12 PORTALS TO OTHER WORLDS – A Garden of unearthly delights 

Throughout history science fiction has been the vessel for explorations of the future which often speak to our present – beginning with adventure stories in our Akkadian past where the heroes in adventures in Summarian, Babylonian and latterly Greek myths (which also often set social codes of behaviour within the writing) came upon impossible societies with hero’s and villains embodying the issues present in the societies of the writer. Lately in modern history first with Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon (1902), then Harryhausen , Rubric’s 2001- and with the with the advance in digital imagery, Marvel comics then took the entire project forward but now tinged with a frantic sense of an end to human life. Some films and sci fi stores had quiet moments where an individual might be alone to contemplate the basis of the human condition – the human as silent witness – present in the vastness of a silent universe.

12 PORTALS TO OTHER WORLDS – A Garden of unearthly delights 

In the near darkness the audience will first hear the eerie sound of wind blowing, intermingled with with synthetic voices in a choral composition which evoke the sense of deep space. Turning the corner the audience then come upon a waist high 9 foot (3m) square installation – with a barren covering of dirt and rock with 12 frames in portrait mode upon which images of other worlds are portrayed. The frames are self-illuminated with new forms of planetary surfaces and the audience will be free to quietly contemplate our relationship to universal themes.

In this square shape is a garden which will be filled with lightweight rubble in different shades from great to dark orange at the top for the frames to sit in, 12v DC cables run from 3 x 5 outlet dc chargers) the overall structure will require power into the unit and 3 small Daedo lights (or similar) with gobos on them to cut up light. Light levels should be low. The frames are self-illuminated. In terms of sound each of the frames will play the sound of wind and chorus flowing across a desert and the location can set the overall sound level so that it does not interfere with other artworks – having said that we’d prefer this work to be exhibited in its own space.

This is a 275cm wide x 275cm long x 120cms high at the front (think of that as basically a square rectangle you look over) – In fact the back of the installation will be 150cms high such that the “SANDY AND ROCKY desert” that the frames will be will be situated is only 25cms deep, but the surround will be 120cms each side. So the garden has a slight incline down to the front.  The depth of the ’tank’ in which the actual display will be situated is only 25cms deep – but the surrounding sides will be 120cms each side to the floor rising to 150 cms at the back.

Most of the frames will face to the front of the installation with about 5 frames facing to the back and to the sides.

The exhibition location can set the overall sound level so that it does not interfere with other artworks in nearby rooms. 

We’d prefer this work to be exhibited in its own space but can see how it could in  large gallery be a centrepiece.