Stainless steel, water, silicone, fasteners, mercury switches, relays, micro-switches, acetal, motors, electronics
17m x 2m x 3.5m
THE RETURN emerged through three lines of enquiry: the first, that the system use the minimum amount of water necessary to generate active movement; the second, to develop a system that combined an autopoietic, circular nature with a fold-back, a reversal within the system itself; and the third, to engage with the Hawthorn Town Hall Gallery's architecture, particularly in regards to heritage limitations.
Thus, the entire action of THE RETURN is powered by the movement of around 250ml of water. The system is circular in nature, though through the fold-back, it uses the same components for both halves of its circular-causality. In other words, THE RETURN does just that: when the small amount of water reaches the end, the system folds back and the water is transported in the other direction.
Many thanks to Hawthorn Town Hall Gallery.
Images by Jem Selig Freeman and the artist.