Shaman - In Memoriam Terrance McKenna (2000)

The words in the graphics and the words on the tape are from a quote from Terrence McKenna, author, ethnobotanist, and pioneer of the exploration of human consciousness, who died earlier this year.

The tape was made by taking the quote and subjecting it to fragmentation with the DL Granulator module in Ross Bencina’s “AudioMuch” sound modification software. The quote is almost understandable, and if you listen carefully, several times, you’ll be able to hear all the words.

The words in the graphics were drawn randomly from the quote, then further random numbers were generated to determine which word went on which graphic, in which position, with which typeface, and in what size.

Death removes our loved ones from us, and we can only recover partial memories of them, which always combine in different ways. Memory can only be partial, and fragmentary.

Artist

• Burt, Warren

Site

• Monash University Fine Arts Department

Works by Same Artist

• Calvinesque Connections (1999)
• Natural Rhythm (1983)
• Summerlake (1999)