✍️In Loving Memory of Kenneth Hari from a friend of his, Tova Navarra / The sad news about Kenneth's passing away...

On this of all days, I'm so deeply sad about the loss of my Maestro and dear friend Kenneth Hari, who passed away two days ago. Kenneth was a brilliant portraitist, painter, and sculptor since he was a young teenager. But not just a typical teenager---this 15-year-old was as entrepreneurial as he was gifted. 

His family traveled to follow his father's band, and Kenneth made sure he was traveling in whatever place he landed. Key West, for example, where he swam in Tennessee Williams's pool, wrote art criticism for Key West newspapers, and knocked on doors, including the door of the Hemingway house, requesting portrait sittings. The chutzpah kid did about 10 drawings of the formidable Papa Hemingway, and the two liked each other. "You're good, kid. Keep going," Hemingway said, admiring the drawings. 

The story of Kenneth Hari is too power-packed to have ended too soon. He married a gorgeous and wonderful woman, Xiaoyi, who championed his work, which rarely took a break. 

He became well-known for his exquisite portraits of 

• poet W.H. Auden, 
• Greta Garbo, 
• Pablo Casals, 
• Salvador Dalí, 
• Marcel Marceau (who was quite chatty, Kenneth said), 
• Fred Astaire, 
• Ginger Rogers, 
• Groucho Marx, 
• Orson Welles, 
• Otto Preminger, 
• Louis Nizer, 
• Giorgio de Chirico, 
• Dustin Hoffman, 
• Lauren Bacall, 
• Isaac Asimov, 
• James Earl Jones, 
• Aaron Copland, 
• George Balachine, 
• Helen Keller, 
• Dr. Linus Pauling, 
• Robert Motherwell, 
• Gene Kelly, 
• Dolly Parton,
• and the list goes on 

to more than 300 celebrities. 

Kenneth did not want to be pegged as "celebrity portrait artist," though, because he was genuinely interested in their lives and their conversations, all during life sittings. 

Every conversation I've had throughout the 30-some years of friendship with Kenneth was much chattier than the famous mime's. 

Hari was bombastic, larger-than-life, and unforgettable. It seemed he knew everyone and everything. 

His art education began early, and he later was a graduate of the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, earned a BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art, and did graduate work at Yale, 1970, and NYU in 1988. 

His work is in the permanent collections of more than 350 museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Vatican Museum, and, here in NJ, the Newark Museum and the New Jersey State Museum. 

I always stood in awe of his talent; every time I wrote about him, I got the jitters, hoping he would like my words about him. What a truly grand guy! If I'll miss him terribly, I dare not even imagine how Xiaoyi is already missing him. And how many others who knew him will suffer the loss. 

Kenneth told his wife he didn't want a funeral or memorial service, but just to be remembered like Cary Grant---just by name and profession. Alright then. Kenneth Hari, artist. 1947-2022.

Tova Navarra
(Works at Freelance writer, artist, art historian and critic, author)

**** Response to Comments about this message above ***

I truly appreciate all your comments, likes, loves, and cares. I was very lucky to have known Kenneth, and Yi will always be a sister to me. As one does at a Passover dinner for Elijah, I will leave a place setting for Kenneth whenever Yi and my other guests come over for dinner. What a champion he was for the book I've been working on for four years, and I'm heartbroken that he won't see it. Thank you all for your sympathy. It does help. It's a great comfort. 

Tova Navarra

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(🇹🇷 Türkçe Çevisi)

