Valhalla by Callum Morton, Palazzo Zenobio Venice 2007After spending a good part of lesson time during Thursday nights Art Curatorship class writing a press release for Callum Mortons Valhalla, I literally could not wait to see it. The work was re commissioned as part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and it sits outside the Arts Centre until October 24th.
The very next day in between the end of work and a friends engagement party, dressed in my ‘oh my god all my friends are getting married” finest. I went to the spot where this installation/remodel sits.
Valhalla was one of the works that represented Australia at the Venice Biennale in 2007. Callum Morton has created a personal work that reinterprets the home he grew up in that was designed by his architect father in the 70s.
Rebuilt by Morton at three-quarter scale, the house manifests as a smoking ruin: stripped out, torched and shot through with holes. It appears to rise up from the dead, a haunting from the artist’s past, certainly, but also as an un-monument to modern order and a symbol of contemporary instability. – MIAF Press Release
I had seen a number of images and read a number of articles about the structure both at the time of the biennale 2 years ago and recently in the pre buzz to the arts festival and I thought I knew what to expect. Valhalla sat in a clearing in Palazzo Zenobio in Venice. The scene complimented the post apocalyptic ambiance of the piece so well that it received extensive critical acclaim not to mention significant envy towards anyone who was lucky enough to actually see it. Now it resides in the space between the NGV and the Art Centre, caged by the Spire and the traffic of St Kilda Road. The structure also is not as big as the original work in Venice and while it’s impressive and evocative, it looks like a blow up castle from a children’s birthday party at the Adams Family home. Approaching the structure and as I inspected the surface it looked as if it was made from stirofoam. It's not as large as I had expected (the original work is roughly double the size) and it reminded me of those terrible haunted houses they had at the Melbourne show. As I turned to leave I heard one passer by exclaim “what the hell is that” to which their friend replied “dunno”, and they both kept walking.
It is hard to figure out why this work was recommissioned for the festival and why it was that the organisers chose this particular spot but the entire experience made me feel a little disappointed. Whilst recreation is effective in some respects, I would have preferred to remain envious of the audience members in Venice who were able to view the work as it was originally intended. If you don’t get the chance to see it during this years festival, I’m sure the ‘One time only Farewell Tour’ is already scheduled for 2012.
Valhalla by Callum Morton Art Centre forecourt, Melbourne 2009
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