Arthur Wicks Australian artist

the helicopter aka the solstice voyeur's observatory
image	details	general commentary	artist's running commentary

Construction
Slide show of 10 images; click thumbnail to start large images; click RHS last image to return here	the Helicopter aka the Solstice Voyeur's Observatory medium: laminated wood (reinforced with Kevlar veneer, bearings, pulley belts, motor 1987; reconstructed 2009	Original contruction 1987 - 1992. During this period it ws transported to various cities in Australia to be used in performances itemised and detailed below. Between 1992 and the exhibition at the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery 2010, it was subjected to a mojor recontruction. Once this was completed, it became necessary to reinforce the major struts with laminated Kevlar cloth. The reasoning for this; the intention was to motorise the machine & pilot it with one of the artist's humanoid body replicants. The Kevlar laminate helped to strengthen the structure and reduce the chance that the structure would disintegrate with the vibration from the motor.	the Helicopter was in robust health until 1992 when it was left to deteriorate outside. At this time most of the struts has rotted and disintegrated. Major reconstruction became necessary to enable the helicopter to be occupied by one of my humanoid bodies, to be motorised and the motion controlled electronically together with infra red sensors to make it interactive.

Site Specific City Exhibition, curated by Anne Virgo, director of the Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Canberra, July 1987
Slide show of 9 images; click thumbnail to start large images; click RHS last image to return here		Locations during this exhibition: 1 Australian War Memorial 2 Commonwealth Defence offices, Parkes 3 the Canberra Contemporary Art Space, Gorman House, Ainslie	The prime location was the Australian War Memorial; permission to site it in the grounds of the AWM was requested and refused. The machine was positioned at the northern end of Anzac Parade in full sight of the AWM. An valiant attempt was made to fly the helicopter over the AWM but it just woudn't take off.
Slide show of same 9 images; click thumbnail to start large images; click RHS last image to return here			The helicopter's final resting space for the duration of the exhibition was the Canberra Contemporary Art Space itself, located in Gorman House Ainslie.

the National Performance Event, Adelaide, October 1987 Woop Woop
image showing the role of the helocopter in that particular group performance event	The National Performance Event, Adelaide, 1987; also known as Woop Woop.	National Performance Event, organised by Pam Zeplin and Casey van Sebille	the first performance of the "Escape of the Solsticce Voyeur".
Slide show of 12 images; click this thumbnail to start series large images; click RHS last image to return here.
Escape of the Solstice Voyeur, Wagga Playhouse, 1988
Slide show of 12 images; click this thumbnail to start series large images; click RHS last image to return here.	The second performance of the: Escape of the Solstice Voyeur. There are minor additions to the original performance at Woop Woop, Adelaide. This image sequence shows how media played a dominant role.		The slide sequence from this performance while poor quality, gives a good idea of the how the work involved media in the form of projected slides and audio interventions.
The Performance Space, Sydney October 1988
		this exhibition consisted of the helicopter together witha group of other works which complemented the machine. In addition a performance took place where hte artist climbed a ladder structure (visible in the distance) and delivered a monologue.	the helicopter was one element of this exhibition in the Performance Space, Sydney in October 1988. It had to be dismantled to negotiable the narrow staircase to the upstairs exhibition space but once installed in the small upstairs room allocated for it, it created a lot of tension when activated.
Slide show of 4 images; click this thumbnail to start series large images; click RHS last image to return here.
	Closeup of the driving mechanism click this thumbnail to start series large images (similar to above) ; click RHS last image to return here.

the Battlefield Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) Assembly Hall May 1990
animated gif image gif animation will become active while the mouse in over the image	the helicopter used in the first performance of the Battlefiel at ADFA, Canberra.	Helicopter on stage 2009of the ADFA Assembly Hall to close the perfromace. Slide projection of phrase: DON'T PANIC!	the main sculpture machine used in this perfromance was the human powered armoured car which had only recently been constructed (April 1990) and was still being 'road' tested; requiring assistants to guide its trajectory. The helicopter appeared on the back stage at the ending of the performance; driven backwards & forwards across the stage until the hall was empty.

the Trilogy Satellite Event, 9th Sydney Biennale the Performance Space, December 1992 to access the Virtual Wing of the Trilogy click HERE
Slide show of 4 images; click this thumbnail to start series large images; click RHS last image to return here.	the TRILOGY was a satellite event of the 7th Sydney Biennale. performed at the Performance Space through 4 nights. the work comprised 4 sections: 1 the Escape of the Solstice Voyeur, 2 the Battlefield, 3 the Interval, and 4 Auto da Fe	The helicopter was one of 3 machines that were used in the performance. The helicopter was used solely in the first section; "the Escape of the Solsticce Voyeur" the armoured car was used in the second section; the Battlefield; and one of the motorised Antipodeans was used in the last section; "Auto da Fe".	the last of the peprformance events; viz the Escape of the Solstice Voyeur. To access review by Vivienne Skinner published in the Sydney Univerity Gazette, click HERE

Wagga Wagga Art Gallery Exhibition: Inside/Outside Forwards/Backwards, December 2009 - January 2010 Motorised machine sculptures
gif animation	the helicopter was one of the motorised, interactive machines that were included in this exhibition.	Opened by Tony Bond, then Senior Curator Art Gallery of NSW.	The inclusion of the helicopter at this time required major restoration. In the intervening period since its last exposure it had been left in the open and large sections of it had rotted. Restoration took several months of intensive work. At the same time the drive mechanism was adjusted so that it could be motorised. Controlling the action was a Rockwell Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) that electronically controlled its speed (slow & a little faster), as well as on/off dictated by infra red sensors activated when triggered by visitors.
Slide show of 7 images; click this thumbnail to start series large images; click RHS last image to return here.
Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) Earth Exploration, Rover Mission 2012
animation prior to installing the helicopter into the main space at the Maitland Regional Art Gallery	The helicopter used in the 1992 TPS perrformance unfortunately had badly deteriorated in the meantime and needed to be reconstructed over a period of 4 months. Helicopter components and contruction now comprising: laminated wood which was then veneered with Kevlar mat for reinforcement; clothed humanoid constructed from fibreglass casts and aluminium struts; motion activated by large 240v motor and controlled (fast/slow, on/off) by A Rockwell Programmable Logical Controller (PLC).	The title of the exhibition was suggested by David Hansen	This was the first time that the helicopter was motorised, and suspended off the floor. The electronic element of the installation exhibited intermittant problems until it was serviced by a specialist technician. It appears that during shipping some of the electronic connections had become loose.
place mouse over image to start animated gif from the actual exhibition the motorised helicopter from above
place mouse over image to start animated gif from the actual exhibition the motorised helicopter from below
Slide show of 4 images; click thumbnail to access large images; click RHS last imaage to return here.	the large scale global images (3 x 3 m) were an important addition to this exhibition, especially in relation to the helicopter. The global image below it became: a target? a landing pad? The viewer is left to complete the narrative.

Proposal for the AGNSW 2012
	Simulation of the Helicopter installed in the space above the entrance to the cafe of the AGNSW	the Proposal to install the Helicopter can be accessed by clicking HERE