Man on Fire: Boyd and Gladwell in Dialogue at Bundanon
The exhibition 'Man on Fire: Visions of Nebuchadnezzar' at Bundanon Art Museum pairs Arthur Boyd's Nebuchadnezzar series with a new commission by Shaun Gladwell. Curated by Sophie O'Brien, the show presents one of the largest collections of Boyd's works from the 1960s, drawn from Bundanon's holdings, the National Gallery of Australia, and private collections. Gladwell's hour-long film 'A Nebuchadnezzar Cycle', shot on Bundanon's landscape, depicts the artist crawling, swimming, and entering water engulfed in flames across nine chapters. The exhibition explores themes of transformation, masculinity, vulnerability, and power, linking Boyd's biblical allegory to his father Merric's epilepsy and Gladwell's father's Vietnam War experience. The final gallery includes a crash mat and BMX handlebars from a durational performance, paired with Boyd's drawings. The show runs until 11 October 2026.
Key facts
- Exhibition at Bundanon Art Museum, Shoalhaven, New South Wales, until 11 October 2026.
- Curated by Sophie O'Brien, Head of Curatorial at Bundanon.
- Features one of the largest presentations of Arthur Boyd's Nebuchadnezzar series, painted largely in the 1960s.
- Includes loans from National Gallery of Australia and private collections.
- Shaun Gladwell's new commission 'A Nebuchadnezzar Cycle' is a 63-minute 4K digital video filmed over two weeks on Bundanon's landscape.
- Gladwell's film is structured across nine chapters, referencing Boyd's painting titles.
- Gladwell performed a durational BMX performance days before the opening; remnants are displayed.
- Boyd's series was painted during the Vietnam War while he lived in London.
- Exhibition draws connections between Boyd's father Merric (epilepsy) and Gladwell's father (Vietnam veteran).
- Admission fees apply.
Entities
Artists
- Shaun Gladwell
- Arthur Boyd
- Merric Boyd
Institutions
- Bundanon Art Museum
- Bundanon Trust
- National Gallery of Australia
- PALAS Sydney
- ArtsHub
- ScreenHub
Locations
- Bundanon
- Shoalhaven
- New South Wales
- Australia
- London
- Canberra