Robert Hannaford

Australian realist artist

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Hannaford painting a landscape near Adelaide in 2011 1998: Sir Donald Bradman in the Creswell Gardens 2012: Simpson and his donkey in the Angas Gardens 2013: ATSI War Memorial at Torrens Parade Ground 2015: Sir William Henry Bragg in front of Government House

Robert Lyall "Alfie" Hannaford AM is an Australian realist artist notable for his drawings, paintings, portraits and sculptures. He is a great-great-great-grandson of Susannah Hannaford.

## Early life, education, and family

[edit]

Robert Lyall Hannaford[1] was born and grew up on his family's farm in the Gilbert Valley near Riverton, South Australia, attending Riverton Primary and High Schools. Born to Claude and Vera (née Hoare), he has two elder brothers (Ian, footballer and architect,[2][3][4] and Donald) and a younger sister (Kay). He is a great-great-great-grandson of Susannah Hannaford.[2][5][6]

He won a number of art competitions at primary school, and painted his first landscape painting in oils at 14.[7]

In 1960, aged 16, he moved to Adelaide to complete the last two years of schooling at Prince Alfred College.[5]

In 1962, Hannaford enrolled in life drawing and sculpture classes at the South Australian School of Art, but withdrew and became employed by an advertising agency. From that year, he boarded at Lincoln College, connected to the University of Adelaide, and contributed cartoons to the college magazine as well as the student newspaper, On Dit.[7]

He attended the Ballarat Technical Art School in 1967 and 1968, which was then under the School of Mines in Ballarat. He won the AME Bale Art Scholarship from 1969 until 1973.[1] This provided living expenses and a dwelling in Kew, Melbourne, complete with a large art library and studio. During these years he studied art theory and history informally, and also received a number of portrait commissions, while continuing to paint other types of work. The scholarship paid for travel for study, and he visited Canberra and Sydney to attend exhibitions, and also spent two months of each year in South Australia, focusing on landscape painting.[7]

He returned to South Australia in 1974, living in Riverton, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and from 1980-87, the Adelaide suburb of West Hindmarsh.[citation needed]

## Career

[edit]

Although largely self-taught, Hannaford benefited from the mentoring of South Australian artists Hans Heysen and Ivor Hele.[5] He worked as political cartoonist for the Adelaide Advertiser from 1964 to 1967 (between Pat Oliphant and Michael Atchison), before becoming a full-time artist in 1970.[6][1]

Primarily known as a portrait artist, depicting the likes of Dame Joan Sutherland, Donald Bradman, Paul Keating, and Bob Hawke, he is also known for his landscapes, still lifes, nudes, and sculptures. He has commented on his portraiture that: "Portraiture is an exploration of character that goes beyond photography. It is an ongoing thing over a long period of time. You get elements of various emotions that can be sensed in the painting".[citation needed]

Hannaford first entered the Archibald Prize in 1991 with a portrait of Hugh Stretton. The portrait was shortlisted, and won the 1991/1992 People's Choice Award. To 2018, 26 of his entries had been finalists in 21 of the competitions, and he had been a three-time winner of the People's Choice Award - in 1992, 1996 and 1998.[5]

### "Black Chicks Talking" Project

[edit]

"Black Chicks Talking" was a project conceived by the actor Leah Purcell and her partner Bain Stewart, and developed by their production company Bungabura Productions. At the invitation of Stewart, in the period 1999 to 2002 Hannaford painted 10 portraits of noted Indigenous Australian women to support the project which had been presented to Hannaford as an initiative to raise funds for a mentoring scheme for young Indigenous people. There was later a court case about the disputed ownership of the portraits.[8] In order to keep the portraits together as a group, they were donated to the Tweed River Gallery.[9]

The ten subjects of the portraits are:[9]

* Cilla Malone
* Deborah Mailman
* Frances Rings
* Kathryn Hay
* Leah Purcell

* Lisa Fraser-Gooda
* Rachel Perkins
* Roseanna Angus
* Sharon Finnen
* Tammy Williams

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## Recognition, honours and awards

[edit]

