Art by Jane Bennett -Paintings from The Hungry Mile & Barangaroo

Jane BennettArtist

Industrial & MaritimeHeritage

Frances Keevil GalleriesBay Village

28-34 Cross StDouble Bay NSW 2028

Tel: 61 + 2 9327 2475 [email protected]

www.franceskeevilart.com.au/Jane_Bennett.htm

From the ‘Hungry Mile’To Barangaroo

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.franceskeevilart.com.au/Jane_Bennett.htm


BEFORE & AFTER

THE HUNGRY MILE 2007 BARANGAROO 2008

DH166 “The yard from the office” oil on canvas 100 x 122cm 2007

DH179 “The empty wharf from shed 5“oil on canvas 100 x 122cm 2008

Painting Sydney's Industrial Heritage

I began to paint & draw Sydney 's industrial & maritime heritage in the early

1980's.

Almost everything that I have painted has either been demolished or changed

beyond all recognition.

The pubs have been gentrified, the woolstores have been converted into

apartments, & formerly gritty industrial areas have been transformed into

entertainment venues.

www.franceskeevilart.com.au/Jane_Bennett.htm

www.onehundred.sl.nsw.gov.au/100-objects/Exhibit-095.aspx

www.artfiles.com.au/janebennett


http://www.onehundred.sl.nsw.gov.au/100-objects/Exhibit-095.aspx

http://www.artfiles.com.au/janebennett

Unlike many artists I usually work on site to capture the elusive spirit of place.

I set up my easel by the side of the road, on windswept rooftops & on demolition

sites. Unpredictable weather, constantly changing light, distractions from workman

& passers-by – are more than compensated for by the depth of knowledge I have

gained about the hidden gems of Sydney.

I see Sydney in all its moods, from the pearly calm of early morning, the brilliant

cobalt sea and sky of a warm summer’s day, to dramatic storms & the jewel-like

city skyline at night.

P103 “Building Star City Casino”1994

oil on canvas 92 x 122 cm

The bright red ship in the background was the soon to be notorious ‘Tampa’, one of the

numerous Wallenius Wilhelmsen fleet of Ro-ros. (Then it was owned by Barber Blue Sea.)

Between1985 – 1996 I painted the East Darling Harbour Wharves from vantage points around the

Sydney Harbour Foreshore. These next 3 works were painted in Pyrmont, from the roof of the

Pyrmont Power Station (now replaced by the Star City Casino)

“Casino Site from the top of Pyrmont Power Station” 1996oil on board 40x89cm

”Casino Site from the top of Pyrmont Power Station” 1996

oil on board 40 x 89cm

The long narrow building on the left, Pier 13, was once connected to Jones Bay

Road by a land bridge. Then Pier 13 became the temporary casino, painted a

hideous shade of bright yellow & the land bridge was demolished. Jones Bay Road

has since been renamed Pirrama Road & now a leads to the steps of Star City

Casino.

The brilliantly coloured ships in the background are painted to scale; they were so

immense that they towered over the buildings.

“Star City Casino site 2”1996oil on canvas 122 x 180 cm

"Star City Casino site 2" 1996


This birds-eye view of construction gives an idea of the grand scale of the project.

At that stage, despite being partially demolished, the remaining section of the

Pyrmont Power Station was still fully operational & still provided most of the

electricity for the western side of the C.B.D.

This was one of the last paintings I completed from the roof of the Pyrmont Power

Station, hence its monumental scale.

In 1996 I won the prestigious Marten Bequest Travelling Art Scholarship & made

several journeys to Europe & the U.S.A. over the next 2 years.

GT6A The 'Emergency Response' boats moored at

Goat Island 1992

oil on canvas 31 x 41 cmPainted from Ball’s Head on the North Shore. The blue ship in the background is probably either the ‘Caledonie Express’ or the ‘Forum Samoa’.

U87 “Evening, Sydney Harbour Bridge from Port Jackson Towers” 2004

oil on canvas 91x168cm

The Port Jackson Towers, above North Sydney Olympic Pool, provided a vantage point

for a panorama of the entire harbour. I included this painting to show the area in context

with the geography of Sydney.

