Jasper Knight is a Sydney-based artist known for his bright, brash colours and distinctive graphic approach, using materials such as spray paint, masonite, pegboard and salvaged signage. Influenced by graffiti, pop art and mixed media practices, Knight's work is often characterised by the inclusion of industrial landscapes and objects such as ports, cars, trucks and boats. Jeffrey Smart (1921–2013) likewise saw beauty in highways, factories, trucks, billboards, carparks and vacant city lots, creating distinctive paintings of the urban environment from the 1960s until his death. He once said of his subjects: 'Perhaps I'm trying to help people see the beauty in a gas tank, a road divider, a yellow truck. I paint buildings, factories, freeways, satellite dishes, because I like the definite forms and clean shapes.' In a nod to their shared subject matter, Knight painted Smart for the 2012 Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. This painted sketch was made later, but is likely to be based on studies made from life for the 2012 portrait.
Gift of Ross Steele AM 2021. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
© Jasper Knight/Copyright Agency, 2024
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