OUTBACK ART TOWN
Creative types have long been drawn to the ‘Silver City’ town of Broken Hill to experience its quality of light and landscape. There they have created one of Australia’s great artistic hubs.
Creative types have long been drawn to the ‘Silver City’ town of Broken Hill.
There’s an odd scribble on the wall leading to a workroom below a Broken Hill gallery, but peer closer and it’s a timely caution from the outback town’s most prolific artist, Kevin Charles ‘Pro’ Hart. It reads: “Welcome, Hello Mate” – that translates as a friendly warning from the artist synonymous with Broken Hill, nicknamed the Silver City because of its rich mining heritage of silver, lead and zinc. Stephen Turner, owner of the Willyama Visual Arts Centre, says Hart’s assistant was always clipping his head on his way downstairs where they did the framing and Hart hoped the quirky message would prevent injury. Turner, who has
Pro Hart paintings hanging beside emerging and established local artists, also has a wine cask painted by Hart, which he won’t ever part with.
Broken Hill, which in its heyday was a wild frontier town with a population of 35,000 and more than 60 pubs, has a dynamic art scene. Though its population has dwindled to 17,000, it continues to attract creatives who are inspired by the harsh landscape and its vastness.
Artists, writers, poets, scholars and film-makers have long been drawn to Broken Hill, according to local artist Gary Cook. “Sometimes they stay, and become, say, in 40 or 50 years, locals themselves,” he says. But it was the dynamic ‘Brushmen of the Bush’ – Jack Absalom, Pro Hart, Hugh Schulz, John Pickup and Eric Minchin – who developed Broken Hill as an art centre. They all shared a deep love of the Australian Outback and exhibited together for more than 30 years. These days there are more art galleries than pubs, showcasing artists with intriguing tales to tell. Prepare to get footsore as you art-hop among the 30 galleries. One of the most popular is the Pro Hart Gallery, with his vibrant works and collection of ‘painted’ luxury cars.
PAINT AND PETROL
A man with a penchant for Rolls Royces, Picassos and Rembrandts, Hart was a sculptor, ceramicist and inventor. A vibrant kaleidoscope of colour jumps out from his iconic paintings featuring whimsical narrative scenes such as a bush race meeting and mining town Christmas. Then there are those bizarre haunting faces that send a message about how miners were treated. Hart knew – he was a miner in his early years.
His cannon equipment used for bombarding paint on everything from carpet to canvas is displayed as well as paintings of his trademark ants and dragonflies. A look into his untouched studio reveals paint-splattered brushes, sketch books and half-empty paint tubes, plus his well-worn jacket.
He rests in the Broken Hill cemetery under a $60,000 granite memorial emblazoned with a gold dragonfly.
The Jack Absalom Gallery is another must-see. Absalom, who died in 2019, stopped in Broken Hill on a visit to Sydney and like so many, never left. He fell in love with what he
described as the “edge of the Outback”. Known for his landscapes, the gallery showcases his large-scale paintings and an opal collection he added to over 70 years.
Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery, the oldest regional gallery in NSW, is housed in an original heritage building, Sully’s Emporium, which operated as a hardware store from 1885 to 1985. It’s home to 1800 colonial, modern and contemporary Australian works by artists including Rick Amor, Charles Blackman and Arthur Boyd, and leading Aboriginal artists including Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra and Badger Bates.
Gallery and museum manager Tara Callaghan says Broken Hill has special appeal to artists. “The quality of light and landscape juxtaposed with industrial infrastructure makes Broken Hill a striking place to make artwork. The region is also known for talented Indigenous artists working in many mediums such as wood carving, weaving, print making and sculpture.”
A new project, the International Instagram Street-Art Biennale, with noted street artist Peter WoodfordSmith, involves global collaborators famous for their street art. “The temporary works will appear and then disappear throughout Broken Hill and will be published through Instagram and other social media to the world, showcasing the unique environment of Broken Hill,” Thomas says.
QUEEN OF THE DESERT
Perhaps the most surprising art encounter is at the iconic Palace Hotel, built as a coffee palace in 1889, where scenes from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, were filmed. Look up and you’ll see 500m2 of retro kitsch murals. Owner Mario Celotto painted a copy of Botticelli’s ‘Venus’ on the ceiling and Aboriginal artist Gordan Waye contributed a mural on a wall in the front bar. The famed Priscilla Suite is booked out regularly according to managing director Esther La Rovere, who stages the annual sell-out Broken Heel Festival.
The Broken Hill Living Sculpture Park, 12 kilometres from the city, remains one of the most innovative art projects with its 12 evocative sandstone forms. For dramatic viewing, head there at sunset and watch the cerise light hit the sculptures – it’s a magical experience.
Many artists say it’s the colours of the desert, the outback and the sense of acceptance that they love about Broken Hill, established in 1883 by Charles Rasp, who formed