[ VISUAL ART]
92 LIMELIGHT MAY 2017 http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au
OPANORAMA
Our LandsAn exhibition featuring
works that explore the tensions,
conflicts, suspicions and political
struggles central to land rights
debates in Australia.Art Gallery of
New South Wales, until June 18
Bill HensonPresenting recent
photographs selected by the artist
himself, encompassing themes
including portraits, nudes and
landscapes.National Gallery of
Victoria, until August 27
Defying EmpireSurveys the
practice of 30 Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander ar tists from
across the country.National
Gallery of Australia, Canberra,
May 26 – September 10
ALSO ON
THIS MONTH...
VISUAL ARTS
Since the 2008 filmIron Man,
theMarvelfranchisehasbeenapowerfulforce
incinema.Inlessthanadecade,theMarvel
CinematicUniverse–basedoncharactersthat
appear in the Marvel comics – has boasted 14
film titles, with two more to be released by
July and the 17th film,Thor Ragnarok,(which
features Cate Blanchett) coming to cinemas in
November.Brisbane’sGalleryofModernArtis
celebratingwithamajorexhibition–thelargest
Marvelexhibitioneverpresentedinanart
museumworldwide–featuringmorethan500
objectssuchasprops,costumesandconcept
artaswellasmovingimagesfromthefilms.
FeaturingiconicobjectssuchasThor’s
hammer,IronMan’sarmourandCaptain
America’s shield,Marvel:CreatingtheCinematic
UniversewillfocusonCaptainAmerica,Iron
Man,Thor,HulkandtheAvengers–with
Doctor Strange, Ant-Man and the Guardians
oftheGalaxyalsomakinganappearance–
drawingonMarvel’sepicmythology.
For the exhibition’s curator, Amanda
Slack-Smith, it is this mythology that has
driven the popularity of the franchise.
“There are these grand narratives that mirror
ourworldbutaren’tofourworld,”she
explains.“AndthethingwithMarvelisthat
they’vealwaysverymuchsetitwithinreal
cities–inManhattanorpartsofNewYork–
soithasthisresonanceofrealitytoit.”
It seems that the very potency of the
characters is a big part of the films’ resonance
with audiences. “These characters rise
above and face confrontation and issues and
complexity in a way that somehow manages
to find resolution,” Slack-Smith says. “They
actuallyusetheirpowersforgoodandsee
awaythroughasituation.Ithinkpeople
feel very disempowered in general, and I
think there is something about that cathartic
releaseofactuallywatchingthefilmsand
seeing resolution of an issue.”
Anotherpartoftheallure,Slack-Smith
explains, is the interconnectedness of the
films and the verisimilitude of the universe
created.“It’salmostlikealayercake,”she
says, “everything interrelates. When Thor
is trying to find his hammer, it’s the same
time as Iron Man is being held hostage
in Afghanistan. The character relationships
aresointerlaced.Thatithasthatlevelof
consistencyacrossthatmanyfilms–the
continuity–isreallyamazing.It’skind
of wild that they’ve managed to sustain
thatforthatlengthoftime.”
With so many different films and
characters to explore, Slack-Smith had to
findawayofapproachingtheuniversein
awaythatwouldbedigestibleforagallery
audience.“OneofthethingsIwaskeen
to do was break down the demarcations of
individual films and look at the narrative – to
dowhatthefilmsaretryingtodo,whichisto
lookattheuniverseasamoreholisticspace.”
“TherearesomanylayerstotheMarvel
universe,”shesays.“You’retryingtopullall
theseelementstogethertotellarichnarrative.It
wasaprocessofeliminationandloveandcare,
and discussions with Marvel and the team here.”
There are also unique logistical challenges
tosettingupanexhibitionlikethis,notleast
becauseMarvelhasfourorfivefilmsonthe
boilallatonce.“Thesearelivingpropsand
costumes,” Slack-Smith says. “Everything
Marvel-ous exhibition comes to GOMA
Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe will give audiences a peak behind the screens
Captain America, Civil War, 2016 The Avengers, 2012
PREVIEW
Rodney Fuentebella (left) Adi Granov (right) / Keyframes / © 2016 & 2012 MARVEL