The World and its Inhabitants: the Ringmaster and the Globexpander on the Brooklyn Bridge. Photo: Janette Beckman.
The World and Its Inhabitants: first performance of the World with the creation of Nextus II. Photo: Barbara Carlile
The World and Its Inhabitants: a vitrine holding the initiation ceremony mask used in the first performance of the World in 1982, together with the dynamite tea and cellophane wands used for sound effects. 2000
The World and Its Inhabitants: the Ringmaster attaching pearl earrings to his ears, earthing himself via a sponge to a lightning conductor on the roof, 1981.
The World and Its Inhabitants: the Copper Governor in full swing energizing Nextus II.
The World and Its Inhabitants: the Copper Governor in full swing energizing Nextus II.
The World and Its Inhabitants: a selection of the World’s inhabitants, left to right: Mungo Parks, Chinese Prestigitator, Natasha Rambova, Count Dyslexia, Pope, The Dolly Sisters, Enrico Caruso, The Classification of Idle Causes.
The World and Its Inhabitants: at Christine Burgin Gallery, New York, 2000.
The World and Its Inhabitants: The Classification of Idle Causes and the Eventuality of Labored Science. 2000
The World and Its Inhabitants: the Ringmaster’s vitrine with his apparel, the Copper Governor, and various flagella, 2000.
The World and Its Inhabitants: Harrison Marine Chronometer facsimile on a piece of rock taken from zero degrees longitude, 1982.
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ABOUT THE WORLD AND ITS INHABITANTS (1980–present)
Begun in 1980, The World and Its Inhabitants was initially influenced by a scientific article on Andrew Crosse, a Scotsman who performed a series of electrical experiments in the 1830s. In one experiment in 1837, Crosse attempted to prove the existence of spontaneous generation. Potassium carbonate and pulverized flint, dissolved in sulphuric acid, were allowed to drip through a piece of porous iron oxide taken from Mount Vesuvius and then electrified by a Volta battery. After two weeks, white nipples began to grow on the stone, they later enlarged, struck out filaments, and on the twenty-sixth day assumed the form of perfect insects. A paper was presented to the London Electrical Society; even Michael Faraday attempted to repeat this experiment—to no avail.
With this experiment as a starting point, The World and Its Inhabitants was first conceived as a miniature circus, a salon divertissement. It was intended as a very intimate, ritualistic form of eighteenth-century parlor activity; an elaborate meal was prepared for perhaps seven guests, with small, electrically operated characters presented between courses.
This miniature oracle has become a process of cataloguing personalities. It is the genesis of an idealized world from which history has been taken and re-presented in three minutes of singular action.
Extravagantly bedecked in a scarlet jacket, the Ringmaster (the artist) removes his right riding boot and replaces it with a lead shoe; in his left hand an enameled stave is carefully positioned upon the batteries' positive post. The current flows freely through his body from the left hand to the right foot. The electricity then flows from the lead-clad foot, sensitizing the Copper Governor, which glides to and fro across an arc of lead.
At a desired moment, the movement is transfixed by a specially prepared Flagellator and the chosen character performs its life in three minutes of unrestrained splendor, using the Ringmaster's body as a conductor. The characters, some forty-eight to date, are entertainers, explorers, musicians, scientists, but also phenomena, objects of affection, mythological and famous animals from history.
The work is elaborate; further information may be found in The World and Its Inhabitants published by Bookworks, London (see Books). A forthcoming publication: The Complete Compendium of the World and its Inhabitants is in preparation.
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