Luke Roberts – Kunstkamera

Posted by Natalie Thomas on August 5, 2014 in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Hitler was such an asshole. In his photographic performance from 2008 Adolf, Luke Roberts slicks his hair over forehead, holds a paintbrush within praying hands to represent the Fuhrers famous moustache, raises his eyebrows into a ‘what the?’ arch and stares straight at the camera. It’s a shocking image to eyes that ain’t easily shocked.

Kunstkamera is a survey of photographic works of one of my favourite Australian performance artists. His character Pope Alice is always busy travelling around the country, confusing his many would-be worshippers with his cosmic presence and otherworldly costumes. A direct threat to the power structures of more orthodox religious organisations, Pope Alice must travel with a highly trained security task force SWAT team and within a customised bulletproof golf cart. The ever-present death threats are ignored by Pope Alice who repeatedly, and to the chagrin of his security team, enters the throngs to offer up his papal ring for kissing.

The most recent works on show, Saturn and Medusa, both from 2013 offer up an exciting new direction. Roberts takes on the canon of the old masters master works, putting to good use his finely tuned eye for the absurd intervention, in this instance with the addition of googly, bloodshot eyes. If you see one photographic exhibition this year, make sure this is it.

Natalie Thomas

Anna Pappas till 30 August

http://www.annapappasgallery.com