Defamiliarise and Broadcast by Maximilian Bufardeci
In response to white men’s major contribution to climate change, Defamiliarise and Broadcast aims to question masculinities relationship to ecology, and present alternate ways of thinking about gender identity.
Broadcast uses twenty-four architectural columns as a canvas to express a spectrum of masculinity. Deliberately binary, this work aims to address how hegemonic masculinity contributes to the climate crisis, by applying typographic statements, questions and poetics to the columns in Fabrica’s Agorà. These columns present the perfect canvas for critique, since they reflect the form of a pantheon—a structure originally built as a tribute to the ‘great man’. The installation revolves from examining toxic masculinity to presenting ecological forms of virility.
Defamiliarise focuses on reprioritising the values of dominant space through the traditionally feminine practice of weaving. The bamboo scaffold supports multiple material weaves, encircling Fabrica’s columns. The weave aims to dissolve the dominating presence of the columns and create an interconnectivity of threads, encouraging warmth and intimacy. By shifting the spatial values of the columns, the work asks viewers to consider their own relationship to themselves and their human and more-than-human networks.
Maximilian Bufardeci
Maximilian Bufardeci (1998) is a communication designer and visual artist from Melbourne/Naarm, Australia. He is fascinated with visual storytelling and translating thought into vision. He has worked in the design industry in Melbourne for over three years, providing services in branding, typography, publication design, digital design, and signage in the cultural, creative, and commercial sectors. Collaboration is key to his process, allowing for new perspectives and creating meaningful relationships with clients, co-workers, collaborators, and users. Maximilian’s contemporary art practice involves researching gender politics and masculinity. Recognizing the distinction between art and design, Maximilian is interested in how artists can borrow from design strategy to express relevant messages.
