Comedian drops plan for a billboard of Gina Rinehart portrait in Times Square

Dan Ilic wanted to project Vincent Namitjira’s work after Australia’s richest woman tried to have it removed from the national gallery

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An Australian comedian has dropped his plan to broadcast Vincent Namatjira’s contentious portrait of Gina Rinehart to thousands of tourists and New Yorkers in Times Square.

Dan Ilic told the Guardian on Tuesday lunchtime that after exceeding his crowdfunding target of A$30,000, his stunt would go live in Times Square at 8pm on Friday night.