Bu günlerde, iki gün önce vefat eden Maestro ve sevgili arkadaşım Kenneth Hari'nin kaybından dolayı çok üzgünüm. Kenneth gençliğinden beri parlak bir portre ressamı, ressam ve heykeltıraştı. Ama sadece tipik bir genç değil---bu 15 yaşındaki, yetenekli olduğu kadar girişimciydi. Ailesi babasının grubunu takip etmek için seyahat etti ve Kenneth, indiği yere seyahat ettiğinden emin oldu. Örneğin, Tennessee Williams'ın havuzunda yüzdüğü, Key West gazeteleri için sanat eleştirisi yazdığı ve Hemingway evinin kapısı da dahil olmak üzere kapıları çaldığı ve portre oturuşları talep ettiği Key West. Küstah çocuk, zorlu Papa Hemingway'in yaklaşık 10 çizimini yaptı ve ikisi birbirinden hoşlandı. "İyisin çocuk. Devam et," dedi Hemingway, çizimlere hayranlıkla. Kenneth Hari'nin hikayesi çok erken bitmeyecek kadar güçlü. Nadiren ara veren çalışmalarını savunan muhteşem ve harika bir kadın olan Xiaoyi ile evlendi. Şair W.H.'nin zarif portreleriyle tanındı. Auden, Greta Garbo, Pablo Casals, Salvador Dalí, Marcel Marceau (oldukça konuşkandı, dedi, Kenneth), Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Groucho Marx, Orson Welles, Otto Preminger, Louis Nizer, Giorgio de Chirico, Dustin Hoffman, Lauren Bacall, Isaac Asimov, James Earl Jones, Aaron Copland, George Balachine, Helen Keller, Dr. Linus Pauling, Robert Motherwell, Gene Kelly, Dolly Parton ve liste 300'den fazla ünlüye kadar devam ediyor. Kenneth, yaşam oturumları sırasında hayatlarıyla ve konuşmalarıyla gerçekten ilgilendiği için "ünlü portre sanatçısı" olarak sabitlenmek istemedi. Kenneth ile 30 yıllık arkadaşlığım boyunca yaptığım her konuşma, ünlü mimlerden çok daha konuşkandı. Hari abartılı, hayattan daha büyük ve unutulmazdı. Görünüşe göre herkesi ve her şeyi biliyordu. Sanat eğitimi erken başladı ve daha sonra Newark Güzel ve Endüstriyel Sanatlar Okulu'ndan mezun oldu, Maryland Institute College of Art'dan BFA aldı ve Yale, 1970 ve NYU'da 1988'de yüksek lisans çalışması yaptı. Çalışmaları, Metropolitan Sanat Müzesi, Vatikan Müzesi ve burada NJ'de Newark Müzesi ve New Jersey Eyalet Müzesi de dahil olmak üzere 350'den fazla müzenin kalıcı koleksiyonlarında yer almaktadır. Yeteneğine her zaman hayran kaldım; onun hakkında her yazdığımda, onun hakkındaki sözlerimi beğeneceğini umarak tedirgin oldum. Gerçekten ne büyük bir adam! Onu çok özleyeceksem, Xiaoyi'nin onu şimdiden nasıl özlediğini hayal bile edemiyorum. Ve onu tanıyan kaç kişi daha zarar görecek. Kenneth karısına bir cenaze veya anma töreni istemediğini, sadece Cary Grant gibi sadece adı ve mesleği ile hatırlanmasını istediğini söyledi. Pekala o zaman. Kenneth Hari, sanatçı. 1947-2022.

Tova Navarra

----

**** Yukarıdaki bu mesajla ilgili yorumlara yanıt ***

Tüm yorumlarınızı, beğenilerinizi, sevgilerinizi ve ilgilerinizi gerçekten takdir ediyorum. Kenneth'i tanıdığım için çok şanslıydım ve Yi benim için her zaman bir kız kardeş olacak. Elijah için bir Fısıh yemeğinde yaptığı gibi, Yi ve diğer misafirlerim akşam yemeğine geldiğinde Kenneth'e bir yer bırakacağım. Dört yıldır üzerinde çalıştığım kitap için ne kadar şampiyondu ve onu görmeyeceği için kalbim kırıldı. Hepinize sempatiniz için teşekkür ederiz. Yardımcı oluyor. Bu büyük bir rahatlık.

Tova Navarra

📚Kenneth Hari at Barnes and Noble with Tova Navarra's new book ," New Jersey Artist Through Time "

 

Kenneth Hari at Barnes and Noble  with Tova Navarra's new book ," New Jersey Artist Through Time ". Kenneth Hari's bio and art is featured in this book.

