Arthur Wicks Australian artist

systems feedback

image

details

general commentary

artist's running commentary

Phase 1 of the work; involving 32 images projected at 2 second intervals. This is the start of the process; accompanied by an audio track which explains its rationale.

This sequence is then repeated and Phase 2 begins, accompanied by the same audio which is out of sync will the first audio by a couple of seconds.

History of "systems feedback"

The work gestated over the period 1972 1974 when I moved from Canberra to take up full-time tertiary teaching at at Wagga Wagga.

It was first presented as a "lecture" on contemporary art to a group of students in 1974. At this point I refined and developed the sequence of images so that they took the form of a progressive restatement. This first restatement showed the slides being projected onto video monitor using a closed-circuit video system. The second repetition showed this video image being rephotographed and re-videoed back onto the monitor. In the performance, a closed video circuit system was set up so that the content of the images on the slides became a reality in the space. After several repetition, the process overtook the initial content. It was similar to doing an image reflected in a series of mirrors. The audio aspect the work the form of a short lecture on feedback which was systematically repeated. Ultimately, chaos overtook order.

Performance Sequences
1973 – 76, developed through a series of workshop performances while teaching at the Riverina College of Advanced Education at Wagga Wagga (now the CSU campus).
1976, as a performance across three evenings at Abraxas Gallery, Canberra
1977, as a repeated performance and talk at the Tin Sheds, Sydney University; invited by Joan Grounds.

Arthur Wicks
May 1994

In fact this work gestated over a longer period than in the 1994 statement. It took physical shape in the period 1972 - 74 but the images were created long before that.

Phase 2 of the work again involving 32 images projected at 2 second intervals; original images from Phase 1 projected onto a screen and photographically recorded.

This sequence is then repeated and Phase 3 begins, accompanied by the same audio track which is out of sync with the first and second tracks by a couple of seconds.

Phase 3 of the work again involving 32 images projected at 2 second intervals; original images form Phase 2 projected onto a screen and photographically recorded together with a video projection. This completes the full media range that existed in the 1970s.

This sequence is then repeated accompanied by the same audio track which is out of sync with the first and second tracks by a couple of seconds.