Christian Marclay’s highly anticipated ten-year project video installation ‘Doors’ (2022), alongside a new series of sculptures, will be exhibited from 5 September at White Cube London. He is best known for his video masterpiece, The Clock (2010).
‘ The door is, of course, very symbolic, but I see it more as sculptural. My video is a sort of mental architecture that the viewer might or might not follow and get lost in.’ — CHRISTIAN MARCLAY.
Marclay has fused fine art and audio cultures for over four decades, working across sculpture, video, photography, collage and performance to transform sound and music into a visible, physical form that challenges our preconceptions. The artist tests the perceptual limits of sound and examines the increasing prevalence of sonic mediation that results from technology such as digital recording, mass reproduction, and telecommunication.
Marclay collected film clips for ten years in which a door opens or closes. He edited these sequences so that we see the actors walking through the door to enter another space. This passage marks the editing point, thus the transition from one film to another and from one soundscape to another. Both audio and visual, the resulting virtuoso montage suggests a labyrinthine wandering, a space in which the characters get lost and find themselves again, echoing the movements of the visitors in the exhibition. ‘The door is very symbolic, but I see it more as sculptural,’ says the artist. ‘My video is a mental architecture that the viewer might or might not follow and get lost in.’
Christian Marclay is a Swiss-American contemporary artist known for his innovative and interdisciplinary work that spans a wide range of media, including visual art, music, and film. He was born on 11 January 1955 in San Rafael, California, USA, but was raised in Switzerland. Marclay is primarily recognised for his contributions to the world of contemporary art.
Christian Marclay was born to a Swiss father and an American mother. He spent his formative years in Switzerland.
He studied at the École Supérieure d’Art Visuel in Geneva, Switzerland, and later attended the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, where he pursued his interest in the visual arts.
Marclay’s work is characterised by its experimentation with sound and its integration into visual art forms.
He gained recognition in the 1980s for his innovative use of vinyl records as a medium for visual art, often manipulating and deconstructing them to create new visual and sonic experiences.
One of his most famous works is “The Clock” (2010), a 24-hour film montage comprising thousands of clips featuring clocks and time references. The film is synchronised in real-time, making it a unique exploration of the concept of time in cinema.
Marclay has collaborated with numerous musicians and artists, including Sonic Youth, John Zorn, Laurie Anderson, and many others, blurring the boundaries between music and visual art.
Christian Marclay has received numerous awards and honours for his innovative contributions to contemporary art, including the prestigious Golden Lion at the 2011 Venice Biennale.
His works have been featured in exhibitions and museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City and the Tate Modern in London.
Christian Marclay’s work has profoundly influenced contemporary art, music, and film, inspiring other artists and pushing the boundaries of what is possible within these disciplines.
Christian Marclay’s multidisciplinary approach to art continues to challenge and expand the traditional definitions of artistic expression. His work remains highly regarded in contemporary art for its innovation and creativity.
Christian Marclay ‘Doors’ Mason’s Yard, London 6 – 30 September 2023