Hailed as the breakthrough film of their careers, Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait (2006) is a collaboration between Douglas Gordon (1966, Scotland) and Philippe Parreno (b. 1964, Algeria).
This documentary-style documentary features a real-time portrait of the French soccer star Zinédine Zidane, shot during a soccer match between Real Madrid and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid on April 23, 2005.
Presented on two channels, Zidane is filmed on seventeen synchronized cameras across the stadium, merged with the television feed, and contrasted with raw match footage. The accompanying audio alternates between the sounds of the enthusiastic crowd and a soundtrack by Scottish post-rock group Mogwai.
Voyeuristic in nature, the work closely and intensely follows not football but Zidane, highlighting his movements, mannerisms and mood throughout the 92 minutes of play. Audiences are on a journey with Zidane, from his bouts of intense, agitated action, to his off-court moments, constantly returning play and scoring players off-camera.
The work speaks very directly of Zidane's mental and physical abilities, his habits and contribution to the game, recorded in relative isolation.
Through this work, Gordon and Parreno also discuss the established and extensive history of the portrait genre, with direct references to artists such as Francisco de Goya, Diego Velázquez and Andy Warhol. Zidane presents a portrait for a new generation – opening questions about the mediated nature of the celebrity image in the digital age.
The cinematic work is on view through 25 November at Dunedin Public Art Gallery, New Zealand
