Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

Heretic is an unusual autobiographical feature length documentary that lifts the lid on the mysterious life of New Zealand artist Christina Conrad (known as Conrad) - painter, poet, sculptor & film-maker - whose life-long struggle with convention reminds us of our own personal dramas and hidden strengths.

Conrad has been called New Zealand's greatest living artist. She is certainly it's greatest eccentric. She lived as a recluse for twenty years without electricity or running water, where she "kept her paintings in cupboards instead of food". Her work is disarmingly original and not easily pigeon-holed, nor does the term "outsider" sit easily with her, suggesting as it does someone who is untrained.

The soundtrack reflects tones of bittersweetness and dark contemplation using small chamber style strings with overtones of wine glasses, piano and the occasional harp to create a wistful and at times cathartic sonic world as the score follows the artist's journey through life, at times jubilant and at othertimes times deeply sorrowful.

Work Details

Year: 2021

Instrumentation: Piano, strings.

Duration: 48 min.

Contents note: Female Christ -- The Axe -- Gas Oven -- Artworld -- Nameless One -- Egg Roller -- Journey to the Red Door -- Kingfisher -- Materialise -- Rag of a Woman.