I am a Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington-based artist and have recently completed my PhD at Deakin University, Melbourne. My research project, The paradox of failure: sport, competition and contemporary art, charted a failed attempt to restage the women’s 400 metres individual medley swimming final from the 1968 Mexico Olympics. My childhood hero Tui Shipston had come seventh in this race in 1968 – in an absurd but romantic quest, I set out to locate and enlist the eight original swimmers from the 1968 final and, in doing so, to offer Tui the chance to win gold this time.
Through the production of a series of video artworks, this research project expands upon and redefines the video-art methodology of restaging as a progenitor of newness and difference. Located within a framework of failure, sport and art, the works challenge the outsider status and invisibility of the ageing female athletic body. Through self-reflexive performances in which I restage a series of ‘events’ connected through the research to the 1968 Mexico Olympics, I take on the role of the ageing woman – in doing so, to critically examine notions of failure, fantasy and inauthenticity, activating different registers of humour, emotion, optimism and precariousness – culminating in the final denouement in Mexico City.
I have shown work in multiple group exhibitions and public screenings. The paradox of failure: sport, competition and contemporary art was exhibited at RM Gallery and Project Space in 2021. In 2019, I travelled to Venice to participate in a collaboration with artists Patrick Pound and Jondi Keane working on the Venetian Blind art project – a public art project developed by Public Art Commission, co-curated by David Cross and Cameron Bishop. The work was shown at the Palazzo Bembo as part of the European Cultural Centre’s Personal Structures exhibition from 8 May to 24 November 2019 in conjunction with the 58th Venice Biennale. In 2018, How to wear a disguise was shown at Video Contemporary at Sydney Contemporary; Lighting an old flame was shown at Mason’s Screen, Wellington (2018), and was also included in the ‘Art and Performance by Research’ exhibition, Deakin University (2017). Private Investigations was a joint show with Mike Ting at Meanwhile Gallery, Wellington (2017).
I graduated from Massey University in Wellington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) in 2004, a Master of Fine Arts (With Distinction) in 2012, and gained my PhD from Deakin University in Melbourne in 2021.
Sandy Gibbs
Education
PhD from Deakin University, Melbourne
Supervisors: Dr David Cross and Dr Cameron Bishop
Massey University, Wellington
Master of Fine Art (With Distinction)
Awarded Masterate Scholar
February 2011–February 2012
Fine Arts (Painting) BFA (First Class Hons)
Awarded Massey Scholar
2001–2004
Solo exhibitions and screenings
14 April –8 May 2021
RM Gallery and Project Space, Auckland
The paradox of failure: sport, competition and contemporary art
Consisting of seven single channel video works:
– Recalling Tui (wall-mounted flat screen)
– The swimmer and the spy (wall-mounted tablet)
– Lighting an old flame (wall-mounted flat screen)
– How to wear a disguise (wall-mounted flat screen)
– Space-Girl Dance (wall-mounted flat screen)
– Stadium walk (opening ceremony) (large projection onto wall)
– The swimming race (Mexico City) (large projection onto wall)
Plus eight pairs of swimming togs (worn in the race) hung on brass hooks;
swimming lane graphics printed onto palight panels and mounted onto three of
the gallery walls (two of these walls were built temporarily for the show)
https://rm.org.nz/sandy-gibbs-the-paradox-of-failure-sport-competition-and-contemporary-art/
June 2018
CIRCUIT – Mason’s Screen, Wellington
Single channel video
– Lighting an old flame
(Four week showing 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
12 August–11 September 2013
Ramp Gallery, Wintec, Hamilton
Commissioned by Kim Paton
Video installation Lucky seat prize
Consisting of:
– Duelling taps (single channel split screen HD projection)
– Lucky seat prize (single channel played on wall-mounted HD monitor)
15 January–8 February 2007
Square2, City Gallery, Wellington
– Sometimes a kiss is… not just a kiss
Split screen single channel video
(24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
6–23 September 2006
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington
– Sometimes a kiss is… not just a kiss
Video installation
21 March–3 April 2006
Viewfinder, Auckland
– Who remembers Wayne
(24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
Group exhibitions
February 2021
Venetian Blind public art project – restaging a new provocation
Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne
Collaboration with artists Patrick Pound and Jondi Keane
Co-curated by David Cross, Cameron Bishop and James Lynch
– The Palimpsest
(Final installation consisting of single channel video, graphite wall drawings, table tennis net, racquets and balls)
8 May–24 November 2019
Venetian Blind public art project
Palazzo Bembo, European Cultural Centre, Venice
held in conjunction with the 58th Venice Biennale 2019
Collaboration with artists Patrick Pound and Jondi Keane
Co-curated by David Cross and Cameron Bishop
– The Spacer
(Final installation consisting of single channel video, graphite wall drawings,
table tennis net, racquets and balls, and artists’ notebooks)
http://publicartcommission.com/project/venetian-blind
13–16 September 2018
Sydney Contemporary Video
Carriageworks, Sydney
– How to wear a disguise
(Single channel video)
27 September–14 October 2017
Meanwhile, Wellington
‘Private Investigations’ joint show with Mike Ting
Installation consisting of three single-channel videos:
– How to wear a disguise
– The swimmer and the spy
– Final of the women’s 400 metres individual medley at the 1968 Mexico Olympics
(original footage courtesy of the IOC, edited by the artist)
– Sculpture (desk: plywood, paint, wood veneer contact paper)
– Embroidered banner (satin fabric and trim, embroidery cotton, wooden dowel)
26 July–1 September 2017
‘Art and Performance by Research’
Over four locations at Deakin University, Melbourne and Geelong
Co-curated by Professor David Cross, Dr Patrick Pound and James Lynch
– Lighting an old flame (single channel video)
11–18 February 2012
The Engine Room, Massey University, Wellington
– God is back – pass the plate
Video installation consisting of:
– Crying in the chapel (single channel video projection)
– The twelve apostles (single channel video)
4–8pm Saturday 19 December 2009
12 Oriental Terrace, Wellington
*Ringworm, curated by Melanie Oliver
– Ocean wave (rock salt, tape and rope)
Artists’ film festival
In association with Canary Gallery, curated by Paula Booker over three venues:
1.) 11 April–17 May 2008
NZ Film Archive (now Nga Taonga Sound and Vision)
2.) 4 June–7 June 2008
Physics Room (Christchurch)
3.) 2 August–31 August 2008
Govett Brewster (New Plymouth)
– Man action (single channel video)
Sunday 4 May 2008
Cross Street Studios, Auckland
Shown as part of ‘Making love to the audience’ vaudeville show, curated by Eve Gordon
– Man action (single channel video)
23 March–14 April 2007
Artists’ film festival
NZ Film Archive in association with Canary Gallery, curated by Paula Booker
– Ebb and flow (single channel video)
14–18 June 2006
Corban Estate Art Centre, Auckland
‘Still Moving’ curated by Angela Main
– All is full of love (single channel video split screen)
15 March 2006
Physics Room, Christchurch
Outdoor screening of experimental film and video art curated by Zoe Roland
– Who remembers Wayne
– All is full of love (single channel video projections)
15–19 February 2006
Wednesdays Gallery, Christchurch
Curated by Kit Lawrence
– All is full of love (double projection video)
14 December–22 January 2006
Show, Wellington
Group collaboration with:
Kim Paton, Marnie Slater, Liz Allen, Rebeccah Pilcher, Marjorie Marshall, Vivien Atkinson
– Making time (installation and single channel video)
10 December 2005–29 January 2006
Michael Hirschfeld Gallery, City Gallery, Wellington
‘How To Be A Friend: New Wellington Artists’ curated by Emma Bugden
– All is full of love (double projection video)
12 October 2005
Canary Gallery, Auckland
Artists’ film festival
– Who remembers Wayne
– The two Kevins (single channel video projections)
29 June–16 July 2005
High Street Project, Christchurch
Clubmeet group show
Video/installation, consisting of:
– The two Kevins (single channel video)
– Hard soft superman (leather bridle and metal spurs)
15 February–5 March 2005
Blue Oyster, Dunedin
Clubmeet group show
– Who remembers Wayne (single channel video)
27 April, 11 June, 4 July 2004
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington
‘Take 001:1 Shot Videos’ curated by Louise Menzies
– Tempo (single channel video projection)
Other related experience
Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ) 2015 annual conference
24–25 November 2015
Panel: Re-enactment/Repetition/Reiteration/Re-performance as embodied research
Convenors: Dr Lucas Ihlein and Louise Curham
Paper presented: The paradox of failure: racing bodies and the tyranny of time
Art Association of Australia and New Zealand (AAANZ) 2011 Annual Conference
7–9 December 2011
Paper presented at the postgraduate workshop: God is back – pass the plate
Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington
Trustee
March 2005–August 2006