One shot in The Shining took a world record 148 takes. The shot amounted to just one single close-up.
This dedication — an unwavering faithfulness to his art — is what, in my opinion, sets Stanley Kubrick apart as The Director. Often imitated, never exceeded.
I wanted to fully commit myself to a project that felt uncharted. The inspiration, of course, came from that iconic scene in The Shining—Jack Nicholson’s character, Jack, bursting through the door with a fireman’s axe, trying to reach his wife Wendy, played by Shelley Duvall, who’s fled in horror at what he’s become. I imagined that moment: the door shattering, and all the tiny splinters of wood flying and landing across the board.
To create this piece, I deliberately tried to instill a sense of unease in myself. I listened to just one album on repeat—Arctic Monkeys’ Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (which, fittingly, was itself reportedly inspired by Kubrick’s work)—and immersed myself in short horror stories. I believe in deep, focused immersion, especially when pushing into new creative territory.
Break Down That Door
2024
Various timber on Ply
594mm x 841mm
