original future feedback network performance

1977

it began as an idea for a magazine, a companion to astronomy magazine where i was staff artist. it came into being at the cedarburg art center somewhere in the wisconsin farm fields west of milwaukee.  it was the middle of february, there was fifteen inches of snow on the ground. we needed dry ice for the fog machine, a theater grade fifty five gallon drum with a long hose attached. the dry ice had melted in the snow bank where it was stashed the night before the show. dry ice was the key sfx element of the entire performance and it had vanished, fifty pounds of it evaporated into the frigid night air. the dry ice fogger was being used to illuminate the laser beam that was being reflected into small round mirrors held by manikin hands on a white 8 by 8 foot white platform, with a layer of acetate on architectural blue prints for reflectivity, in the middle stood a deconstructed television set, spray painted white, except for a TV trio, with identities never revealed. seen in negative space as interference pattern noise inside the cathode ray tube between channels in a dark room where the future feedback network performance was launched. one time only. witnessed by very few in the deep cold winter of 1977.

Richary Berry, science editor at astronomy magazine and a mentor, was one of the witnesses and participants. without his telescopes lens making expertise, the lasers would not have been in precise alignment to reflect across the platform through the dry ice vapor. Ken Novak was a technical wizard and world class photographer, volunteering to drive 25 miles into town for more dry ice, saving the show. jack le tourneau and friends produced the soundtrack that played with my paintings on the wall. the communicators, sun cluster, color current, the interguide, six brains with led implants and me on exhibit. I had decided to saddle up and hop into the large glass case at the last minute. it happened to be in the room by chance. i watched the electronic light beam incantation from inside the case until richard had the presence of mind to let me out • it was a transcendental experience. i’m still working it off. painting was never the same again. the future has been feeding back ever since. forty two years later, this site has morphed into the magazine, the story of my times continues.

mark paternostro

atomthought • artist@Large