From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo
Image: 'The last of the Hungry Mile' 2008 oil on canvas 178 x 122cm (image cropped) c Jane Bennett
Jane Bennett’s paintings have been recording the gentrification of neglected industrial heritage.
In 2003, the State Government announced that the East Darling Harbour Wharves would be transformed into Barangaroo. Once an area for dockworkers and wharfies, it is now a hub of waterfront luxury.
Bennett says: “I wanted to paint its hidden heritage before it was too late”.
Bennett was Artist-in-Residence for Patrick Stevedoring and Sydney Ports Corporation for over a decade, and her work has sometimes been described as “the canvases Jeffrey Smart wanted to paint all his life”.
“I love the work of Smart and Edward Hopper. However, all my paintings are painted ‘en plein air’ despite their deceptively poised compositions. Painting on a working wharf taught me to be quick and decisive – and to be able to cope with heat, cold, wind, rain and my subject matter suddenly sailing away.”
Bennett says the main reason she decided to participate in The Other Art Fair is because the Cutaway is on the spot where most of her works were painted.
The organisers of the Fair selected one of her largest paintings, “The Last of the ‘Hungry Mile”, which was a finalist in the 2008 Sulman Prize, to feature as a special highlight.
The Other Art Fair presents over 110 emerging artists with thousands of art pieces available to browse or purchase. Prices to suit every budget. Make a day of it with a bar, DJ, tattoo artist, and live performances.
21-24 July, The Cutaway, Barangaroo, $35 (opening night, 21 July), $15-$20; Tickets and info:
www.theotherartfair.com
