A jet-lagged Shaun Gladwell reassured Wadsworth Atheneum patrons in early June that the dead kangaroo featured in one of his videos was roadkill — already dead when he encountered it. The video in question shows a motorcyclist pulling over and moving the deceased animal off the roadway. A kind of burial ritual follows.
Gladwell’s work is art for daredevils. Anyone who obsessed over Evel Knievel and extreme sports would gravitate toward it. In his work, there is a bit of “what happens if I do _____?”, which might be turning a subject on its head, literally or figuratively. In one piece, he shows a gun being used as a toy.
On June 2nd, Gladwell gave a talk at the Wadsworth Atheneum during which a question from the audience showed how American viewers can misinterpret his work. In his video Interceptor Surf Sequence, the subject is shown climbing onto roof of a moving vehicle. The perception, by some Americans, is that the driver has abandoned the wheel. In the talk, Gladwell reminded the audience that in Australia, the driver’s seat is on the right side.
You can watch an interview with the artist:
MATRIX 162 / Shaun Gladwell Interview from Wadsworth Atheneum on Vimeo.
Shaun Gladwell’s MATRIX 162 work will be on display through September 18, 2011.