Continuous Transformation of the Form of a Child´s Sled into that of Another

Rodney Graham’s installation consists of a carousel slide projector mounted on a child’s sled. A slide of a gilded winter carriage is projected onto the wall 80 times in succession, creating the impression of infinite repetition. The carriage depicted is the ceremonial sleigh of King Ludwig II of Bavaria (1845–1886), which is now located at the Marstallmuseum at Nymphenburg Palace in Munich. By directly juxtaposing the two sleds, Graham stages — with subtle irony — the transformation of a small toy into a royal carriage. The theme of repetition is a recurring motif in Graham’s work. It appears in an abstract form in his exploration of the conditions of technical image production, as well as in his use of role play and mirror imagery.