Sean Kerr: Bruce danced if Victoria sang...

[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]
23 August 2010

Sean Kerr
Bruce danced if Victoria sang, and Victoria sang; so Bruce danced
Exhibition dates: 3 September – 2 October
Opening reception: Friday 3 September

Artspace is pleased to announce Bruce danced if Victoria sang, and Victoria sang; so Bruce danced. This exhibition is a large-scale event which takes place across two galleries; The Gus Fisher, Artspace and in public space around the city. Bruce danced is the first survey of Sean Kerr’s work. He is one of New Zealand's leading digital artists and has made an important impact on the area of new media and interactive art over the last
15 years.

Kerr’s work often involves ‘misbehaving’ machines and uses slapstick comedy to explore both social and technological dynamics. Sean Kerr’s menagerie includes; an inflatable finger which deflates as you approach it, a sneezing computer, the lighting of a fart, a giant nose, and Sean joyously riding on top of a public fountain.

For Bruce danced Kerr looks back (from 2010-2000) to recreate previous works, exploiting the juxtaposition of past and present to illustrate potential trajectories between works. Whether delivered live in the mode of performance, completed by the active role of the viewer, upgraded to evade redundant technology, or the simple practicality of reconfiguring an installation for a new site, Kerr’s work refuses to be fixed in time through the process of a conventional retrospective.

Bruce danced coincides with the launch of a major new book covering Kerr’s work from the early 1990s to the present day. The 160-page publication On the Nose, published by Clouds, is out in September.

Sean Kerr is based in Auckland where he has taught at Elam School of Fine Arts since 2002 and is represented by Michael Lett. He has developed significant projects for Artspace, Sydney, City Gallery, Wellington, Te Papa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, Seoul Biennale, Seoul Museum of Art, SCAPE Biennial, Christchurch and the Govett Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth.

This exhibition and publication is supported by a National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries (NICAI) Research Development Fund, The University of Auckland.

ENDS

ARTSPACE receives major funding from Creative New Zealand

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