Background
He grew up on his family"s sheep farm in Menindee, New South Wales and was nicknamed "Professor" (hence "Pro") during his younger days, when he was known as an inventor.
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Pro Hart
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Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart, Administration Member of the Order of the British Empire, 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.
Career
His pictures are typically painted with oil or acrylic, using paint brushes and sponges, and depict scenes of rural town life, topical commentary, and some religious subjects. His illustrations for the collection of Henry Lawson"s poems show keen powers of character observation combined with a n 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" and "balloon painting", and in 2002 was using his own deoxyribonucleic acid as a mark of authenticity in his paintings.
Retrospective application of a deoxyribonucleic acid mark is available for older Pro Hart paintings. Foreign 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 NSW said that comparing Hart with the artists whose work normally hangs in the gallery was "rather like Slim Dusty being compared to Mozart". 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
He was the proud owner of a Rodgers electric pipe organ, which was said to be the largest of its kind in Australia. This was installed in his gallery, a step which considerably enhanced its value as a Broken Hill tourist attraction. Pro Hart developed motor neurone disease in later life.
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.
Achievements
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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 Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement. He received an Australian Citizen of the Year award in 1983, and was known for his charitable work and generosity.
Views
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".
Quotations: "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".
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Born
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Died
March 28, 2006 (aged 77) -
Nationality
Australia
Awards
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Member of the Order of the British Empire 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 Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement. He received an Australian Citizen of the Year award in 1983, and was known for his charitable work and generosity.Member of the Order of the British Empire 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 Artistique for outstanding artistic achievement. He received an Australian Citizen of the Year award in 1983, and was known for his charitable work and generosity.