NEW ZEALAND
Sound and video have been integral to Phil Dadson’s intermedia practice since the early 1970’s, referencing triadics, body/mind, geography, nature and the human condition. Dadson’s practice includes video and sound works, installations, solo performances, building experimental instruments and sonic objects, digital media, drawings, music compositions and improvisations on invented instruments. “With an acute sensitivity for the landscape, his simple gestures create a world of wonder and wit. Dadson’s play on polarities amplifies our awareness of a kinetic world. He recontextualises environments by combining opposing forces with whimsical juxtapositions of sight and sound” notes Andrew Clifford in his catalogue essay for Polar Projects, 2004. Dadson is the founder of the legendary Auckland group From Scratch, active between 1974 and 2004, widely known for its dynamic performances on original instruments. Awards include a 1991 Fulbright New Zealand Cultural Development Award, New Zealand Arts Foundation Artist Laureate Award in 2001, Antarctic Artist Fellowship in 2003, Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2005, an Artist Cinema Commission in 2010 and a PEW Kermadec Commission in 2011.
image: courtesy of Phil Dadson
