Discover Stan Douglas's 'Klatsassin': A Deep Dive into Film and Photography at Secession

This exhibition showcases Canadian artist Stan Douglas's film 'Klatsassin', set in 19th-century British Columbia, which explores themes of truth, perspective, and the impossibility of objective reality through a narrative inspired by Akira Kurosawa's 'Rashomon'. The exhibition also includes related photographic series.

The exhibition 'Klatsassin' at Secession features the latest film by renowned Canadian artist Stan Douglas, presented in its entirety for the first time. Douglas is known for his complex and technically perfect film and video works that explore non-linear narratives and temporal models. 'Klatsassin', named after a Tchilcot'in chief, is set in the 19th-century Canadian Cariboo region, immediately following historical conflicts between indigenous peoples and immigrants drawn by gold discoveries. Drawing inspiration from Akira Kurosawa's 'Rashomon', the film addresses the impossibility of a single, objective truth by presenting the same events from multiple, conflicting perspectives. The narrative revolves around a man found dead on a forest path, with various characters recounting the incident from their unique viewpoints. Douglas employs interwoven timeframes, perspective shifts, flashbacks, and insertions to create a rich, layered story that defies complete comprehension due to the vast combinatorial possibilities of its scene sequences, which begin to repeat only after six days. He likens the variations in interwoven narratives to a musical composition, referring to the film as a "Dub Western." Beyond the film, the exhibition includes two photography series created in close connection with 'Klatsassin'. These series, presented in the side aisles of the main hall, are distinct works in their own right. One series features empty yet clearly inhabited landscapes and interiors from British Columbia, with photographs that approach cinematic aspect ratios and depict specific, recognizable locations such as the Maritime Worker’s Hall in Vancouver and Stanley Cemetery in Barkerville. The second series offers black-and-white portraits of the film's characters against plain backgrounds. Despite their detailed and seemingly objective representation, these photographs leave many questions unanswered regarding the identity and representation of the subjects – whether they are film characters, individual personalities, or actors within Douglas's work.

The Secession website provides general ticketing information and a link to purchase tickets through eventjet.at. It also notes that the institution is open today, with hours listed as Tuesday-Sunday, 10 AM - 6 PM. Specific details about admission prices for this exhibition are not directly provided on this page, but general visitor information is available through provided links.