Thank you for getting Tova Navarra's new book , "New Jersey Artist Through Time ". I am so very proud that my art and biography is included in this wonderful book . Art history of America begins in Perth Amboy ,New Jersey the town I was born in. Perth Amboy NJ. is the home of the first portrait painter and art historian. 
Kenneth Hari

🖼️A collaboration - A complement of Kenneth Hari's work- ✍️ Alp Icoz's poetry - 2016

 

Dear Alp.

 

This is on my Facebook with the image of ,"The Prophet".

 

Attached is the work ,The Prophet" created by artist Kenneth Hari. Poet and scholar, Alp Icoz is creating a poem that will complement this work... It will be our gift to you... We dedicate this to world peace. 

Send this work to all your family and friends.. Thank you.. 

J.J. Biddle director of the John Watson Art Gallery ( est.1730 ) 

Smith Street Box 243, Keasbey,NJ 08832, USA , 

Tel. 732 801 3773 ,

Email : <JohnWatsonArtInvestment@gmail.com >

 

My Address is as follows:

 

Kenneth & Xiaoyi ( Yi ) Hari

40 Clyde Avenue

Hopelawn, New Jersey 08861 USA

Tel: 732 442 8031  ( landline )

Tel : 732 801 3773 ( Mobile )

Email : < KennethHari@msn.com>

Website : www.Hari.com

 

Please send me your information also.

 

I await your reply my wonderful friend

 

 

 

🎞️ 🗣️🎙️👨🏼‍🎨 Kenneth Hari Art Show HD

 

