A participatory work inspired by the National Gallery of Victoria’s campaign to acquire Salvador Dali’s Trilogy of the Desert: Mirage (1946)

People

Choreography, Direction and Performance: Alice Dixon, William McBride, Caroline Meaden and Mark Wilson

Produced by Jamie Lewis and Dan Koop

Presented as part of FLUX-KIT-MEL for the MEL&NYC Festival, National Gallery of Victoria 2018.

Images by Max Milne

We really want people to get behind this 

Bringing a key work home to Melbourne 

This performance was the Central one

This performance was the Central one

…

You can actually peer into the detail of the work

When you actually peer into the work

Peer into the detail around the hands, the figure

The buildings disappearing into the horizon 

I think you’ll find you can almost lose yourself into it 

I say I think you’ll find you can almost lose yourself into it 

To actually have a real William here for people to physically come 

I think you’ll find that it’s a work of great mystery, great depth

And great technical ability

...a work of great mystery, great depth

And great technical ability

Recognising that William is one of the most celebrated artists 

And is plucked by his heroine from the forehead 

This performance was the Central one

And has been an inspiration to generations of people

It’s been an aspiration for the National Gallery of Victoria

…

It it time for the hurdling.

Ten of you are called. 

Step forth. Ten of you! 

Ten of you. 

Separate from one another. Separate!
Now.

Hands and knees, hands and knees,

Get down on your hands and knees, 

For you are going to be hurdled.

…

The exquisite work by William is called Trilogy of the Desert: Mirage

With desert landscapes 

The signature of William on that small rock near the foot 

From every background, culture, of all ages 

Pay their respects to, 

Draw inspiration from, it’s just a magnificent thing 

In which the flower of civilisation is appearing in the desert

There are so many beautiful passages, and as you peer into them

William McBride is one of those artists that everyone knows 

Now for many years, to have a major work by William McBride

It was commissioned by Gordon Lightfoot Schultz, in 1970

If you could read my mind

To actually have a real William here for people to physically come

I think you’ll find, if you peer into my mind, if you could read my mind, 

you would see it is a vision of the Apollo Belvedere

Ted got it

…

We really want people to get behind this 

We really want people to get behind this 

He’s not only the most famous surrealist in history 

William accepts the commission

I say, William accepts the commission!

…

Stand up.

You have all done very well.

Face the glass atrium. 

Now form an orderly queue behind William. 

Single file.
An orderly queue in single file.

Stand up straight.

Reach into your pocket, or your bag.

Retrieve your wallet, or your purse from your pocket, or your bag.

Open it! Open your wallet or purse.

Find your credit or debit card.

Extract your credit or debit card with your right hand. 

Hold your credit or debit card between the thumb and forefinger of your right hand.

Extend your right hand in front of you. Out in front of you.

Straight arm.

Standing up straight.

Now: Move forward, enter the gallery! Enter the National Gallery of Victoria. One at a time. Yes. Yes. That’s it. Enter the National Gallery of Victoria!

…

Song plays: 

If you could read my mind love

What a tale my thoughts could tell

Just like an old time movie

About a ghost from a wishing well

In a castle dark or a fortress strong

With chains upon my feet

You know that ghost is me

And I will never be set free

As long as I'm a ghost you can see

If I could read your mind love

What a tale your thoughts could tell

Just like a paperback novel

The kind the drugstore sells

When you reach the part where the heartaches come

The hero would be me

Heroes often fail

And you won't read that book again

Because the ending's just to hard to take

I walk away like a movie star

Who gets burned in a three way script

Enter number two

A movie queen to play the scene of bringing all the good things out in me

But for now love let's be real

I never knew I could feel this way

And I've got to say that I just don't get it

I don't know where we went wrong

But the feeling's gone and I just can't get it back

If you could read my mind love

What a tale my thoughts could tell

Just like an old time movie about a ghost from a wishing well

In a castle dark or a fortress strong

With chains upon my feet

The story always ends

And if you read between the lines

You'll know that I'm just trying to understand

The feeling that you left

I never knew I feel this way

And I've got to say that I just don't get it

I don't know where we went wrong

But the feeling's gone

And I just can't get it back