Beauty in a different eye

Pardon the sorry scans. I saw these two portraits of Australian aboriginal artists in the Qantas in-flight mag and was immediately moved by them. I haven't been able to articulate exactly why, but they continue to affect me. I can imagine there being humour in both images; a wry comedian could make mincemeat of each. Yet, somewhere on the path to a chuckle, something profound happens in an explosion of colour. These are exactly the kinds of portraits I'd like to hang on my wall.