W27 “Walsh Bay Wharves 6,7,8,9” 1999

oil on canvas 122 x 152cm

The Emergency response boats of Sydney Ports Corporation docked at Moore’s Wharf & shed 3 are in the background of Pier

8/9 (later home of Murdoch Magazines & Patrick Corporation) & Pier 6/7 (later demolished) of Walsh Bay Wharves.

O16 East Darling Harbour from Observatory Hill 2000

pastel on paper 56x76cm

One of the Wallenius ships & the L2 crane from the western side of Observatory Hill.

Artist in Residence at East Darling Harbour Wharves

I have painted many aspects of Miller's Point & the East Darling Harbour Wharves over

the last 20 years, but as soon as I became aware of the developments in store for this

precinct, I became Artist in Residence on the wharf itself, painting a comprehensive

overview of all the stevedoring activities.

I painted this series of works, not out of nostalgia but as part of a greater historical

narrative, to show the transition of Sydney into the be exhibiting space! post-industrial

era in visual terms. I then continued to paint the demolition of the sheds & the

preparations for World Youth Day, as well as a bird's eye view of the World Youth Day

festivities from the vantage point of the control room in the Sydney Harbour Control

Tower.

Many of these works won major art prizes & have been displayed in prestigious

exhibitions. This is only a small selection of the over 500 paintings I have completed of

this fascinating area. Although I have sold some of these paintings I have kept a core

group of the most significant ones for the future..

“Caledonie Express” 2005


PRIVATE COLLECTION : SYDNEY

DH2A-D “The ‘Pauwgracht’, evening clouds “2005

Polyptych oil on canvas 51x25cm each canvas (total size 51 x 102cm)

“The ‘Pauwgracht’” Diptych 2005

oil on canvas 51 x 25cm each canvas (total size 51 x 51cm)

PRIVATE COLLECTION : BRISBANE

These are a few of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen fleet of Ro-ros (roll-on, roll-off) or car

ships. The Wallenius (originally a Swedish company)ships were green & named

after operas. The Wilhelmsen (originally from Norway) ships were vermilion & all

their names started with the letter “T”.

Each ship was subtly different, but there were 4 basic types, Marks I – IV & within

each Mark, groups of 3 or so similar sister ships. The ‘Taiko’ & the ‘Tampa’ for

example, were sister ships.

Each ship would return to Port Jackson after a period of about 110 days.

WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN

DH11 “'The Madame Butterfly‘” 2005


DH8A-C “The ‘Takara’ Triptych” 2005

oil on canvas 41x 31cm each

DH9 “The Tamerlane after rain” 2005


DH55 “The 'Tampere' “ 2006


COLLECTION: THE MITCHELL LIBRARY, STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

DH134 'Capitaine Tasman' & 'Caledonie Express' at night 2007


Watching the reflections of the jewel-like lights on the water, I was inspired to

paint a series of nocturnes. The city glitters against Sydney’s inky night

sky.

DH98 “2 Cranes- L2 & L3” 2006


THE THREE RED CRANES AT DARLING HARBOUR

DH25 “L2 Crane with Stormclouds” 2005

oil on canvas 51.5 x 25.5cm

DH109 “ L2 Crane with spreader” 2007


DH56 “The L3 Crane, with the 'Taiko' & containers “ 2006

oil on canvas 51.5 x 25.5cm

DH30 “The Dangling Boat” 2005


DH137 The L1 Crane 2007


DH135A & B Maintaining the Crane (Diptych) 2007

oil on canvas 51 x 25cm each canvas (total size 51 x 51 cm)

DH33A-B “From the Bridge of the 'Taiko' Diptych'' 2006

oil on board 20 x 40cm each (total size 20 x 80 cm)

PAINTINGS FROM THE BRIDGE OF A SHIP

DH212C “The Last call of the

‘Tampa’ ” 2007



DH212E Sydney Harbour Bridge from the Bridge of the ‘Tampa ‘2007 oil on canvas 102 x 41cm

