Slater Bradley

Slater Bradley (U.S., b. 1975) Intermission, 2003–2005

Single-channel video (black-and white, sound); 7:03 mins.

Henry Art Gallery, gift of Dean Valentine and Amy Adelson, 2016.229

Slater Bradley is an American conceptual artist whose work crosses disciplines and media, often referencing pop culture and exploring themes of youth, identity, and mortality. In Intermission, Bradley draws on American pop star Michael Jackson’s music and image to create a melancholy meditation on the fleeting nature of youth. Lyrics from Jackson’s 1995 song “Childhood“ are used as text on intertitles that appear between segments of black-and-white film, recalling the conventions of silent films, while a figure with striking similarities to the famed musician is seen wandering through a bleak, snowy landscape.