shaun gladwell: australian pavilion at venice art biennale 09

shaun gladwell’s ‘maddestmaximvs’, in the australian pavilion for the venice art biennale 09, brings together the artist’s trademark slowed-footage video installations of figures undertaking acts of physical virtuosity, with sculptural works and interventions into the fabric of the pavilion itself. the result is a project rich in visual experience and conceptual interplay between elements.

developed over a two-year period, ‘maddestmaximvs’ marks a shift from gladwell’s earlier focus upon urban environments and engages instead in a performative, personal exploration of the boundaries and possibilities of a human relationship to the australian hinterland. at the same time, ‘maddestmaximvs’ also looks at differing experiences of time and being, in particular through the relationship of the human body to its immediate environment. the exhibition is curated by blair french, executive director, artspace visual arts center, sydney.

http://www.australiavenicebiennale.com.au

‘interceptor surf sequence’ by shaun gladwell, 2009, production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery

interceptor surf sequence, 2009 production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery

gladwell’s australian pavilion installation features a range of works. interceptor surf sequence (2009) is a newly produced two-channel video. projected on either side of a suspended screen, the work effectively links both levels of the pavilion.

an especially constructed, functioning 1:1 sculptural replica of the famous v8 ‘interceptor’ car driven by mel gibson’s ‘max’ character in mad max 1 and 2 movies is displayed out side of the pavilion.

‘interceptor surf sequence’, 2009 image © designboom

‘interceptor surf sequence’, 2009 image © designboom

here a camera tracks the same black v8 interceptor – parked outside the pavilion – along a red dirt road through wide outback plains. the sky is vast, in one sequence darkening elementally as a thunderstorm approaches. heat, and in particular dust, distort the view. a helmeted figure in black emerges from inside the moving car through the side window, slowly mounts the roof of the vehicle and stands upright. every nuance of his movement is emphasised in slow-motion, transforming a potentially dangerous act into a formal study in physical virtuosity as the body embraces and balances the elemental forces of velocity and gravity that draw it deeper into the australian hinterland.

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘v8 interceptor’ – parked outside the pavilion image © designboom

‘apology to roadkill’ by shaun gladwell, 2007–2009, production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery

‘apology to roadkill’ by shaun gladwell, 2007–2009, production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery

‘apology to roadkill’ (1–6) (2007–2009) pictures a black-helmeted motorcycle rider stopping to tenderly examine and cradle the carcasses of grey kangaroos. the video is joined by significant sculptural interventions into the pavilion itself: the motorbike from apology to roadkill (1–6) embedded into the outside wall of the pavilion to create a protrusion in the inner skin of the space.

‘apology to roadkill’ by shaun gladwell, 2007–2009, production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery

‘apology to roadkill’ by shaun gladwell, 2007–2009, production still cinematography: gotaro uematsu photography: josh raymond courtesy the artist & anna schwartz gallery