* 1990 - Winner Doug Moran Portrait Prize, portrait of Riverton identity Bill (Francis Hogan) with Hannaford's dog Ochre, Tweed River Art Gallery[10][11]
* 1992 - People's Choice Award at the Archibald Prize, 1991/92 with a portrait of Australian historian and professor Hugh Stretton[12]
* 1996 - People's Choice Award at the Archibald Prize, 1996 with a self-portrait[13]
* 1998 - People's Choice Award at the Archibald Prize, 1998 with a portrait of academic Rolf Prince[14]
* 1998 - Inaugural winner of the Fleurieu Art Prize[15]
* 2001 - Centenary Medal, "For service to the community through art"[16]
* 2014 - Member of the Order of Australia, "For significant service to the visual arts as a painter and sculptor".[17]
* 2014 - Lifetime Achievement prize at Ruby Awards[18][5]

## Personal life

[edit]

Hannaford met Kate Gilfillan in 1964 and they married in 1968. They moved to Melbourne in 1969, living there for four years, where their two children Tom and Georgina were born.[5] They divorced in 1976.[citation needed]

He has two daughters born in the 1980s: Aisha and Tsering who is also a notable South Australian artist.[19] Her mother is shoemaker Shirley Andris.[20] Like her father, she specialises in portraiture, landscapes, and still life, and has been a finalist for the Archibald prize.[21]

In February 2006 Hannaford was diagnosed with tongue and throat cancer, but was declared in remission by the end of the year. During this time he painted Self Portrait with Tubes, showing himself naked, with a feeding tube sticking out of his stomach.[7]

Hannaford married Alison Mitchell in October 2007.[22]

Hannaford bought a disused farmhouse and outbuildings at Peters Hill, near Riverton, and commenced converting them into a dwelling and studio, where as of 2008[update] he was living with his wife, artist Alison Mitchell. They were married in 2007.[22] They own and operate Riverton Light Gallery[23] and have exhibited in collaborative exhibitions.[24]

## Selected works

[edit]

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander memorial Hans Heysen in Hahndorf

### Commissions

[edit]

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* 1972 - Sir Donald Bradman for the Marylebone Cricket Club
* 1977 - Dame Joan Sutherland for the Elizabethan Theatre Trust (Image)[25]
* 1977 - Elma Casely for the University of South Australia
* 1980 - John Jefferson Bray for the University of Adelaide
* 1982 - Brodie Thomas Howard for the Howard Family fifth generation Kangaroo Island and current winemaker for Dudley Wines
* 1997 - Paul Keating for Historic Memorials Committee, Parliament House, Canberra
* 1998 - Bronze sculpture of Sir Donald Bradman located in the Creswell Gardens (adjacent to the eastern entrance to the Adelaide Oval), for Adelaide City Council
* 2000 - Bob Hawke for the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library, University of South Australia
* 2001 - The Centenary of Federation 2001 painting, commissioned by the Australian Government
* 2010 - Bronze sculpture of Roy Rene, located on Hindley Street, Adelaide, commissioned by Adelaide City Council[26]
* 2012 - Bronze sculpture of Simpson and his donkey, located in the Angas Gardens (north-east of Creswell Gardens), commissioned by Defence Force Health Services
* 2013 - Bronze sculptures for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial, located adjacent to the Torrens Parade Ground (Image)[18]
* 2015 - Bronze bust of Sir William Henry Bragg on North Terrace in front of Government House, Adelaide

### Other portraits on public display

[edit]

* 1978 - Sir Thomas Playford, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Adelaide
* 1978 - Alexander Maurice Ramsay, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
* 1985 - Gavin Walkley, St Mark's College, North Adelaide
* 1987 - Tom (Hannaford), Tweed River Art Gallery (Image)[11]
* 2001 - Jack Mundey, Sydney Living Museums (Image)[11]
* 2004 - Stephen Codrington, Prince Alfred College, Adelaide[27]
* 2006 - Lowitja O'Donoghue, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra (Image)[11]
* 2007 - John Bannon, St Mark's College, North Adelaide
* Vice-Chancellors of the University of Adelaide, Mitchell Building, Adelaide
* Geoffrey Badger (1967-1977)
* Donald Stranks (1977-1986)[28]

## Archibald Prize

[edit]

