Music started getting a lot heavier and darker at end of the 60's, epitomised by Black Sabbath's first self titled album in 1970, with themes of sorcery and witchcraft and the use of the 'Diabolus in Musica' tri-tone riff they were arguably credited with creating the first metal album. But apart from Black Sabbath there were also a lot of other great artists from that same era of early metal
I was fortunate enough to be in Sydney last weekend and visit the 17th Art Biennale held on Cockatoo Island in Syndey harbour.
It's definitely worth a visit, the location itself was as interesting as the art, Cockatoo Island since the 1850's was used as ship building site and eerie vast hangers, rusting cranes and abandoned industrial machinery cover every inch of the island.
One of my favourite works was by Shen Shaomin, a creepy mausoleum of beautifully crafted life like wax models of past socialist icons lying in glass tombs including Ho Chi Min, Mao and Lenin. Fidel Castro however is lying on a hospital bed as he nears his end to join the others in their death beds. It wasn't until I got close enough that I realised he was actually breathing, obviously form some cleverly installed pump device by the artist in the model. I kept waiting for Fidel to turn around and open his eyes it was so creepily realistic.
Another favourite was the series of hindu-esque gods sculptures by Rodney Glick. A mixture of macabre and humorous statues depicted contemporary people in various god like poses.
The installation by Cai guo-qiang definitely takes the epic scale award , five cars are suspended inside a sprawling hanger appearing to explode with light rods bursting out of each of them.
And for a slice of eastern european kitschy dark wierdness... is the short film 'Summer Tale' by Marcina Oliva Soto. The simple life of a group of cheery dwarves living in a forest is strangely interrupted by some odd guests (including a leopard skin clad drag queen) who appear one day from inside giant funghi that pops up in the dwarves garden one morning. The dwarf home stay begins taking a nasty turn, it reminded me of the Korean technicolour horror adaptation of Hansel and Gretel by Yim Pil-Sung.
