Superflex's Burning Mercedes Video in 'Bloodflames Revisited' at Paul Kasmin Gallery

Superflex's video work, filmed in Vietnam, depicts a Mercedes sedan engulfed in flames over approximately eight minutes. The Danish artist collective presents this piece in the exhibition 'Bloodflames Revisited' at Paul Kasmin Gallery. The silent footage shows the vehicle burning intensely, with tires consumed and paint blistering, set against undefined blackness. Mercedes cars are noted as universal symbols of power, often associated with conflict zones like Syria, Mexico, Iraq, Nigeria, and Afghanistan. The work references historical violence, including Dutch colonial activities in Vietnam mentioned in Lawrence Weschler's essay 'Vermeer in Bosnia'. The video captures the car's destruction in real-time, leaving a charred skeleton, prompting reflection on contemporary crises. The exhibition was reviewed on July 7, 2014, by Noah Dillon for artcritical.