Finlay Pretsell's documentary Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon, screened at the Edinburgh Film Festival, offers an unconventional look at the Scottish artist, known for works like 24 Hour Psycho and Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. The film captures Gordon in his Berlin warehouse studio, where he spends most of his time alone, engaging in activities such as setting objects alight with a miniature blowtorch, smearing himself with silver paint, and using a bullwhip.
An intimate portrait of creative struggle
The documentary aims to immerse viewers in Gordon's daily creative process, revealing his solitary nature and his candid admission that his behavior—like a kid, as he puts it—might seem self-indulgent. Gordon, who is approaching 60, is seen berating Pretsell throughout the film, yet he remains committed to explaining that his art involves taking risks and generating interesting moments.
Gordon suggests a title for the film, Portrait of a Perilous Character, which he feels fits well. Pretsell gives Gordon the space to articulate his thoughts, though the film includes only brief clips of his previous work, such as archive footage of Gordon winning the Turner Prize in 1996.
Elusive figure despite flamboyance
Despite his flamboyant actions, Gordon remains enigmatic, and by the end, viewers are no closer to understanding what drives him. The film suggests that Gordon himself may not know, and that ambiguity is the point.
Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon is a brave and not entirely orthodox documentary, more an act of art than a traditional profile. It was screened at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
