Vida Lahey: colour and modernism

Selected Images Lahey's paintings of construction sites around Brisbane begin with her image of the Brisbane City Hall in c.1927, Architects Hall and Prentice submitted their design for the new building in 1917 and construction took place from 1920 to 1930, The completed City Hell dominated the skyline until the 1960s, when the development of high-rise buildings gradually obscured it from view. In 1931 Lahey began a series of watercolours focusing on the construction of the Grey Street Bridge; its graceful, curving, modern arches reflect the arch of the already famous, but incomplete, Sydney Harbour ,SON Bridge. The bridge was renamed the William Jolly Bridge o n 5 July 1955, in memory of the first Lord Mayor of Greeter Brisbane. Su/try noon [Central Station, Brisbane] reflects the curving shapes of the Grey Street Bridge, then under 4 construction. The developing city skyline and the view . of St BrigWs Catholic Church at Red Hill are now largely obscured by tal bulldirgs. All RK31 IT City Hall during construction Ci ["j, The new bridge 190 Watercolour/45.7 x LW-.crn IL. rwi OIL .n:' LilAAF Holdings Limited through the Queensland AS Gahen,; LnindrAnn 4 Coilectorn Qneene.and AS CoHen,' r r v O n f .--' 41 -; I .•.•a- ' - -s - 1 /