Multi-Saint (2013), being one of 6 large-scale sculptures, was created after Michael Landy had been an associate artist at the National Gallery (2010-2012). It was exhibited in Michael Landy: Saints Alive (2013) at the National Gallery, London. Landy draws upon paintings by Carlo Crivelli, Ambrogio Bergonone and Hans Memling, in its collection from which he incorporates the attributes, or identifying symbols, of Saint Michael, Saint Lawrence, Saint Catherine, Saint Peter and Saint Lucy.
Multi-Saint, a hybrid figure and kinetic amalgamation of the four Saints from the National Gallery bring them back to life - the sculpture operated by means of foot pedals, causes Mulit-Saint to judder violently into action.It is one of 6 large-scale sculptures and composed of abstracted bits of very important paintings, pulled together, animated in 3D dimensions, and monumentalised. From something that was initially a two-dimmentional collage, Landy created a kinetic sculpture, blowing the composition up times ten. The sculptures, built using old bits of junk, bicycle wheels, electric motors and pulleys, were inspired by Swiss artist Jean Tinguely’s kinetic sculptures from the 1960s and ‘70s. Landy specifically references Tinguely’s exhibition which he visited, as a student, back in 1982 at the Tate Gallery, where he saw people laughing and smiling whilst interacting with sculptures made out of junk.
Multi-Saint captures fragments of Christian iconography and also reflects the Walker Art Gallery's historical collection. The sculpture satirises the canon of art history in a delightfully playful and provocative way that directly engages the viewer.
See video here.