DH212D “North Sydney from the Bridge of the ‘Tampa’” 2007 oil on canvas 122 x 51cm

DH53A-B “Miller's point from the Bridge of the 'Talabot' Diptych” 2006

oil on canvas 31 x 61cm each canvas (total size 31 x 122cm)


DH23 “Forklift & container, ‘Capitaine Tasman’ “ 2005


STEVEDORES WORKING THE SHIPS

DH61 “The old forklift” 2006


DH69 “Lifting container 'Oceania Chief' “ 2006


DH154A-B “Hooking up a case Diptych” 2007

oil on canvas 30 x 15cm each (total size 30 x 30 cm)

DH139 “The 'Southern Cross' (with Robbie & forklift) “ 2007


DH83 “Spirit of Tasmania 3 with linesmen” 2006


‘THE SPIRIT OF TASMANIA’ AT DARLING HARBOUR

The Mitchell Library, State Library of N.S.W, has acquired a painting from this series.

DH94 “Spirit of Tasmania 3-Linesman dragging rope” 2006


DH89 “Linesman with rope, Spirit of Tasmania 3” 2006


THE LAST VOYAGE

DH88 “Spirit of Tasmania 3 with cars entering ramp-the last voyage” 2006


COLLECTION : THE MITCHELL LIBRARY, STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

The Sydney Harbour Control Tower

The ultimate bird’s eye view of Sydney – the control room of the still

operational Sydney Harbour Control Tower gave me majestic panoramas of

Harbour, Bridge & City to the east & the booming revitalized Pyrmont/Jacksons

Landing to the west

I painted over 40 works in the Sydney Harbour Control Tower series, several

of which have won major awards & been acquired by various

prestigious collections.

The Mitchell Library, State Library of N.S.W, has acquired two paintings from

this series.

HCT18 “The Hungry Mile from the Harbour Control Tower 2 “ 2008

gouache on paper 101 x 76cm

HCT26 “Forum Samoa from Harbour Tower “ 2008


HCT15 'Don Juan' at night from the Harbour Control Tower 2007


HCT2 “Darling Harbour from Harbour Control Tower” 2006


COLLECTION: THE MITCHELL LIBRARY, STATE LIBRARY OF NSW

"The Sydney Harbour Control Tower" 2008


"The Sydney Harbour Control Tower" 2008

oil on canvas 180 x 122cmI was Artist in Residence at the "Hungry Mile" aka "East Darling Harbour Wharves"

from 2005 until after the stevedores left & the preparations for "World Youth Week"

had started.

I painted this inside Shed 4, the top floor of which once contain the offices . While

the wharf was still operational I would never have been allowed to paint there as it

was far too dangerous. Forklifts used to whip in & out of the entrance constantly, &

there was a deafening alarm that would go off whenever this happened. I had

earmarked this spot as a site for an iconic painting as soon as I arrived in 2005. The

doorway frames the Sydney Harbour Tower, the bond stores & the quirky

architecture of the heritage Palisade Hotel perched on the golden sandstone

escarpment to perfection. This area is now called Barangaroo. The once bustling wharf has suddenly become

eerily silent; soon the cycle of demolition & construction shall begin.

DEPARTURE OF THE STEVEDORES OCTOBER 2007

DH171 “The empty wharf 3” 2007

oil on canvas 61 x 91cmCOLLECTION OF SYDNEY PORTS CORPORATION

DH176 “The Dead House 2 “

oil on canvas 91 x 61cm 2007

DH172 “Relics from the Dead House”


DH157 “Relics from the 'Dead House'2 “


DH187 “The maiden call of the ‘Pacific Dawn’ with the demolition of Shed 6”

2008 oil on canvas 31 x 103cm

DEMOLITION OF THE WHARVES

DH198 “The last of shed 4” 2008


DH208 ”Wharf Skeleton” 2008

mixed media on paper 76 x 114cm

DH207 “Rehearsal for Raising the cross, Barangaroo “


WORLD YOUTH DAY

DH206A-B “Rehearsal for raising the cross, Barangaroo” Diptych 2008

oil on canvas 25 x 20cm each canvas (total size 51 x 20 cm)

Coda

I seem to have an uncanny instinct for selecting subjects that are about to vanish.

