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DIVINATION SYSTEMS
In most of my work, I use still images, light, video, sculptural elements and sound technology as well as interactivity to create pieces that result in a liberation from expectation, for the viewer. My earliest pieces in this vein were strongly influenced by my childhood in Greece, and took the form of technological analogs of nature-based oracular systems. A moving image of the full moon, to be read reflected in ink; water dripping in a well-like industrial drum, and cloud formations to be chosen by a roll of the dice were some of the elements used in pieces such as Scrying by the Moon, Well of Light, and Divine Clouds. These were pieces that worked on the one hand like oracles and on the other hand gave no answers. |
divine clouds
1997, wooden card table, black and white video tube, 3 dice, 16 8”x10” black and white photos of clouds printed from the video playing on small TV. tube. Viewer may ask a question, throw dice and find ‘answer’ in photo corresponding to number of dice throw.
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undine
1996, medicine cabinet, 28 glasses of water (half-full), sound components, bathroom scale with small LCD screen inside it. Video image appears when viewer gets on scale to weigh himself or herself, video playing is of the tide coming in and going out. Undine is an obsolete word meaning mischievous water spirit.
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a language of birds
1996, wooden chair, galvanized tub, water, film projector. Images of birds loop endlessly on the surface of the water and bottom of tub. Based on divination by reading flight patterns of birds. |
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tree
1994, Glass jar 14” high, water, glass slide, film projector, metal stand. An image of an oak tree blowing in the wind is projected/captured on a glass slide suspended inside the water filled jar. Based on the oracle at Dodona, Greece. |
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well of light
1994-1995, 13” video tube, 55 gallon drum (4’ tall), video and electronics. Viewer can pause the video by touching rim of drum. The idea is to then interpret the paused image as an answer. Based on hydromancy.
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scrying by the moon
1994, 5” black and white TV. set mounted on wall facing down, headphones, shelf, crystallizing dish, ink. Image of full moon is reflected in dish of ink, sound heard is static until viewer puts on headphones and then sound heard is of the ocean. Based on divination using the reflected full moon to read images of the future.
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