A History of the Earth
Here are some images of the work installed:
A HISTORY OF THE EARTH
An edition of thirteen handmade boxes (exterior 7×7x7″, interior 5×5x5″)
Containing original photogravure prints, C-print photographs, audio and video by Sean Connaughty. Design by Matt Zaun
If you did not know of the Earth and had no context for understanding it, the smallest document or object would contain a wealth of information with which you could learn about the Earth. Its geological makeup, It’s climate, its resources and its inhabitants.
“The term Anthropocene is used by some scientists to describe the most recent period in the Earth’s history, starting in the 18th century when the activities of the human race first began to have a significant global impact on the Earth’s climate and ecosystems. The term was coined in 2000 by the Nobel Prize winning scientist Paul Crutzen, who regards the influence of mankind on the Earth in recent centuries as so significant as to constitute a new geological era.” wikipedia Recent climatic changes, and human warlike activity has caused me to reflect on the possibility that the earth as we have known it may cease to exist.
All the work in the history originates from deeply personal experience and intends to evoke the quality of memory and unspoken significance.
In each box will be a set of 28 small photogravure prints.
“A History of the Earth” is presented as a collection of historical and archaeological documents: the work is embedded with countless bits of information, which speak to technological capabilities and geological and meteorological information, as well as cultural, political and personal experience. In addition to being an archaeological document the history is a collection of art works that span a time period of more than twenty years.
The boxes contain photographic documents of objects and artworks. One such image, Citizen, was created in 1988 by smashing a television and fitting it inside of a jar, and accompanying the television is a second jar, which contains the accumulated receipts from one year.
“A History of the Earth (the Video)” is a series of videos that document the passage of one year (2005). The videos note climatic activity, the diversity of species, human anatomical, cultural, commercial and economic structure, from a deeply personal vantage point.
We have chosen materials that will endure. We used archival papers, CD’s, DVD’s, photographs. CD sleeves were specially die cut using Rives BFX 280g paper. These are letter-pressed by renowned printer and bookmaker Chip Schilling.
A History of the Earth opens September 23rd at Marshall Arts Gallery in Northeast Minneapolis
Letter-press by master-printer Chip Schilling.
1: THE PRE-CAMBRIAN SEAS 1984-1989
2: THE ANTHROPOCENE EPOCH 1989-1998
3: PHOTOSYNTHESIS 2003
4: MATTER AND ENERGY 2004
5: ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND CLIMATIC PHENOMENON 2005
6: TECTONIC ACTIVITY 2004
7: OPPORTUNISM AND PREDATION 2004
8: ORBIT AND ROTATION 2004
9: MODES OF COMMUNICATION 2003
10: DVD: “A HISTORY OF THE EARTH” 2005
The following video is part of the Video contained in “A History of the Earth” KARMA documents the chopping down of a diseased Elm tree, shot from my window, on Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis.
I tagged the tree with the word “karma” based on the letter K that was already placed on the tree by the city, along with the dreaded orange band. This indicates that it is to be cut down. This one also was put to an improvised vocal track that I performed in my apartment at the time.
The artists will incorporate their art reflecting the aspiration and disposition of our living environment,
while dealing with our natural resources to capture the elusive change both in the static and flowing dialog.
In the exhibition, photographs of cel phone trees are installed with the sounds of Southern California freeways playing overhead.
Another photographic series of the oldest living things on earth converges with painted abstractions of curving rivers…
running thru a reflecting signature sculpture that embraces the engagement with our own personal landscape.Andy Vogt · Diana Folsom · Sean Connaughty
Kim Ebeles · Rachel Sussman · Rachel Simmons
John Brinton Hogan · Langdon Wiggs · Tao Urban
Jamie Sweetman · George GrossOpening reception: Saturday · March 24 · 4 – 7pmdownspace
5955 South Western Avenue · Los Angeles · California · 90047
Gallry hours: Fri – Sat · 12 – 4pm
tel 310. 749. 5224 · email kellysicat@sbcglobal.net
a committee at the Weisman Museum in Minneapolis elected to include “A History of the Earth” (AHOTE) ..7 of 13 into their permanent collection. This is an exciting development for me. It was a goal of mine at the outset of this project to have this work preserved and shared with the public. Now the work will be maintained and will presumably outlast me. AHOTE is a multi-media, editioned artwork which includes about 60 individual images; photogravures, and photographs as well as 117 audio pieces and 10 videos.