Ironically part of the attraction of such places is their poignant impermanence. I

sought to paint the landscape forever poised at the moment of transition – at the

first bite of the bulldozer – at the point of maximum contrast between past & future.

I experienced great frustration at painting to an unknown but inevitable time limit as

buildings were demolished as fast as I could paint them.

As the momentum of development rapidly gathered, I continued to record this area

with an increasing sense of purpose.

These works changed from isolated images into an extensive narrative sequence of

the abandonment, decay, destruction & reconstruction of a city - a metaphor for

deeper changes within Australia.

The mood has changed forever, & only my works remain as testament to the

passing of an era.

About the Artist...

Diploma of Arts 1982

Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Art Studies at

C.O.F.A., University of N.S.W. 1983

28 solo exhibitions & included in many group exhibitions.

Won over 120 art prizes, & many major commissions for

government & corporate clients.

A major retrospective of Jane’s work was the signature event

of the 2006 Industrial Heritage Festival of the National Trust of

Australia.

http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/events/janebennett

A canvas painted from the top of the A.N.Z.A.C. Bridge is now

in the "ONE Hundred" exhibition of 100 iconic objects to

celebrate the centenary of the Mitchell Library, State Library

of N.S.W


http://www.nsw.nationaltrust.org.au/events/janebennett


Major Awards & Prizes

• Received the Marten Bequest Travelling Art Scholarship for Painting in 1996 &

awarded the 1996 Dyason Bequest by the Trustees of the Art Gallery of N.S.W.

• In 1997 awarded 3 months residency at the Moya Dyring Studio of the Cité

Internationale des Arts in Paris by the Trustees of the Art Gallery of N.S.W. , & a

further residency at the Studio of the American Academy in Rome.

• Finalist in the 1986,1997 & 2008 Sulman Prize for Genre/History Painting 5 times

a finalist in the Dobell Prize for Drawing; 6 times a finalist in the Wynne Prize for

Landscape, winning the 1990, 1995 & 1996 Pring Prize for Watercolour & the 1995

Trustees’ Prize for Watercolour in the Wynne Prize, Art Gallery of N.S.W.

• In 2004 received the inaugural Sydney Harbour Week Award for artistic

achievement.

Publications

• AUSTRALIAN ARTISTS’ INDEX 1986 Jan McDonald • ARTISTS & GALLERIES OF AUSTRALIA 1990 Max Germaine

• DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN ARTISTS 1991 Max Germaine

• MANLY ART GALLERY & MUSEUM NEWS FEB 1994 Metropolis Now

Michael Pursche • THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AUSTRALIAN ART 1994 Compiled by Alan McCulloch;

1994 Edition revised & updated by Susan McCulloch • A VISION REALISED 1998 Mr D. Max Taylor

• SUNCE JUŽNOG NEBA 2003 Zoja Bojić

• HARBOURLIFE 2007 Sydney Harbour from the 1940’s Gavin Wilson

Articles & Reviews

• AUSTRALIAN ARTIST MAGAZINE FEB 1991

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 11/5/91 Sydney – City to the Fringes Elwyn Lynn

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 11/5/91 The Return to old Forms Bronwyn Watson

• THE EASTERN HERALD 18/6/92 Passionate about Pyrmont Pamela Payne

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 20/6/92 Graphic proofs of print power Elwyn Lynn

• THE CANBERRA TIMES 20/7/92 Exhibition Commentary Sonya Barron

• HOME BEAUTIFUL OCT 1992 Beginners’ guide to art collecting David Tribe

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 22/9/93 Woman with a mission Tanya Price

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 20/8/93 Fine art drawn from a limited range Bruce James

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 10/12/93 Metropolis Now Felicity Fenner

