THE PERFECT ARTIST

2009-10

explores creativity: the people who create and what it means to be creative. The project was exhibited as part of Present Tense, at the Australian National Portrait Gallery (ACT) from May to August 2010.

Artists, arts workers and administrators were invited from around Australia to have their portraits recorded, forming a unique and colourful record of 84 creative people ‘performing themselves’. In total there are around 50+ hours of footage, edited into 1400 clips and databased according to subject matter, emotional tone and performative criteria.

The portrait process was designed to enable a live performance involving a series of improvised vignettes. Whilst participants were provided with an overall structure, there was no rehearsal, script or traditional direction. Participants chose what to wear, what to bring and what to say.

Reflecting these live performances, the final installation consists of a computer ‘performing live’ in the exhibition space – generatively sorting, selecting and composing the video clips in real-time.

The Perfect Artist was made possible with support from: Arts Victoria, Aphids, PVI Collective, Performance Space, PACT, Head Quarters, Bill & George, Tiny Stadiums and the Australian National Portrait Gallery.