CANBERRA artist Jeffree Skewes has created a triptych painting, “Then Today Tomorrow,”that takes its inspiration from the previously-named “View From Summit of Mount Ainslie” now  “Marion Mahony Griffin View”  by (of course) Marion Mahony Griffin.

Made in 2007, the painting  is part of a body of art work by Skewes  that perfectly fits Canberra’s Centenary.  The ACT Chief Minister’s announcement in April this year regarding the official renaming of the original  painting makes it even more relevant, making “Then Today Tomorrow”  both a homage to Mahony Griffin and a commentary on contemporary Canberra.

Skewes says he has based his artwork on her  proportions and scale to ‘redraw’ the original  elements scratched into plaster, sgraffito style, so “to elevate the built ingredients that constitutes the ultimate aspirations of the original architects.”

Skewes alternate modern panels depict modern-day vistas that  also zoom-in on views of cafes, buildings and the like to deepen the picture and reveal Canberra today.

His concept is that the  triptych weaves together the past and present Canberra to suggest an ever evolving future  that is “constantly adjusting, altering, refining or even defying the original Giriffin/Mahony plan.”

“Then Today Tomorrow,” M16 Artspace, Blaxland Cres. Griffith, until July 7 Wed – Sun 12-5pm.