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Jonathan
Anderson & Edwin Low recalled this shoot, in conversation
with the National Portrait Gallery’s Magda Keaney at the
Art Gallery of NSW, in May 2000.
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Anderson:
"The idea was that it should have
this almost mythical quality. It looked as though he’d
kind of been there, like this colossus standing there for
centuries. In order to achieve this we had to find a position
and a style that would really suit it. So we came up with
the idea of the underwater image, and using the lane divider
above his head almost to create the impression that he’s
got horns, that he’s only part human and part animal,
or part creature." |
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Anderson:
"We shot this at the Australian
Institute of Sport, through a window. Michael obviously
was in the water and he exhaled, breathed out all the air
he had so that he would sink down to the bottom. Even then
it’s very difficult to keep still and it needs a strong
swimmer, someone who really knows what they’re doing
in the water to be able to get exactly in the right position." |
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Anderson:
"It was done with a mixture of
us gesticulating and writing on card through the window
so he could read it and we were also yelling instructions
to someone at the pool deck who was yelling them across
to Michael when he came up for air so that we could get
him in exactly the right position with the right feeling
for the whole thing." |
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Low:
"We have worked with Klim before
when we were doing the Commonwealth Games exhibition in
1998. He did a whole process of how he would prepare before
going on to competition, hence we had a head shot of him
shaving the head and things, you see. And he was quite an
amazing guy, basically."
Anderson:
"He’s very nice, not particularly
outspoken."
Low:
"Quite shy."
Anderson:
"Quite gentle in demeanour. He’s
very appreciative and responsive, he’s very disciplined.
He really listened to what we were asking him to do, and
was extremely professional in trying to fulfil our aims
and he’s just a great person to work with."
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