The archer (after Chuang Tzu)

For Shaun Gladwell, the line that divides art and sport barely exists. His early reputation was formed through video depictions of skateboarding and freestyle BMX-riding virtuosity, and he continues to pursue sport-related themes regularly through his video-based art practice. Gladwell's video work reflects his abiding interest in the stories of those on the margins of sporting triumph and glory. The archer (after Chuang Tzu) (2014) brings to life a character from Tim Winton's 2005 novel The Turning. The first part of the film introduces footballer Frank 'Jack in the Box' Leaper, a young man on the cusp of professional sporting success. The video's second part marks a dramatic shift in tempo and mood where the narrative arc is replaced with a slow, contemplative ocean sequence. Gladwell provides the gentlest allusion to the consequences of Frank's actions and the path of self-discovery that might await him. Gladwell's The archer (after Chuang Tzu) is inspired by the poem of the same name by the 4th Century Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu, read at the beginning of the film by Meyne Wyatt, the actor who plays Frank Leaper. In 2012-13 Gladwell directed a chapter of the episodic film The Turning, titled 'Family', which features the character of Frank. Combining existing and new footage in The archer (after Chuang Tzu), Gladwell revisits the narrative to extend his interpretation of Frank's character to offer audiences an expansive mediation on value and personal honour.