Pro Hart
{{Short description|Australian artist (1928–2006)}}
{{More citations needed|date=October 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox artist
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Pro Hart
| honorific_suffix = MBE
| image =
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| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = Kevin Charles Hart
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1928|05|30}}
| birth_place = Broken Hill
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2006|03|28|1928|05|30}}
| death_place = Broken Hill
| resting_place =
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| nationality = Australian
| education =
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| spouse = Raylee June Tonkin
| awards =
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| children = [https://kymhart.art/ Kym Hart]
David Hart
}}
File:Pro-Hart-painted-Rolls-Royce.JPGs, painted in his unique style, is housed at the gallery]]
Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart, MBE (30 May 1928{{spaced ndash}}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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} 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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
Pro Hart was known for his novel techniques including "cannon painting"{{cite web
|url=http://www.phillipsfineart.com.au/prohart/inspiration.aspx?ins=34=single|title=Cannon painting|accessdate=2008-03-27|publisher=Phillips Fine Art}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and "balloon painting".{{cite web|url=http://www.phillipsfineart.com.au/prohart/inspiration.aspx?ins=33=single|title=Balloon Painting
|accessdate=2008-09-27|publisher=Phillips Fine Art}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} 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.{{Citation|last=STAINMASTER|title=STAINMASTER® carpet TV Commercial with Pro Hart 1988|date=2016-09-21|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shEUQKmHgrM |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722025948/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shEUQKmHgrM |archive-date=2021-07-22 |url-status=dead|accessdate=2017-06-12}}{{cite web|url=https://www.adnews.com.au/news/stainmaster-resurrects-pro-hart-tvc|title=Stainmaster resurrects Pro Hart TVC
|accessdate=2023-04-09|publisher=Ad News}} In 2002 he was using his own DNA as a mark of authenticity in his paintings.{{cite news
| url = http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2002/s545311.htm
| title = Australian art in midst of periodic boom
| date = 1 May 2006
| publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation
| url = http://www.genomenewsnetwork.org/articles/09_02/protected_art.shtml
| title = DNA protected art by Pro Hart
| date = 27 September 2002
| publisher = Genome News Network
}} 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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} 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".{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} 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.{{cite news|last1=Meacham|first1=Steve|title=Pro Hart: hang the lot of them|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/pro-hart-hang-the-lot-of-them/2006/03/31/1143441331523.html|accessdate=2015-11-15|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date=2006-04-01}}
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".{{Cite web
| last = Hills
| first = Kevin
| title = Pro Hart - Australian Artist
| url = http://www.kevinhillstopten.com.au/artists.php
| accessdate = 2 March 2010 }}
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.
{{Original research inline|date=October 2020}}{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
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.{{cite web
|url=http://www.redbubble.com/people/leewilde/art/98791-20-pro-hart=single
|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201120925/http://www.redbubble.com/people/leewilde/art/98791-20-pro-hart=single
|url-status=dead
|archive-date=1 February 2013
|title=Pro Hart biography by Lee Wilde
|accessdate=2008-03-27
|publisher=RedBubble
}} He was the proud owner of a Rodgers electric pipe organ, which was said to be the largest of its kind in Australia.{{cite web
|url=http://www.phillipsfineart.com.au/prohart/biography.aspx=single
|title=Pro Hart biography
|accessdate=2008-03-27
|publisher=Phillips Fine Art
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613025146/http://www.phillipsfineart.com.au/prohart/biography.aspx=single
|archive-date=13 June 2009
|url-status=dead
}} This was installed in his gallery, a step which considerably enhanced its value as a Broken Hill tourist attraction.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
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.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
He was interred in the Broken Hill cemetery.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1602178.htm Artist Pro Hart dies] Australian Broadcasting Corporation news item.
- [http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/03/28/1143441107025.html Artist Pro Hart dies] Sydney Morning Herald
- [http://www.obits.com.au/listing?listingId=567 Obituary for Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart MBE ] Obits.com.au - Australian Death Notices, Funeral Notices and Obituaries
- [http://www.prohart.com.au/ Pro Hart Gallery]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928003528/http://www.australianart.com.au/artists.php?ID=53 Pro Hart at Australian Art]
- [http://www.australianprints.com/prohart.htm Pro Hart at Australian Prints]
- [http://aso.gov.au/titles/tv/ask-the-leyland-brothers/clip2/ Interview with Pro Hart in Broken Hill] from 1976 from the National Film & Sound Archive of Australia's [http://aso.gov.au/ australianscreen online.]
- [http://jakehart.com.au/the-hart-legacy/ The Hart legacy]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Pro}}
Category:People from Broken Hill, New South Wales
Category:Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Deaths from motor neuron disease in Australia
Category:Neurological disease deaths in New South Wales