Pro Hart

Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart, MBE (30 May 1928 – 28 March 2006), was an Australian artist, born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, who was considered the father of the Australian Outback painting movement and his works are widely admired for capturing the true spirit of the outback. He grew up on his family's sheep farm in Menindee and was nicknamed "Professor" (hence "Pro") during his younger days, when he was known as an inventor.

Pro Hart
Born
Kevin Charles Hart

(1928-05-30)30 May 1928
Broken Hill
Died28 March 2006(2006-03-28) (aged 77)
Broken Hill
NationalityAustralian
SpouseRaylee June Tonkin
ChildrenKym Hart
David Hart
The Pro Hart Gallery in Broken Hill
One of Pro Hart's Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows, painted in his unique style, is housed at the gallery

Art styles

Hart typically painted with oils or acrylics, using paint brushes and sponges, and depict scenes of rural town life, nature, topical commentary, and some religious subjects. His illustrations for the collection of Henry Lawson's poems show keen powers of character observation combined with an obvious wit. Hart was also a sculptor, working with welded steel, bronze and ceramics.

Pro Hart was known for his novel techniques including "cannon painting"[1] and "balloon painting".[2] An example of his cannon painting technique appeared in a famous 1988 television commercial Hart appeared in which saw the artist create the image of a dragonfly on carpet using food.[3][4] In 2002 he was using his own DNA as a mark of authenticity in his paintings.[5][6] Retrospective application of a DNA mark is available for older Pro Hart paintings.

For most of his career Hart was dismissed by many critics as a mere showman, with his art often judged as populist and derivative, and not good enough for serious critical attention. Barry Pearce, the head curator of Australian art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales said that comparing Hart with the artists whose work normally hangs in the gallery was "rather like Slim Dusty being compared to Mozart". Hart considered his critics to be a part of the "art mafia" and noted that he achieved his success without any help from the arts establishment.[7]

Beliefs

He frequently addressed political themes in his artwork. When asked about this subject, he stated "If I said what I thought sometimes, I might get sued so I paint to show what is going on, to bring out the truth and make people aware".[8]

The painting Aboriginal Land Rights is from Pro Hart's "masks" period. This painting highlights his conspiracy ideas with regards to land rights. The scene has a map of Australia with the Aboriginal Flag over the top. The people in the background "playing the communist cards" have Illuminati logos on their ties. In the foreground are a group of Aboriginal people, perhaps negotiating their rights.

Pro Hart Land Rights Painting

Pastimes

He collected vintage cars and motor cycles, and invented many kinds of engines and machines. He enjoyed pistol shooting, reading the Bible, and organ music.[9] He was the proud owner of a Rodgers electric pipe organ, which was said to be the largest of its kind in Australia.[10] This was installed in his gallery, a step which considerably enhanced its value as a Broken Hill tourist attraction.

Awards

He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1976. In 1982 he received an Honorary Life Membership of Society International Martinique for outstanding artistic achievement. He received an Australian Citizen of the Year award in 1983, and was known for his charitable work and generosity.

Final years

Pro Hart developed motor neurone disease. He died on 28 March 2006. He had been unable to paint for the last six months of his life. A large state funeral was held for him on 4 April 2006 in Broken Hill — the first state funeral in New South Wales to be held west of the Blue Mountains.

He was interred in the Broken Hill cemetery.

References
  1. "Cannon painting". Phillips Fine Art. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  2. "Balloon Painting". Phillips Fine Art. Retrieved 27 September 2008.
  3. STAINMASTER (21 September 2016), STAINMASTER® carpet TV Commercial with Pro Hart 1988, archived from the original on 22 July 2021, retrieved 12 June 2017
  4. "Stainmaster resurrects Pro Hart TVC". Ad News. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  5. "Australian art in midst of periodic boom". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 1 May 2006.
  6. "DNA protected art by Pro Hart". Genome News Network. 27 September 2002.
  7. Meacham, Steve (1 April 2006). "Pro Hart: hang the lot of them". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  8. Hills, Kevin. "Pro Hart - Australian Artist". Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  9. "Pro Hart biography by Lee Wilde". RedBubble. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  10. "Pro Hart biography". Phillips Fine Art. Archived from the original on 13 June 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
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