My neighbor Cathy Savage is a huge Nikola Tesla fan and an artist. To honor him she is co-producing an event at the Pump Project Satellite on Shady Lane July, 10, 2010.
I was asked to participate. Nikola Tesla is the father of alternating current technology, among other very important inventions (like the RADIO). He is far less known than his chief rival Thomas Edison. Tesla won the “war of currents” – where Edison went to great lengths to discredit AC power in favor of his own weaker DC power invention, including performing animal electrocutions to showcase the inherent danger of high voltage electricity. Today, every house in the world utilizes Tesla’s AC version of power transmission.
I was drawn to showcase how Tesla’s invention exists in the world today. His technology has become a part the every day life of billions of people. Today the transmission of electricity is ubiquitous. It shows up in our houses from plastic outlets. It is completely taken for granted. The outlets, like friendly faces, beg us to plug something in. We tap into this resource without thinking twice about how the electricity is produced think strip mines and noxious gas belching from ancient power plants. We gobble it up. Our houses pulse with it. All brought to us by these seemingly benign plastic faces the great grand children of Nikola Tesla.
This diptych, titled “Tesla circa 2010″ is 20×40 inches. It portrays our modern day outlet at an increased scale. These images were derived from digital photos I took which were scaled up and rendered into half tones. Printed and affixed to cotton canvas w/ matte medium and varnished. This piece will be for sale along with Tesla inspired art from many other artists.
Profits will benefit Easter Seals and the Pump Project. There will also be live music by the band ArcAttack as well as a Tesla Roadster on display. Don’t forget on-site tee shirt screen printing, public poetry reading and a screening of a Tesla film. This is a family friendly event. See you there.