Why did Jeffrey Smart paint the Cahill Expressway?

Why did Jeffrey Smart paint the Cahill Expressway?

Their purpose is to give the viewer a sense of scale or act as a counterweight to the architecture in his images. Cahill Expressway (1962) is an impassive portrait of an isolated man in an urban landscape, the viewer does not know the identity of the man, let alone his purpose.

What is the style of the Cahill Expressway?

Jeffrey Smart(1962) Forms are analysed into geometric shapes and carefully placed to build a harmonious composition. Colours are reduced into primaries and balanced against mid-tones. Yet despite this compositional rigor and clarity, Smart’s works generate a sense of mystery and unknowing.

What is Jeffrey Smart known for?

Jeffrey Smart (Australian, 1921–2013) was a painter and draughtsman, best known for his iconic portrayals of contemporary life, which have alternately been described as surreal and hyper-realistic.

What techniques did Jeffrey Smart use?

Smart mostly painted with oil, acrylic and watercolours, generally using the bold primary colours – yellow, blue and red – and dark greys for his skies. This created an unusual effect in his works as the foregrounds of his paintings are fully lit despite the dark sky.

Who painted the Cahill Expressway?

Jeffrey Smart
Cahill Expressway/Artists

Who designed the Cahill Expressway?

Jeffrey Smart painting. One of Australian artist Jeffrey Smart’s most famous works is Cahill Expressway (1962).

Is Jeffrey Smart still alive?

Deceased (1921–2013)
Jeffrey Smart/Living or Deceased

What type of artist is Jeffrey Smart?

Modernism
Precisionism
Jeffrey Smart/Periods

How did Jeffrey Smart make his artworks?

Smart’s carefully constructed paintings belie the effort of their creation. Classically trained, his process was laborious, slowly working out the composition of a painting through many drawings and studies. He believed that ‘great painting is based on good drawing.

What is Cahill expressway named after?

The overhead roadway across Circular Quay was opened on 24 March 1958 by John Joseph ‘Joe’ Cahill, Premier of NSW. Controversial from its conception, the expressway (named in honour of the Premier after his death in 1959) provoked a variety of responses.

How was the Sydney Harbour tunnel built?

The land tunnels were constructed by a combination of driving and cut-and-cover techniques, designed to be strong enough to withstand the impact of earthquakes. The northern end pylons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge were altered to allow for air exhaust from the tunnel to rise over the harbour.

When was Jeffrey Smart born?

July 26, 1921
Jeffrey Smart/Date of birth

Who is the artist of the Cahill Expressway?

Cahill Expressway is a 1962 painting by the Australian artist Jeffrey Smart. The painting depicts the Cahill Expressway, a motorway in inner Sydney.

When was the Woolloomooloo extension of the Cahill Expressway opened?

The work has been described as “startling for its recognisability as an Sydney scene and doubly so for its timeless quality.” The Woolloomooloo extension of the Cahill Expressway was opened in March 1962, the same year as Smart made his painting.

How is the Cahill Expressway like an allegorical self portrait?

The Cahill Expressway is like a kind of allegorical self portrait. The man in the blue suit stands at the parting of two ways. One heads down into a dark tunnel, the other up to the light and to the monument on which a heroic figure raises his arm in a triumphant or inspirational gesture …

Who was Prime Minister when the Cahill Expressway was demolished?

Demolition of the expressway has been proposed in the past, most prominently by former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, who in 1994 offered federal funds in the amount of A$150 million toward such a project. The then NSW Premier, John Fahey, rejected the proposal because of the cost and the resultant traffic problems.