Sydney Harbour Bridge construction photographs
Object No. 87/1353
This print is one of an important series of photographs commissioned by the Department of Public Works. As a group they document the construction of the Sydney City Underground Railway and the Sydney Harbour Bridge between 1922 and 1932. Building a bridge to link the city of Sydney with the North Shore was first suggested by Francis Greenway in 1825, however it would be nearly 100 years before the first competitive designs and tenders were accepted. On 18 July 1913 a New South Wales Committee approved the design of a bridge from Dawes Point to Milson's Point and in 1921 tenders were finally called. Chief Engineer John Bradfield oversaw this massive project through to its opening in 1932. The Powerhouse Museum's collection of 191 photographic prints provides a good overview of the significant phases of this massive infrastructure project. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, October, 2012 References: J. Bradfield, 'Speeches', 1932 F.H. Greenway, 'Letter', The Australian, 28 April 1825
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Summary
Object Statement
Photographs (195), construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Underground Railway, photographed by the NSW Department of Public Works, Sydney, Australia, 1922-1932
Physical Description
195 black and white photographs depicting sequentially the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, from 1922 until 1932.
DIMENSIONS
Height
67 mm
Width
215 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
This photographic print is thought to have been made under the supervision of A. J. Kent, New South Wales Government Printer, between 1923 and 1943. It is one of 191 taken from the original negatives produced as a part of the Public Works Department program to document the various stages of the construction of the City Railway and Sydney Harbour Bridge. All the original images were taken between 1922 and 1932. While individual photographs were taken by different photographers, they all worked under the supervision of Robert Bowden, at the Public Works Department. References: 'Mr. A. J. Kent Appointed', The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 March, 1923 'Death of Mr. A. J. Kent', 14, August, 1943 Prints and Printmaking: Australia | Asia | Pacific (website) http://www.printsandprintmaking.gov.au/catalogues/bibliography/629606/author-not-identified-death-of-exgovernment-printe.aspx
HISTORY
Notes
This group of photographs was owned by Mr Gordon Stuckey, who was an engineer assisting JJC Bradfield on the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Composer and visual artist Mia Salsjo viewed these photographs of the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in late 2022. They formed a significant part of the research and inspiration for her final work ‘The Bridge’ performed in early 2023. Salsjo’s work comprises of drawings, sound and performance and is based on the structure and history of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Mia Salsjo has transformed the architecture of the bridge into the language of music .From the photographs Salsjo transposed a coded system of numbers, lines and dots, These algorithmic marks were then translated into a series of drawings revealing visual and sonic patterns within the built structure. The drawings act as graphic scores for Salsjo’s final musical composition for a brass ensemble. 'The Bridge' continues Mia Salsjo's journey into the architecture of a form and its translation into site specific musical compositions. https://www.miasalsjo.com/ Anni Turnbull, Curator April 2023
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Dorothy Stuckey, 1987
Acquisition Date
19 October 1987
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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