Spirit Cabinet: there is nothing supernatural about it.

COMPUTER CONTROLLED VIDEO AND LIGHT INSTALLATION WITH SOUND - 2001

This piece attempts to recreate the experience of a spirit cabinet and to bring Houdini back to life. This is accomplished using the earliest and the latest technologies available: Edison Wax recordings of Houdini's voice and personal computer technology.


The viewer enters the gallery to find a mirror, which on one side has a mass of technology exposed and on the other an old cabinet. Placed on top of the cabinet is a piece of paper with a handwritten note that says "My brain will set me free - Harry Houdini". The viewer hears the ghost like cries somewhat resembling speech as they observe text appearing mysteriously on a surface floating above the cabinet. Words like "Pray - Answer - Tell - Pray, Pray..." appear with corresponding letters "B - E - L - I..." revealing both a secret code and possibly a solution for that code simultaneously. Slowly, a bright light grows mysteriously from behind the cabinet. It's increasing intensity washes out the words. The light continues to become brighter until it reaches the point of almost blinding. Without warning, the light abruptly goes out and from the darkness we hear a voice, Houdini's voice from the Edison wax recording saying: "Although there is nothing supernatural about it...I am Harry Houdini". The cycle begins again with the sounds of the spirit voices and the presence of the automatic writing.