Simon Hogan
Simon Hogan paints history, past and present, with the gentle authority of one who has lived many lives. Born in the heart of Spinifex country in the early 1930’s, Simon was already an initiated man when the Australian government sent out patrol officers to collect natives from the area of possible contamination by atomic testing at nearby Emu Fields and later Maralinga. Simon moved to Mount Margaret Mission near Laverton but famously, walked the 1000km plus back to his traditional country. This feat amongst many others was said as his legend grew. He was a pioneer for the Spinifex people to return to their traditional country and succeed in gaining native title in the year 2000. Although he has a wealth of knowledge of sites within his vast country, he now mostly paints his significant site of Lingka, centrally located in traditional Spinifex Lands.