Robert Studley Forrest Hughes

Robert Studley Forrest Hughes (born July 28, 1938), usually known simply as Robert Hughes, OA is an Australian art critic, writer, documentary broadcaster and republican (anti-monarchist). He resides in New York. Hughes comes from a distinguished and well-connected Australian family — his older brother is the leading Australian lawyer and former federal Attorney-General, Tom Hughes AO, QC, and his niece Lucy Turnbull (Tom's daughter), a former Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney, is married to leading Australian businesman and politican Malcolm Turnbull.

Related Topics:
July 28 - 1938 - OA - Australian - Republican - Monarchist - New York - Tom Hughes - Lucy Turnbull - Malcolm Turnbull

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Born in Sydney, Australia, Hughes was educated at St Ignatius' College before going on to study arts and architecture at the University of Sydney in 1956. During this time Hughes made a name for himself within the Sydney "Push" — a progressive group of artists, writers, intellectuals and drinkers. Among the group were two other blazingly witty and incisive cultural observers: Germaine Greer and Clive James. Hughes left university before graduating after being commissioned to write a history of Australian painting, The Art of Australia, while still an undergraduate. It was published in 1966. In the early Sixties Hughes was briefly involved in the original Sydney version of Oz magazine and he also wrote art criticism for The Nation and The Sunday Mirror .

Related Topics:
Sydney - Australia - University of Sydney - 1956 - Sydney "Push" - Germaine Greer - Clive James - Oz magazine

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He left Australia for London, England in 1965, where he wrote for such publications as The Spectator, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and The Observer, and contributed to London Oz. He landed the position of art critic for TIME magazine in 1970, and he quickly established himself as a respected and influential art critic.

Related Topics:
London - England - The Spectator - The Daily Telegraph - The Times - The Observer - TIME - 1970

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In 1981 he made a landmark TV series on modern art entitled The Shock Of The New. In 1987 he published another landmark book, The Fatal Shore, a critical study of the British invasion/settlement of Australia and its devastating impact on Aboriginal societies, which became an international best-seller.

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In 1988 he attracted controversy for rubbishing an exhibition of new work by the much regarded neo-expressionist painter Julian Schnabel. At the time it was widely accepted that critics had a supine relationship with galleries and artists and Hughes attack greatly affected Schnabel's reputation. During the 1990s, Hughes became a prominent spokesperson for the Australian Republican Movement.

Related Topics:
Neo-expressionist - Julian Schnabel - Australian Republican Movement

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During a brief return to Australia, Hughes was seriously injured in a vehicle accident near Broome, Western Australia (WA) in 1999. His right leg was broken in five places and his right elbow was shattered. He was in a coma for several weeks and claimed no memory of the crash. After a day out fishing and drinking, Hughes had been driving alone when his vehicle collided head on with another car. Three men travelling in the other car were also injured, one of them seriously, and they stated that Hughes was driving on the wrong side of the road (the right hand, since road traffic in Australia travels on the left).

Related Topics:
Broome - Western Australia - 1999

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In 2000, Hughes was acquitted of two counts of dangerous driving, by a Broome magistrate. Hughes did not give evidence and his defence was technical, in that the prosecution could not rule out the possibility of a mechanical failure causing the car to veer over the centreline. However the charges were reinstated and upgraded by the WA Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Robert Cock, QC. Following allegations that they had attempted to blackmail Hughes, two men from the other vehicle were not called to give evidence, and Hughes was acquitted. Hughes was later sued for defamation by Cock and his assistant, Lloyd Rayney. It created further controversy when it was alleged that Hughes had made racist remarks about Rayney, an Asian-Australian.

Related Topics:
2000 - Magistrate - Director of Public Prosecutions - QC

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The WA Crown Solicitor appealed Hughes's acquittal on the driving charges. In 2003 Hughes pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. He was fined A$2,500 and was banned from driving in WA for three years.

Related Topics:
Crown Solicitor - A$

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Family tragedy visited Hughes in April 2001 when his sculptor son Danton, aged 33, committed suicide in Australia.

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Hughes has continued to write for TIME, although his contributions became less frequent after his accident.

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