Thursday 17.04.

14

Terra Hypothetica Final Week: New work by Lucas "allery# $ydney.

addock in the !hrissie !otter

Terra Hypothetica is an exhibition of new work by artist Lucas Maddock, now in its final week at the Chrissie Cotter Gallery. The exhibition includes, among other works, documentation of a site-specific installation at the Petersham Town Hall completed during a residency with the Marrickville ouncil, and a light installation, a version of which will be exhibited in the McClelland Sculpture Survey later this year. !riginally conceived to explore notions of utopian thought and tragedy and how they play out in contemporary society, the exhibition has expanded to address issues of autonomy, memory, and economy.

Superfluous Becomings (map of Atlantis.) is a large installation consisting of 2000 metres of flashing LED light strings. The lights are assembled to create a glimmering, translucent light-blanket, which maps the limits and contours of a fictional landmass. Superfluous Becomings represents a technological Utopia the m thic impulse made manifest in the contemporar ! a new "tlantis standing at the height of its glor and boasting a spectacle so great, it can onl warn of its own demise. The work takes its inspiration from Island of Broken Glass b "rtist #obert $mithson and %ohn &lo'er(s paintings of )t. *ellington in Tasmania. The work looks at notions of utopian idealism and traged , and how these pla out in contemporar societ .

Biennale AdWords presents printed screenshots taken from &oogle "d*ords showing ad'ertising and +bid estimates+ for all artists in'ol'ed in the ,iennale of $ dne . -n this wa Biennale AdWords brings to light one of man e.amples of an artist+s flow-on 'alue in a comple. econom . The work will be updated o'er the duration of the e.hibition to include the changing +'alue+ of the artists as the ,iennale progresses and will also be amended, for the sake of comparison, to include artists who ha'e withdrawn from the program.

How to build a good flagpole was a site-specific installation at the )arrick'ille "rtist in #esidence $tudio abo'e the /etersham Town 0all. The installation in'ol'ed creating a replica of the flagpoles which stand atop the /etersham Town 0all using commonl sourced materials. The flagpole was erected on the residenc 'erandah and creates an optical illusion of being similarl proportioned to the town hall flagpoles when 'iewed from the street. /hotographic documentation of the installation is e.hibited in the galler alongside a 'ideo which documents the entire install process in a single take. The 'ideo work goes for o'er one and a half hours and is pla ed here in real time.

"Diese Schandtaten: ure Schuld!" ("hese atrocities: #our fault!)$ is a 1m printed fabric banner which addresses challenging elements of )addock(s &erman heritage and the comple. ethical situation around notions of complacenc and responsibilit in collecti'e atrocities. The te.t relates directl to &erman guilt b appropriating propaganda created b the "mericans to shame the &erman people for their complacenc in the 2a3i atrocities.

%efuge&%efuse e.hibits the debris from a pre'ious performance, Refuge, ele'en ears after its renegade e.hibition at the 2ational &aller of 4ictoria. The work is presented as a meditation on memor and conse5uence at a time when similar themes are dominating national affairs. The original performance in'ol'ed sailing a handmade boat in the galler +s moat at sunrise in defiance of securit and police, parod ing the absurdit of the politicalised response to the refugee situation of that

time. The remaining tangible artefact of the original work has been deca ing in a suburban back ard in )elbourne e'er since, and the artist now offers this eeril beautiful remnant up for reconsideration. Documentation of the original performance was screened in the 4ictorian 6ollege of the "rts $tudent Union e.hibition, /roud, in 2007 where it won the 4era )oller and /hilip 0unter #egional &aller "ward.

The hrissie otter "allery is located at %idcock $treet# !a&perdown. # free public openin' will be held on Wednesday (th from $pm-%pm. The exhibition will run from )pril 10th throu'h april *0th The gallery is open Thursday to $unday# 11a&+4p& or by appointment. #dmission is free. This pro&ect is supported by the hrissie otter "allery, the Marrickville ouncil #rtist 'esidency Program, and by a Marrickville ouncil (ndependent #rtist "rant. The pro&ect is also assisted by the #ustralian "overnment through the #ustralia ouncil for the #rts, its arts funding and advisory body. The images provided in this email are free to use with any press related to this exhibition.

,io: )ucas Maddock*s practice currently explores the potential of sculpture, installation and spatial practice as modes of cultural dialogue and sociopolitical criti+ue. 'ecent pro&ects include collaborative urban sculpture pro&ect Apostle No.2 with artist (saac "reener, which won both the Professional ,evelopment and ivic hoice awards in the Melbourne Pri-e for .rban /culpture 0122 and was subse+uently selected for the The Mc lelland /culpture /urvey #ward 0122, as well as a solo exhibition Perpetual Assemblage / SEEN !EA"# at 3ings #'(, Melbourne, in 0120. # new sculpture work by Maddock will feature in the Mc lelland /culpture /urvey and the 4orla ,ome "allery in 0125. )ucas is available for interview and comment at any point between now and the close of the exhibition. Ph6 1557 287 212 96 lucasmaddock:gmail.com