Gravity and Grace:
Exercises in perpetual
Motion, 2000

Khyber
Halifax

Hi Mathew! Sorry for the delay on the exhibition description - it's been an unbelievably busy week at work. Parts for the installation are on their way to Halifax and should arrive sometime late next week. As for the exhibition, it will follow a similar premise to the original proposal cloud chamber - that is a mechanical ecosystem . As we discussed on the tele last night, the term bio-apparatus could be used. Anyways the installation itself will revolve around 18 wind generating units (ie. fans) on the top of tripods around which will fly (spin) bird specimens (yellow rumped warblers) borrowed from two zoological collections. The frequency and duration of each birds' flight will be controlled by either timers or motion sensors activated by the viewer. An audio scape of processed environmental sounds will be amplified into the space as further ambient sound to the noise of the blowers. The largest challenge to the realization of this part of the install. will be the electrical supply available and what to do with the transformers and timers. These details will have to be resolved on site. As I mentioned last night Mathew, I may include a component that involves small computer generated diagrams. These are altered phylogenic charts developed by the 19th century German zoologist Ernst Haeckel that I have turned into circular mandalas - They are evolutionary trees that dont have a beginning or end! These could be placed in the space as either exibitioned drawings; texts in book form; or even as a handout used loosely as an interpretive tool to the other circular events going on in the space. (this component will be read in a very curious context given the nature of the architecture at the gallery - which I am not quite sure would be useful - we shall see!) This is were I want to go with things Mathew, but again a great deal depends on the conditions at the Khyber. I am attaching an image from the Kingston space to help you make some sense of this but the piece they will look very different. I hope this gives you a good sense of what will happen. I'm sorry I can't be more specific but, given the site dependent nature of what I do these days, there are many factors that determine the outcome. I simply plan and improvise. (Don't worry though! It will be very close to what I have described.) I will talk to you sooner to the date of my arrival (April 27) Bye for now! CLINT