### Finalist

[edit]

Hannaford's work has been selected as an Archibald Prize finalist many times:

* 1992 - Portrait of Hugh Stretton (Winner: People's Choice 1991/92)[29][11][30]
* 1993 - Peter van Rood (Image)[11][31]
* 1993 - Max Harris[31]
* 1994 - Self Portrait[32]
* 1994 - The Lord Mayor[32]
* 1995 - Jarinyanu David Downs, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra (Image)[11][33]
* 1995 - Self Portrait[33]
* 1996 - Self Portrait (Winner: People's Choice 1996)[34][35]
* 1996 - Cheryl Hurst[34]
* 1997 - Paul Davies[36]
* 1998 - Paul Keating (Image)[11][37]
* 1998 - Rolf Prince (Winner: People's Choice 1998) (Image)[11][38]
* 1999 - Robert Dessaix (in my studio), National Portrait Gallery, Canberra (Image)[11][39]
* 2001 - Richard Maurovic[40]
* 2002 - Lynda Syddick Napaltjarri (Image)[11][41]
* 2003 - Rabbi Raymond Apple (Image)[42]
* 2004 - Self-portrait (Image)[43]
* 2005 - Bob Brown (Image)[44]
* 2006 - Tim Flannery (Image)[45]
* 2007 - Tubes (Self-portrait) {Image}[46]
* 2008 - Alison Mitchell (portrait of artist's wife) (Image)[47]
* 2009 - Self-portrait (Image)[48]
* 2010 - Malcolm Fraser (Image)[49]
* 2015 - Self-portrait (Image)[50]
* 2017 - Michael Chaney (Image)[51]
* 2018 - Self-portrait (Image)[52]

* 2022 – Self-portrait[53]

### Archibald Salon des Refusés

[edit]

The Archibald Salon des Refusés is an exhibition which shows Archibald Prize entries that have been selected to hang in the prize exhibition.