Youtube -  Jan 31, 2011

Transcript of the video

oh

1:28

thanks to many people for seven

exhibitions i was counting the number of

artists that we hold for seven years and

i encountered more than 300 artists that

were having an exhibition 47a group and seven

a solo exhibitions and then with this

amazing person that i have right here with me

many people know he's a legend for seven

years i listen to his name and they

mention and they keep saying can we have

you know that person is compared and

boring and

he doesn't know that he's a legend and

that's what we're trying to represent

i'm here i'm just gonna pass the

microphone to kenya welcome and thank

you so much

2:18

what should i say i just want to thank

2:20

everybody here everyone and that i'm

2:23

just

2:24

a part of all of you because you're

2:27

what you created me

2:30

and

2:31

and i'm really so grateful it's just

2:34

it's just so perfect and wonderful i

2:36

just want to thank everybody on a

2:38

journey around the world

2:39

working with some of the most important

2:41

people on the planet earth

2:43

and her tamboy

2:45

gave me the start and all the really

2:48

said listen let's have a show and i said

2:50

oh i can't do it

2:51

drains me but she put together a wonder

2:54

wonderful show

2:56

uh here uh and it and this is from

2:58

collections from childhood

3:00

when when i started

3:02

and and i

3:04

i really am just it's just so perfect

3:07

and i want to thank everyone that

3:09

contributed to this

3:10

thank you very very much

3:18

if there's any questions does anyone

3:20

have a question

3:23

i do yes of all of all you've painted

3:27

uh who is the most exciting character in

3:31

your opinion

3:32

i think you know that's a good question

3:35

i think so many i've done i've hit and

3:37

worked with so many great people i've

3:39

been so fortunate one is when i really

3:41

is gene kelly gene kelly um gene kelly

3:45

there's a fellow that lived in protambit

3:46

by the name of uh samuel goldfish mr

3:48

harry did you attend

3:50

public schools uh no no i didn't one

3:53

year i did one year but it was my

3:55

brother ron harry that pulled i was

3:57

always in hollywood california during my

4:00

summers people my friends are going to

4:02

camp or they go somewhere and i'd be in

4:04

hollywood with my brother spending three

4:05

months in hollywood on beechwood drive

4:09

so and i was fortunate to

4:11

go around without adult supervision my

4:13

mom and dad didn't know that but my

4:15

brother

4:17

let me out of the loose but we were

4:18

really he was a good brother because he

4:20

always made sure i got to my art classes

4:23

in laguna beach with leanne frank so we

4:26

just had a great relationship the

4:27

exhibition to start in the little room

4:30

and we started with a little painting

4:33

how old were you

4:35

the

4:36

the first painting i did it was a

4:38

portrait commission by chris scott and i

4:41

was 10 years old this guy he was four he

4:44

was 14

4:45

and i would tell him chris would you

4:47

sing like johnny mathis for me and he

4:49

would sing like johnny mathis while i

4:50

was painting it so i always have johnny

4:52

mathis on mine which i'm going to paint

4:55

because daddy's still so performing but

4:58

um that was my first portrait commission

4:59

and i got paid fifty dollars i said this

5:02

is a great career

5:04

wow i made money by paying because and

5:07

that painting is here and it's it's in

5:09

the private collection but i was able to

5:11

get that i was traveling so much because

5:13

my paintings would be sold

5:15

my cousin who passed away is posed with

5:18

a portrait of

5:19

the pirate of the keys and he

5:21

photographed me while we were working so

5:23

we documented everything it was all it

5:26

was so great because we'd be on a road

5:28

motels hotels anywhere we could stay it

5:30

didn't matter but we traveled so many

5:32

places and right now i'm reviewing a lot

5:34

of the photographs of the travels

5:37

finally the person that we were

5:39

expecting that you're written is she's

5:42

celebrating

5:43

his work amazing

5:48

good evening

5:50

mr harry hi hi how are you i've become a

5:53

very great fan of yours

5:55

um and so is everyone else that's here

5:59

we're here tonight celebrating um your

6:01

accomplishments um your

6:03

love for art

6:05

and we're here to say to you thank you

6:07

for being our native son thank you that

6:09

this is always your home and for the

6:11

envoy and that we're very proud

6:14

to say that we have someone in bertie

6:16

and boy that is worldwide known

6:18

that's proud that makes us proud as

6:21

children of her family

6:23

that we can come out and celebrate with

6:25

you um all your accomplishments and i

6:28

say to you thank you very much and to

6:30

have your artwork displayed here in our

6:32

great city

6:34

for you to come back home

6:36

and to allow us to display it here in

6:38

our art gallery says a lot about you

6:41

and how much you care enough about the

6:43

city to come back and

6:45

share with us

6:46

this beautiful artwork so i thank you

6:48

and i also have a citation for you from

6:50

me

6:51

but per the envoy as you can see uh

6:54

loves you thank you it's not subpoena

6:56

right no

6:59

this is a good citation but

7:03

by the crowds here you can see how proud

7:06

everyone is

7:07

wonderful and that we are very grateful

7:09

again to you um there's a mayor here

7:11

that just love

7:13

art i'm an art lover and people know

7:15

that when you come into our city hall

7:17

you're going to come to my office and

7:19

see a beautiful mural that was painted

7:21

in my in my office and i'm going to make

7:24

sure that then after me no other mayor

7:26

can paint over those murals because

7:28

we're going gonna leave art for our

7:30

future generations thank you very much

8:04

so

8:16

me

8:31

is

8:42

me

8:58

oh

9:21

care

🎞️ 👨🏼‍🎨🗣️🎙️World renown portrait painter, Kenneth Hari discovers Katelyn Dawn & adds her likeness to his collection of portraits.

Video taped - CTV Spotlight April 28, 2008

Katelyn Dawn posted on  May 1, 2008

World renown portrait painter, Kenneth Hari discovers Katelyn Dawn & adds her likeness to his collection of portraits.

Comments:

@gtagamer101

16 years ago

Wow, not too long ago Kenneth was living with us for a whole week in our house and telling us about painting great people. I never thought he meant hollywood actors aswell! =O Wow can you believe it?

🎞️🗣️🎙️👨🏼‍🎨 AN EVENING WITH KENNETH HARI

Youtube posted - Mar 18, 2011

from the television series An Evening With.  Episode #1 

An Evening with Kenneth Hari: topic Hank Snow

🗣️Alp Icoz: ''These nice words that a good artist like Kenneth Hari deserves...''

 

To my artist friend Kenneth Hari