1980’s Work (some)

Made in Austin Texas from 1986-1990

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1. Bed Room
Room with walls and floors covered with found/aged/used mattresses.
So as to make a sort of safe cell. It was dark, bouncy and soft (sort of like a funhouse) yet it was very nasty with the used mattresses. You didn’t notice until you were in the room for a bit. Eventually you would smell the used mattresses and as your eyes got accustomed to the dim light you could see how trashed they were. In the corner was a video i shot of clouds from an airplane trip i took to San Francisco to visit my brother who was dieing of AIDS. I recorded an ambient soundtrack to the video, ala Brian Eno, who I was very influenced by and whom my brother (Andrew Spelletich) also adored.

2. Bicycle Powered Film Projector

I set this up two ways, the first version a volunteer peddled the bicycle down a very long hall. The film would slowly start up and project HUGE on the far wall out of focus, as you got closer it got smaller and would suddenly be in focus and then soon enough go back out of focus. It surprisingly threw people off balance as they rode. It was really funny and fun.
The second version had the bike stationary like an exercise bike and by moving the handlebars left and right you could project the film all over the room. The film was footage of me swimming in Town Lake, In Austin, that I shot with a zip-loc bag over a super 8 film camera.

3. Brine Clock

I was really into alternative energy and alchemy in the ’80’s, and well, i reckon I still am. I made this salt clock with copper and zinc strips in it. It kept perfect time, I had a large landscape photo/mural behind it.

4. Roach, $ and Doughnuts Washroom

I got (and still am) real tired of capitalism and its roach like predatory junkfood/trashy way.
This is a room to wash your currency. Iovered some GIANT Texas roaches in Gold Leaf and displayed a doughnut like something…… valuable. There were free handouts on alternatives to capitalism, explanations on socialism, information about all of the germs and cocaine on paper money, how toxic junk food is, the filth on roaches and about capitalism run amok and unchecked. There was a tape loop of a dog howling.

5. SOFTROOM

I covered a room (floor and walls) and a chair and table with old used carpet padding. It was quite sound deadening. I hung a bare yellow bulb and gave the whole thing a very eery tan glow. I made a tape loop of a sultry womens voice whispering a Rumi Love Poem.

6. WaterFall MEets The DownFall
You step on a foot switch at the entrance to the room the tape player on the left ad the light bulb on the right turn on. The tape is playing the sound of water rushing as the tape unreels onto the floor. The cord to it is connected to a blinking light over a photo of Energy levels, Electrons and Light Emission, Energy levels. Another study on alchemy, nature and implicating the viewer when they caused the water fall tape to run out onto the floor

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