Pretentious High Schooler Talks About Art : Mike Hinge

Artist Spotlight:

Introduction: I was super excited to write about Mike Hinge when given the opportunity. This man's art is something to be adored in my opinion.
Personal:

Mike Hinge was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1931. Hinge grew up in Mission Bay in a state house. His father was a bus driver and his South African mother was a former nurse. As a child Hinge had a fascination with only 2 things as a child. Science fiction and everything american. Deep into the night he'd stay up to 3am playing with futuristic space ships, vehicles, and even learned to play the violin. As a teenager he wore a cowboy hat and learned the jazz trombone when he listened to Louis Armstrong. In Mike's time he was considered maverick for his actions and habits. Considered to be an "Americanophile". He refused to stand when God Save The King played before each film in the theater played and hated Union Jack in the New Zealand flag. After attending an art school and doing some work for a Sci Fi mag he got applied for a Green Card to work in america in 1952. In 1958 his dream had come true. He could finally come to america. There he worked as a he attended another art school, worked as an advertising art director and designer, and even got to do a comic strip for the magazine Heavy Metal/Metal Hurlant. Mike lived hapily in america doing the thing job and experiencing the culture he loved. Hinge only returned home once in 1984 when his brother Noel won $333,000 in a lottery and paid for the trip. He felt New Zealand was too slow for him and advertising agencies wouldn't hire him. In the last 10 years of his life he lived in Philadelphia. August 2003 he died of a heart attack in his home, he was almost 72 when he died.

Career:

The funny thing is he is essentially unknown in New Zealand, but was a big success as a graphic designer in America. Throughout his career Mike has done many different works; ranging from book covers, magezine covers, illustrations, and movie designs. Much of it is held in the Smithsonian. Hinge also designed the cryogenic unit for a unused lobby display of the movie 2001 Space Odyssey.

Significance:

Mike's art has received many awards.
He was nominated 6 times for the Locuz Awards by the american science fiction magazine Locus.
Mike was even nominated for the most prestigious science fiction trophy, the Hugo Award.