The National Gallery Artist in Residence Ming Wong: Dance of the Sun on the Water : Saltatio Solis in Aqua

Thoughtful exhibition at the National Gallery of a video produced by their latest artist in residence, Ming Wong.

The exhibition element of this work, inspired by paintings of St Sebastian in gallery, was made up of small screens in a selection of galleries each of which showed a section of the work. There are also showings on certain dates of the complete work in the lecture theatre.

Wong draws on paintings of Saint Sebastian combined with the landmark film ‘Sebastiane’ by British filmmaker Derek Jarman. He starts the work walking around the gallery in a suit pierced by arrows musing on how the meaning of paintings alters depending on its location and over time, this then segways into what I assume are preenacted scenes from the film set inside the gallery.

I went to see a complete showing and was moved by it despite the two ladies chatting at the back of the auditorium (rude).  If you didn't know the Jarman film it might feel strange being spoken in Latin and the fact it doesn't tell the life of the saint in straightforward way however the scenes of the saint being shot with arrows, set outside the gallery against one of the pillars was visceral. 

At first I found the fact that Sebastian is played by a trans actor jarred but I started to realise it was asking us to think about who is persecuted now.

Previously I'd seen the version on small screens around the gallery. I found they worked well too particularly as you could turn and look at the paintings being quoted and see the space in which the work was filmed. I loved the way the screens were surrounded with gold frames like a painting.

Review

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