Jeffery Smart - Portrait of David Malouf

Question 1

OS

Answer 1

Additionally, Smart continues to reinforce the symbolism within his subject matter is his striking Portrait of David Malouf (1980), with its cutting edge composition and vivid colours.

Question 2

Depiction of subject matter

Answer 2

Similar to the expressionless figure in Cahil Expressway, the individual (David), is isolated and displaced from his surroundings as he calmly gazes to his right. Smart was never interested in exploring the inner psychological life of his subject through close examination but rather conveyed information symbolically through his figures.

Question 3

Aesthetic qualities

Answer 3

Here, the signage emblazoned with ‘Ovidio’ on the truck in the background alludes to the Malouf’s novel based on the exile of the Roman poet Ovid, adding to the poetic and symbolic aesthetic of the composition. Smart’s meticulously crafted depictions of modern urban environments are emphasized by the rigid, yet congruous geometric shipping containers in a colour palette of reds, blues, yellows and greens, while the bright orange pipe is representative of the act of creativity.

Question 4

AQ 2

Answer 4

This is displayed through the curvaceous line of the pipe, contrasting to the angular sharpness of the infrastructure, as inspiration drawn from imagination passes from the writer’s hand into the space inhabited by the viewer.