Art Exhibition by Jane Bennett, of the industrial heritage of Sydney’s Working Harbour including Paintings and Drawings of the construction of the Anzac Bridge & other sites in Pyrmont,Cockatoo Island & White Bay.

1. F R A N C E S K E E V I L G A L L E RY
JANE BENNETT DAINA MATTIS
CLOSING THE GAP CHINESE WHISPERS 18 MAY – 1 JUNE 2010
These exhibitions will be officially opened at the Frances Keevil Gallery on Tuesday, 18th May,
from 6 – 8pm by Louise Anemaat - Head, Picture Section Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW
With the objectivity of a documentary photographer, Jane
Bennett juxtaposes heritage buildings with adjacent piles
of rubble, city skyscrapers against a pristine blue sky. A
complex style of painting mixing the expressionistic,
romantic and realistic genres. She has been capturing
Sydney's vanishing industrial sites for over 20 years.
Recording the rapidly transforming scenes. Much of Jane's
focus has been on our threatened working harbour, the
sites at Pyrmont, Balmain and Cabarita Point, as well as
shipping yards, federation warehouses and our harbour
islands.
The feature painting in this current exhibition 'Looking West
from the top of the Anzac Bridge' is a dramatic painting
illustrating the drama of construction as the Anzac Bridge
was being built. This large painting on paper was painted
from the top of one of the two pylons. Jane being the only
Closing the Gap pastel on paper 68 x100cm
artist ever allowed in to the site to paint or observe.
A winner of many prominent art awards and finalist of the Sulman, Dobell and Wynne Prizes, Jane brings us an insightful exhibition
into the beauty and drama behind our industrial heritage. Jane Bennett’s exhibition is coinciding with the Mitchell Library's 100 year
object exhibition which is exhibiting a painting from their permanent collection 'Closing the Gap’. The Anzac Bridge before the two
sides of the bridge meet in the middle.
Renowned Sydney based artist Jane Bennett is exhibiting with New York artist Daina Mattis. Whereas Daina is a studio based artist,
Jane is a plein air painter of the urban landscape.
Daina Mattis was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, a city with a visual overload. In an image rich culture it is no wonder
Mattis strips down the walls of excess providing the viewer with what she feels is valuable. The figures emerge from the paper in a
subtle, tranquil fashion seeming to recall a memory. Each work has the extreme spectrums of drawing and painting where every
component can suffice separately as well as symbiotically.
One of the highlights within the exhibition
is ‘Chinese Whispers’. This piece displays
the receiving and sending of verbal
communication evoking childhood
memories of playing telephone yet also
mirroring this practice into adulthood. The
double, even ghost like portraits refers both
to the possible duplicity within human
behavior as well as the phenomena of
language and its evolution. The whispered
message is a symbol of something that is
not concrete. It is ever changing with time
as well as the receiver, just as a painting is.
‘Chinese Whispers’ is a pivotal piece for
Chinese Whispers charcoal & oil on paper 120 x 300cm Mattis because it is a direct metaphor for
the perception of painting.
Bay Village, 28 – 34 Cross Street Double Bay NSW 2028 ph: 02 9327 2475
frances@franceskeevilart.com.au www.franceskeevilart.com.au
Gallery hours: Mon to Fri 10 - 5 Sat 10 - 4 Sun 11 - 4

2. F R A N C E S K E E V I L G A L L E RY
JANE BENNETT
Looking West, mixed media on paper 141 x 134cm Closing the Gap - from the top of the ANZAC Bridge oil on canvas 91x122cm
DAINA MATTIS
Suk Suk Ratele (diptych) charcoal & oil on paper 2.4 x 1.5 cm each panel Tucked Aside graphite & oil on paper 102 x 102cm
For more images from these exhibitions, please visit our website
www.franceskeevilart.com.au