New Invention II @ Lance Fung Gallery, NYC 2001
Duchampaign puns made of street find and garage sale items by Thai artist, Top Changtrakul, are included in his first solo exhibition at Lance Fung Gallery. Chosen from among his class at San Francisco Art Institute, Top dazzled his visiting professor, Lance Fung, with a sardonic blend of Eastern and Western cultures in fantasy fetish works parading as an archive of "lost" inventions.New Inventions II displays a series of performances, videos, and objects, through which the public explores the world's desires for control. Flirts with wishfulness, destiny, one's inner most desire, past lives, happiness and attainment are frustrated by Top's logic of serendipity and fate. Irene Violet Small writes, "Issues of longing, uncertainty and access form a major theme of the show, and Changtrakul is most poignant in the inventions which sharply juxtapose a sense of scientific objectiveness with the elusive and seductive realm of the unknown."
A search to discover the unknown is staged as an inventor's Bangkok studio and in actions documented throughout Bangkok. A great effort, the entire site of Top's "inventor's studio;" drawings, gadgets, and lights have been excised and shipped from Bangkok and obssessively recreated for public display at Lance Fung Gallery. The entire gallery space is transformed into an enlarge Thai outhouse in which we find televised solicitations, testimonials, instructions, actions and many inventions with all their successes and failings.
New Inventions II helps us to return to a timeless and playful consciousness where past, present and future are as confused as fact,fiction and faketion. So sit back, relax and watch as Top Changtrakul, the inventor of our inventor, delights us with his re-invention of invention itself coming up next at Lance Fung Gallery
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JK2000, 1999
Scale, keyboard, LED, motor, wires, batteries
10” x 9.5” x 6”
The JK2000 allowed the users to communicate with their past lives for the first time. Unfortunately, due to the lack of technology the users could only go back to 53 lives. The new JK8000 allows the users to communicate with 5,373 lives
JK8000, 1999
Scales, keyboard, LED, motors, wires, batteries
20” x 10” x 7”
Due to the success of the JK2000, a machine that allows the users to communicate with their past lives, the JK8000 was developed. This machine allows users to pick their next life. Simply speak into the telephone indicating what you want to be for your next life, and go to sleep. While dreaming, the users will be contacted by an agent telling them if their choices are available or not. |
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DS300, 1999
Wood, graph paper, wires, pencils, dial box
50” x 5” x 50”
The DS300 allows the user to change his or her destiny. By simply placing the right hand on to the panel, the current of 20,000 volts will slowly burn the old skin away while creating the new destiny. Unfortunately, it is not yet equipped with a destiny controller, so the users have no control of their new destiny.
ZR1000, 1999
Goggles, wires, plastic pump, feather
7.5” x 10” x 5”
The ZR1000 allowed the users to follow the spirit of loved one by simply placing the white goggles over the deceased’s eyes within 24 hours of their death. The user then places the black goggles on themselves. The ZR1000 will automatically deduct 5 years out of the user’s life for every 2 minutes spent in the spirit world.
CR250, 2001
Cloth, earpiece, powder, metal, nail
16” x 16”
*CR250- A device that allow the user to communicate with the creator.
*EP500- A powerful translator that allow the user to understand the language of the universe.
*Powder- It is an anesthetic potion that allows the user to feel no physical pain.
*Cloth- A special cloth that will stop bleeding immediately and will release medication to speed up the healing process
10 Rules to follow for 20 days before using the CR250
1) Drink at least 15 glasses of water daily.
2) Get up no later than 7 a.m. and go to bed no later 9 p.m.
3) Avoid red meat/ preferably eat only vegetarian diet.
4) Avoid heavy exercise/ preferably take a light 15 minute walk in the morning.
5) Avoid all entertainment (television is included)
6) Avoid all drugs and stimulants (coffee and cigarettes included)
7) No eating after sunset.
8) No killing living beings.
9) No sexual contact or self-stimulation.
10) Talk to yourself daily.
Directions for using the CR250
1) Clean both ears thoroughly, preferably with warm water and non-perfumed soap.
2) Pour the powder generously into right ear. Stop only when tingling sensation is replaced by a
feeling of numbness.
3) Rest for 10 minutes.
4) Press the sharp end of the CR250 into the right ear. Wait for the light to turn on, then the user
must jam the CR250 as deep as possible stop only when hear the loud pop.
5) Take out the CR250. Use the given towel to wipe off blood.
6) Place the EP500 into the right ear.
7) You will be slip into an unconscious state for the next 135 minutes. Within that state you will
see a door and a window. Do not open the door, you must open the window and climb through
it. You will enter into an empty room. Only take the orange seat that is located on the third row
and wait for you name to be called.
8) If the Creator does not contact you within the next 50,000 heartbeats, the same procedures
must be repeated from the beginning.
BT500, 1999
Scale, motor, wires, batteries
90” x 90”
The purpose of the BT500 is to allow the user to gather like minded people. Simply step inside the circle. The BT500 will automatically adjust itself to the user’s personality and outlook on life. It will send out a magnetic pulse within a radius of 50 miles to bring the people with a similar outlook on life to the circle.
AG200, 1999
Baseball mask, colander, goggles, motor, wires, plate
10” x 9.5” x 8.5”
The purpose of AG200 is to increase the user’s patience and tolerance while in an argument. First, it is equipped with voice calmer, a device that alters the voice, which will automatically adjust itself to any arguments. Second, it is equipped with a jammer which will prohibit an opponent from completing a sentence. Third, it is equipped with a FS signal which can cause severe migraine and impotence if aimed at the opponent. Lastly, it is equipped with an eye shutter, which will allow the user to sleep between arguments.
ID500, 1999
Wig, plastic nose, eyebrows
9” x 22” x 3”
The ID500 is a group of devices that allow the user to change his or her race. Within the first 3 minutes, the user’s skin will change color according to the item that he picked, followed by a change in his memory and perspective. The male user will experience lengthening in his private part.
CB200, 1999
Plastic comb
6” x 1.5” x 0.15”
The CB200 allows the user to turn himself into a lady’s man. Simply comb hair with the CB200. The CB200 will automatically adjust the user’s posture and wardrobe. It will update the user with the latest pick-up lines. In addition it is equipped with the Kama Sutra, which will pick the best position for every situation.
For more information please go to www.topchangtrakul.com
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