Study the artist statement

Shaun Gladwell is the subject of Kickflipper and also the artist. Kickflipper captures a few minutes of Gladwell’s life and gives the audience clues about the artist and his world. Use the clues to answer the following questions:

1. How do you think Gladwell feels about skateboarding? What are the clues?

2. Is Gladwell a beginner or an experienced skateboarder?

3. Do you think the clothing Gladwell is wearing links him to other skateboarders? Why do you think this?

4. Gladwell is skating in a public space not designed for skateboarding. Where do you think he is and why do you think he chose this space to record his video?

There is a circle on the concrete floor towards the centre of Gladwell’s performance space. Consider the following questions:

1. Do you think the circle is an intentional symbol in the work? If so, what does it mean to you?

2. Gladwell performed his tricks on the marked circle. Why do you think he did this?

3. Gladwell has chosen a performance space that has a mural backdrop. What does this contribute to the performance?

4. Gladwell is the main performer but other people and animals pass through the space. Do you think Gladwell planned this or is it coincidental?

5. What information do the people and animals passing through the performance space give to the viewer?

In Kickflipper Gladwell uses:

• slow motion.

  Why do you think Gladwell uses slow motion and how effective is it?

  Do you think slow motion emphasises the skater’s ability to defy gravity or does it make the possibility of a fall more real?

  How might slow motion help the viewer to understand the work?

• a fixed camera position.

  Do you think Gladwell organised the people and animals that enter the space or do you think this is coincidental?

  What does their inclusion add to the meaning of the work?

• lighting.

  Kickflipper uses natural, bright sunlight which produces strong shadow.

  Why do you think the shadow might be important to the work?

  What mood does the lighting suggest?

• direct sound.

  Gladwell recorded sounds that occurred during the filming.

  Why do you think he used these sounds and did not add music or speech?

  What do the sounds tell the viewer?

• frequent cuts to a black screen.

  Why do you thing Gladwell did this?

  What does it contribute to the work?

Discuss other video production techniques that Gladwell uses in Kickflipper and why he might use these.

Gladwell says that he has made artworks that explore ‘beautiful questions’:

1. What do you think that he means by ‘beautiful questions’?

2. Consider Gladwell’s question, ‘Could I make a drawing with my skateboard or bicycle?’

3. Imagine that Gladwell’s skateboard has a pencil attached to it. As you watch Kickflipper again, draw on a piece of paper the line that the pencil would make on the ground.