Australian Director Baz Luhrmann Premieres Art Exhibit in Hong Kong

Never one to shy away from experimenting with strong visuals, Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet) made the move from behind the camera to behind the canvas with a project that looks at the cinematic power of art.

Luhrmann, who has been on hiatus from the film world since his 2008 World War II drama Australia_, unveiled a new multimedia art installation in Hong Kong’s International Art Fair, the Associated Pressdisplay/world/news/e3i653c072dd63127c8ea7536d8091c72c6 reports.

The project, called “The Creek, 1977” (perhaps a nod to Luhrmann’s hometown of Herons Creek?), is a collaboration between the filmmaker and acclaimed Melbourne-based portraitist Vincent Fantauzzo. “The Creek” is based on a childhood memory of Luhrmann’s from growing up in rural Australia and centers on an oil-on-linen painting depicting the aftermath of a car accident. According to the Wall Street Journal, both artists have inserted themselves into the work—Fantauzzo as a drifter new to the town, Luhrmann as a gas-station owner. The setup of the installation is in a dark, candelit room accented with the director’s childhood photos. Audio clips of a car crash and an interactive website complete the full sensory experience.

Luhrmann has yet to decide on his next effort, although he purchased the rights to adapt F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby last year.

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