• MANLY ART GALLERY & MUSEUM NEWS FEB 1994 Metropolis Now Michael Pursche

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 9/4/94 Eyes on the Prizes Elwyn Lynn

• GLEBE & INNER CITY NEWS 17/8/94 Artistic Biography Scott Tucker

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 3/9/94 Parables’ divine Inspiration Elwyn Lynn

• THE TELEGRAPH MIRROR 3/9/94 In Pursuit of Pyrmont Stewart Hawkins

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 9/9/94 Paying Homage to Holden Felicity Fenner

Articles & Reviews continued …

• ART & AUSTRALIA, Vol 32 No3 1995 Exhibition Commentary

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 9/3/96 Archibald & the sex Goddess John McDonald

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 9/3/96 Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Peter Cochrane

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 16/3/96 Flawed Genius, good signs Giles Auty

• MODERN PAINTERS Summer Edition 1996 Gallery Karen Wright

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN OCT1996 High on Culture Giles Auty

• THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN 29/3/97 Critical Madhouse Giles Auty

• GRADUATE REVIEW Winter/Spring 1997 Reaching the dizzy heights Jane Mundy

• THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 31/12/98 The Blake Prize Sebastian Smee

• THE AUSTRALIAN REVIEW 2/1/99 God & Glamour Giles Auty

• THE AUSTRALIAN REVIEW 27/3/99 Archibald, Wynne & Sulman Prize Giles Auty

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 19/11/99 Walsh Bay a Winner for Jane ! Mary Powis

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 6/11/99 Capturing our heritage: Artist races developers Mary Powis

• NORTHERN DISTRICT TIMES 27/5/00 Past passions drive artist Jonathon Granger

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 2/6/00 Our great Times Art Prize Mary Powis

• CANBERRA TIMES 25/7/01 A remarkably high standard Sasha Grishin

• CANBERRA TIMES 26/7/01 Rocks, paper, flesh Jennifer Kingma

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 11/10/02 Artist wins top prize Mary Powis

Articles & Reviews continued …

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 21/03/03 Pymble artist beguiled by Harbour moods Mary Powis

• DISTRICT NEWS 26/08/03 Cityscapes to nudes Tara Commerford

• MOSMAN DAILY 26/03/03 Ablaze with inspiration Breda Wall

• THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 13/08/03 Beauty haunts the city’s ruins Elizabeth Fortescue

• DISTRICT NEWS 9/09/04 Casting light on local history Bianca Lipari

• THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 28/09/04 Brush with the city’s saw point Elizabeth Fortescue

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 15/10/04 All that remains are paintings Mary Powis

• SYDNEY MORNING HERALD DOMAIN 03/03/05 Vanishing act Jackie Chowns

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 23/03/05 Timeless tanker a win for Jane Mary Powis

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 25/03/05 Art on the move Mary Powis

• NORTH SHORE TIMES 15/11/05 Maritime memories Mary Powis

• THE OBSERVER May 2006 The end of Sydney as we know it Harriet Gollan

• SYDNEY MORNING HERALD 25/06/07 The end of an era caught on canvas Steve Meacham

• THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 29/06/07 Memory lanes Elizabeth Fortescue

• INNER WEST COURIER 03/07/07 Painted history of a city’s hidden gems Menios Constantinou

• AUSTRALIAN SEA HERITAGE 91/2007 Recording each passing Alan Edenborough

• SL : STATE LIBRARY MAGAZINE Autumn 2010 Q & A Cathy Perkins

Collections

Jane’s work is represented in the collections of :

• the Mitchell Library, State Library of N.S.W.

• Artbank

• the Kedumba Contemporary Drawing Gallery

• many Regional Gallery & Municipal Council Collections

• Department of Defence

• University of N.S.W.

• University of Sydney

• many corporate & private collections throughout Australia, the U.S.A., the U.K.,

Hong Kong & Japan.

Entertainment & Humor

Art by Jane Bennett -Paintings from The Hungry Mile & Barangaroo