Simon Hogan was born at a place called Paltju in the Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia in the early 1930s. 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 in to 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 traveled 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 initiation into manhood. Some time after initiation Simon traveled 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.
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.
Simon Hogan, now in his early 80's is a keen traveler and has traveled widely in Australia to accompany many Spinifex exhibitions including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and has travelled overseas to London and the Netherlands. In 2009 Simon traveled to Linz, Austria to be an Artist in Residence during the 2009, Linz Cultural Capital of Europe Exposition. Simon is a tireless ambassador for Spinifex custom and culture and continues to promote the high quality profile work for which the Spinifex artists are renown.
Simon Hogan was born at a place called Paltju in the Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia in the early 1930s. 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 in to 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 traveled 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 initiation into manhood. Some time after initiation Simon traveled 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.
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.
Simon Hogan, now in his early 80's is a keen traveler and has traveled widely in Australia to accompany many Spinifex exhibitions including Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and has travelled overseas to London and the Netherlands. In 2009 Simon traveled to Linz, Austria to be an Artist in Residence during the 2009, Linz Cultural Capital of Europe Exposition. Simon is a tireless ambassador for Spinifex custom and culture and continues to promote the high quality profile work for which the Spinifex artists are renown.