Jasper Knight - Cuban Missile Crisis c.a. 2010

Jasper Knight's 'Cuban Missile Crisis' (2010), a unique work on paper (1 of 4 unique works on paper produced as studies for the Cuban Missile Crises series) , stands as one of the seminal piece for his 'Cuban Series' (other notable works in the series include "Cuban Taxi" and "Cuban Truck"). This Australian artist is renowned for his distinctive graphic style and innovative use of industrial materials.

This very contemporary piece maintains Knight's signature aesthetic with its stark outlines, bright, flat areas of colour, and a subject matter drawn from the urban environment. Knight's works often feature vehicles, signs, and architectural elements, encapsulating a sense of the urban landscape and human-made world. "Cuban Missile Crisis" is a vibrant and visceral representation of the artist's signature casual" style, characterised by a bold use of neon colour, simple stylised graphics and fluid forms reminiscent of other pop art masters.

Upon closer examination, the drips and splatters disrupt the car's clean lines, suggesting a sense of movement or decay. These gestural marks contrast with the solid fields of colour and give the piece a raw, energetic quality. It possesses a Warholian sense of the iconic, yet the abstract expressionist influences cannot be overlooked with its intentional drips and painterly gestures that imbue the work with a sense of immediacy.

The Artist's symbolic use of the vintage car—a potent symbol of American freedom and consumerism—may also be a nod to the Pop artists' fascination with everyday objects and their transformation into art. Overall, the artwork is a visually arresting piece that is both a homage to and a critique of the consumerist culture it represents. It engages with historical art movements while maintaining a contemporary edge, reflecting the societal preoccupations with commerce, identity, and the transience of material objects.

Comparatively, this artwork aligns with Knight's recurring theme of transportation and mechanics. However, a distinct difference can be noted in the application of paint. While Knight frequently employs enamel and perspex in his works, creating layers and a sense of depth, the painting appears to utilise a flatter application, reminiscent of screen printing techniques and is clearly influenced by the choice of support as a work on paper. The result is an interesting variation to the artist's style and is reminiscent of the artist's love of print and multiples (of which Knight went on to create limited edition variants of the Cuban Missile Crisis).