The two men were introduced by Brian Moore. Brett knew and had worked with Brian when he was running the prestigious David Jones Art Gallery. In 1989 Brian worked at Australian Galleries in Rolyston Street, Paddington, which represented Jeffrey Smart. Brett & Jeffrey were introduced on one of Jeffrey’s frequent trips to Australia from his home in Tuscany, Italy.
At that time Jeffrey had been a resident in Italy for 26 years, where he painted his iconic industrial and urban masterpieces. In 1996 Jeffrey, who exhibited his artwork in Australia, asked Brett to create a bespoke Jeffrey Smart water-gilded frame which he adopted as his signature house style.
In 1997 Stephen Rogers, Jeffrey Smart’s archivist, discussed with Brett the idea of creating a digital archive of the painter’s artwork and career. Over the last 26 years hours of doggedly creating this digital archive were undertaken by Brett & Melissa with Stephen.
To this day, work continues between Melissa and Stephen on the Jeffrey Smart Archive. No other celebrated contemporary artist in Australia has an archive quite like the Jeffrey Smart Archive.
In collaboration with Stephen Rogers, Brett and Melissa have worked over the years on six books on Jeffrey Smart, as well as supplying high quality, digital files for a number of media presentations and documentaries, including the recent documentary created in conjunction with the very successful exhibition “Jeffrey Smart” held at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra in 2021/2022.
JEFFREY SMART
Jeffrey Smart was established as one of Australia’s most important post-modernist artists when Brett Lichtenstein met him in 1989.
An urbane and cultured figure, Jeffrey Smart enjoyed popular and critical success during his long career for his portrayal of the urban landscape and the encouragement he gave to young artists. For this he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Sydney and the University of South Australia. He was also appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, for his service to the visual arts.
Alongside the digital work, Brett Lichtenstein continued to make water-gilded frames for Jeffrey Smart’s artworks, until Brett passed away in September 2020. Jeffrey Smart was an exceptional artist who held Brett Lichtenstein’s water-gilding and digital reproduction skills in the highest regard. Under Jeffrey’s supervision we created a selection of limited edition, fine art reproductions of Jeffrey Smart’s artwork.
At the time of his death in 2013, Jeffrey Smart was Australia’s greatest living contemporary artist, a mantle he passed to John Olsen.