Contraption XIII: In Which Motor Fights Operator for its Electrical Sustenance
7x7x8 ft.
Wood, cast iron, steel, extension cord, motor
2014
Sometimes, I imagine what I would want if I were a machine. I imagine how I would “eat” electricity like food. I think about how unhappy I would be if someone tried to take my electricity away from me.
Here, I created a machine that defends its own “food” source. The machine has two arms, one holding an extension cord, and the other holding its own plug. The viewer is presented with a crank that controls the arms; turning it one direction brings the arms together, plugging the machine in, and turning it the other direction does the opposite. However, when the machine is plugged in, a motor turns on, working against the crank. As a result, it is twice as difficult to unplug the machine as it was to plug it in.