Quick and the Dead - Alex SP

   The piece that caught my eye in the Quick and the Dead showcase was Stephen Pippin's Fax 69. The piece is comprised of a desk with two fax machines placed on it, feeding each other an endless loop of paper upon which more and more information is recorded until it becomes incomprehensible. The piece uses time in its execution because it creates a dynamic action; as time passes, more and more is printed onto the paper, effectively recording time while accomplishing nothing. I found the piece enthralling due to the way in which it creates a perpetual, self sustained action, while still managing to mark down the passage of time. I find the use of fax machines interesting as well; using devices that are designed for communication incorporates language, and the sharing of thoughts or ideas. The irony lies how each successive passage of the paper serves only to muddle the original message, effectively drowning out any sort of coherent statement.