Back to list The South London Gallery presents a new film work
by Danish collective Superflex entitled 'Flooded
McDonald's'. Despite their international track record
over the past 15 years, this will be their first solo
show in London. From large-scale installations, through
to long-term process-based projects and, more recently,
films, Superflex’s work is founded in economic and
political awareness. They create works inspired by the
points where definitions and possibilities of art become blurred. 'Flooded McDonald's' is a new film work in which
a convincing life-size replica of the interior of a
McDonald’s burger bar, without any customers or staff
present, gradually floods with water. Furniture is
lifted up by the water, trays of food and drinks start
to float around, electrics short circuit and eventually
the space becomes completely submerged. 'Flooded McDonald’s' is Superflex’s second film,
the first, entitled 'Burning Car', 2008, made in the
wake of the civil unrest in Paris and Copenhagen in
2007, shows a dead-pan observation of a car going up in
flames. Both films avoid the high drama of disaster
movies, but never quite echo a documentary style, making
their position within established frameworks of
cinematic genres or of artists’ films intentionally
ambiguous. Without being didactic, Flooded McDonald’s
hints at the consumer-driven power and influence, but
also impotence, of large multinationals in the face of
climate change. Without apportioning blame, the film
questions with whom ultimate responsibility lies. Superflex describe their practice as the
provision of 'tools' which affect or influence their
social or economic context. Previous projects include
paying visitors to enter their exhibition, the
development and marketing of a new beverage - 'Free
Beer' - and the production of a self-sufficient,
portable biogas unit to provide energy for a family.
Their projects are often rooted in their particular
local context and invite participation from the visitor.
Superflex work outside traditional art contexts
collaborating with designers, engineers, businesses and
marketers on projects which have the potential for
social or economic change. As such they remain difficult
to pigeonhole yet continue to be innovative in their
approach to engaging with current issues. | 
