Comments on: Edison and Topsy (2006) http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/ a gallery of aesthetic experiments Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:01:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Chris http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-13926 Chris Fri, 09 Feb 2007 21:46:31 +0000 http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/#comment-13926 I believe the competition between Edison and Tesla (DC/AC) reached a peak with Edison's public displays. He even ran electricity through his own body to light a bulb, demonstrating the safety of DC. Not to be outdone, Tesla ran his own stage show, and strapped himself down while an assistant ran AC electricity through his body, firing up a wall of light. Tesla was a visionary, and the original 'mad inventor'. Edison was an experimentalist - he once developed a solvent for rubber by dropping it into every substance he could think of. I like the way the elephant seems to bear down on Edison. The image feels heavy, and joyless. It's how I picture the man. I believe the competition between Edison and Tesla (DC/AC) reached a peak with Edison’s public displays. He even ran electricity through his own body to light a bulb, demonstrating the safety of DC. Not to be outdone, Tesla ran his own stage show, and strapped himself down while an assistant ran AC electricity through his body, firing up a wall of light.

Tesla was a visionary, and the original ‘mad inventor’. Edison was an experimentalist – he once developed a solvent for rubber by dropping it into every substance he could think of.

I like the way the elephant seems to bear down on Edison. The image feels heavy, and joyless. It’s how I picture the man.

]]> By: shardcore http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-12599 shardcore Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:33:37 +0000 http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/#comment-12599 An elephant has been famously hanged before: <a href=http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html rel="nofollow">http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html</a> An elephant has been famously hanged before: http://www.blueridgecountry.com/elephant/elephant.html

]]> By: Sacha Wheeler http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/comment-page-1/#comment-12593 Sacha Wheeler Thu, 01 Feb 2007 12:42:58 +0000 http://www.shardcore.org/shardpress/index.php/2007/02/01/edison-and-topsy-2006/#comment-12593 The most amazing thing is that someone saw that video and thought *there's a good method with which to replace hanging*. Although hanging Topsy wouldn't have been any less horrible to watch. As he should, Topsy dominates the painting; a martyr to the industrialised cause. As convenient as the incandescent bulb now is (terrible energy efficiency notwithstanding), no end justifies the means... I'm going to buy a couple of low-energy flourescents in protest. Great painting. :) The most amazing thing is that someone saw that video and thought *there’s a good method with which to replace hanging*.

Although hanging Topsy wouldn’t have been any less horrible to watch.

As he should, Topsy dominates the painting; a martyr to the industrialised cause. As convenient as the incandescent bulb now is (terrible energy efficiency notwithstanding), no end justifies the means…

I’m going to buy a couple of low-energy flourescents in protest.

Great painting. :)

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