“FAMOUS for his skateboarding videos, Sydney artist Shaun Gladwell has been chosen to represent Australia at the prestigious Venice Biennale.
“Although the international exhibition is more than a year away, Australia’s $2 million campaign has started in earnest with the announcement.
“Four other artists – Vernon Ah Kee, Ken Yonetani and installation collaborators Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro – will also show their work during the Italian city’s biennale as part of another Australia Council-funded exhibition.
“Gladwell, who has built an international reputation through his powerful video work, said he was honoured to be representing Australia at the biennale, which opens in June next year. “Having been offered the opportunity to show is such a challenge, and although there’s a one-year lead time, I’m certainly putting forward some very ambitious projects,” Gladwell said.
“His work will be shown in the Australian Pavilion in the Giardini, or large biennale park area.
“Although still in the development stage, the work, titled MADDESTMAXIMVS, is an evocative suite of five thematically related videos, all with sculptural and photographic elements.
“Gladwell is perhaps best-known for his cityscape work – his skateboarding piece, filmed around Bondi Beach, was shown at Venice in 2007 and received positive reviews.
“MADDESTMAXIMVS is influenced by the Australian outback and Mad Max movies.”
Artist Shaun Gladwell chosen for Venice Biennale, The Australian.