* 2011 - Trevor Jamieson (People's Choice Award)[54][55]
* 2012 - Ned Cheedy (Image)[55]
* 2014 - Phillip Adams[56][57]
* 2016 - Self-portrait[58]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Robert Hannafords My Gallipoli". Parliament of Australia. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
2. ^ a b Hannaford, Robert (14 March 2007). "OH 812 - Full transcript of an interview with Robert Hannaford by Rob Linn for the Eminent Australians Oral History Project" (PDF). Eminent Australians Oral History Project - JD Somerville Oral History Collection (Interview). Interviewed by Linn, Rob. State Library of South Australia. p. 53. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
3. ^ Turner, Matt (10 March 2022). "Triple Port premiership player, renowned architect dies". adelaidenow. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
4. ^ "Architect who transformed centre of Adelaide dies aged 82". ArchitectureAU. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
5. ^ a b c d e f John Neylon, "Chronology". pp154-160 in Sally Foster (2016) Robert Hannaford, Art Gallery of South Australia, ISBN 978-1-921668-27-2
6. ^ a b "Biography". Artist profile. RL Hannaford. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
7. ^ a b c d Szekeres, Judy (12 February 2013). "Robert Hannaford :: biography". Design and Art Australia Online. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
8. ^ Kim Arlington (8 February 2011). "Portrait of the artist as a wrung man". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
9. ^ a b Portraits, Robert Hannaford website
10. ^ Image
11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Portraits, www.roberthannaford.com.au
12. ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 1991/92 work: Portrait of Hugh Stretton by Robert Hannaford". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
13. ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 1996 work: Self-portrait by Robert Hannaford". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
14. ^ "Archibald Prize Archibald 1998 work: Rolf Prince by Robert Hannaford". Art Gallery of New South Wales. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
15. ^ Mitzevich, Mitch (30 June 2016). "The turbulent world of the art prize". InDaily. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
16. ^ Centenary Medal, 1 January 2001, It's an Honour
17. ^ Member of the Order of Australia, 9 June 2014, It's an Honour
18. ^ a b Patrick McDonald (5 December 2014). "Painter, sculptor Robert Hannaford receives Ruby Awards for lifetime in oils and bronze". The Advertiser. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
19. ^ Tsering Hannaford
20. ^ Jessica Dames (1999). The Little Black Book. Wakefield Press. p. 20\. ISBN 1-86254-469-7.
21. ^ Llewellyn, Jane. "Profile: Tsering Hannaford". The Adelaide Review. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
22. ^ a b "Archibald Prize Archibald 2008 work: Alison Mitchell by Robert Hannaford". Art Gallery of NSW. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
23. ^ [1][usurped]
24. ^ "Collaborating - Robert Hannaford + Alison Mitchell Hannaford".
25. ^ Early portraits, www.roberthannaford.com.au
26. ^ "Roy Rene at home in Hindley Street". Postcards South Australia. 18 April 2010. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
27. ^ "Stephen Codrington". Portrait. Stephen Codrington – The Website. Retrieved 26 April 2018.
28. ^ Three generations of commitment to Education, Lumen, www.adelaide.edu.au
29. ^ Painting of Hugh Stretton
30. ^ Winner: People's Choice 1991/92, Art Gallery of NSW
31. ^ a b Archibald Finalists for 1993, Art Gallery of NSW
32. ^ a b Archibald Finalists for 1994, Art Gallery of NSW
33. ^ a b Archibald Finalists for 1995, Art Gallery of NSW
34. ^ a b Archibald Finalists for 1996, Art Gallery of NSW
35. ^ Winner: People's Choice 1996, Art Gallery of NSW
36. ^ Archibald Finalists for 1997, Art Gallery of NSW
37. ^ Archibald Finalists for 1998, Art Gallery of NSW
38. ^ Winner: People's Choice 1998, Art Gallery of NSW
39. ^ Archibald Finalists for 1999, Art Gallery of NSW
40. ^ Archibald Finalists for 2001, Art Gallery of NSW
41. ^ Archibald Finalists for 2002, Art Gallery of NSW
42. ^ Rabbi Apple, 2003 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
43. ^ Sef-portrait, 2004 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
44. ^ Bob Brown, 2005 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
45. ^ Tim Flannery, 2006 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
46. ^ Tubes, 2007 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
47. ^ Alison Mitchell, 2008 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
48. ^ Self-portrait, 2009 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
49. ^ Malcolm Fraser, 2010 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
50. ^ Self-portrait, 2015 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
51. ^ Michael Chaney, 2017 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
52. ^ Self-portrait, 2018 Archibald Prize, Art Gallery of NSW
53. ^ Llewellyn, Jane (18 May 2022). "Why the Archibald is about more than just winning". InDaily. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
54. ^ Salon des refuses at SH Ervin, 10 May 2011, biglamington.blogspot.com.au
55. ^ a b Archibald art runs in the family, 6 April 2012, www.adelaidenow.com.au
56. ^ Andrew Taylor (12 July 2014). "Archibald rejects find new home". The Sydney Morning Herald.
57. ^ Exhibition of Rejects features Archibald Prize 'best of the rest' entries, 15 July 2014, www.abc.net.au. Includes an image of the portrait.
58. ^ John McDonald (6 August 2016). "Stars of the Salon des Refuses". The Sydney Morning Herald.

## External links

[edit]

* Artist's web site
* Riverton Light Gallery
* ABC News article
* ABC TV Sunday Arts
* Adelaide Now Article
* Michael Cathcart, "Robert Hannaford", 10 April 2001, www.abc.net.au
* Mike Sexton, "Hannaford celebrates art and life", 3 January 2008, www.abc.net.au
* Petria Ladgrove, "Robert Hannaford: portraits of a family, 19 May 2011, www.abc.net.au
* Chelsea Ashmeade "Robert 'Alfie' Hannaford's 'woman and child' statue unveiled, 26 September 2016, Northern Argus

Awards

Preceded by

|  Archibald Prize People's Choice Award
1992
portrait of Hugh Stretton | Succeeded by

Awards
Preceded by

Josonia Palaitis

|  Archibald Prize People's Choice Award
1996
self-portrait | Succeeded by

Mathew Lynn

Awards
Preceded by

Mathew Lynn

|  Archibald Prize People's Choice Award
1998
portrait of academic  Rolf Prince | Succeeded by

Evert Ploeg

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