The video depicts a circle of people shrouded and hooded in golden KKK-esque robes dancing, swaying and waving their arms in unison. It's like witnessing an odd, anonymous celebration. There is a ring of clear perspex cylinders that they move around, which also appear on the ground in front of the projected video. At a certain point the group (of around six figures) each seat themselves on one of the cylinders. The sound, not so noticeable before moves towards a groaning, humming crescendo; the figures squat, their forearms held forward, their hands making jerky 'jazz hand' movements; as they each take a shit, into the plastic cylinders. Their anuses are not visible, under the cloaks, but the shit can be seen clearly as it falls and plops slowly from each figure into the 'toilets' below.
It's a sinister, but comical ritual. It reminds of the moment in childhood development where a child is proud that they've managed to use the toilet for the first time and are gleeful about their shit. A moment usually private, turned into a funny, scary, brightly colored ritual. The sound accompanying the video was similar to that at the end of the film Rosemary's Baby, when Rosemary has discovered that her neighbors are Satanists conspiring against her, all kind of guttural and droning.
The wall opposite the video was hung with the costumes that the figures wear.
In the next room are several sculptures; large warped ring shapes that are rendered in glossy silver and gold. Beside them sit smaller golden objects, blobby vessels and figures. I found the video work the most interesting element, and couldn't entirely get into the relation between that and the sculptures.....but hey, maybe I was just being stubborn.
I attended a talk about this exhibition. It mostly focused on the way we figure shitting to be a private activity and endeavor to separate ourselves from feces, decay and disease.
There were also references to alchemy and the idea of 'turning shit to gold.'
ACCA
111 Sturt Street
Southbank
https://www.accaonline.org.au/
