portraiture, she also happens to be married to Hancock Prospecting chief executive Garry Korte.
And it transpires that the portrait in question comes from a series, one of which was originally presented to Rinehart by her CEO as a birthday present.
“Fortunately, I just happened to know an artist, which is very handy when it comes to personalised gifts,” Garry Korte said in a speech whose text can be found on the company website.
Vincent Namatjira’s portrait of Gina Rinehart at the National Gallery of Australia.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“We wanted to choose something that reflected your family’s long connection to the land and your love of the outback, which I know is very near and dear to your heart,” he said of his wife’s work. “I think it has turned out very well and we hope that you like it.”
We’re sure she did. A lot more than that other one, anyway.