A History of the Earth

A History of the Earth by Sean Connaughty 2005
”If you did not know of the Earth and had no context for understanding it, the smallest document or object would contain a wealth of information with which you could learn about the Earth. Its geological makeup, Its climate, its resources and its inhabitants.”

The term Anthropocene is used by some scientists to describe the most recent period in the Earths history, starting in the 18th century when the activities of the human race first began to have a significant global impact on the Earth's climate and ecosystems. The term was coined in 2000 by the Nobel Prize winning scientist Paul Crutzen, who regards the influence of mankind on the Earth in recent centuries as so significant as to constitute a new geological era. (wikipedia.org) Recent climatic changes, and human warlike activity has caused me to reflect on the possibility that the Earth as we have known it may cease to exist.

Each box contains: photogravure prints, photographs, audio cd’s and a dvd.

A History of the Earth is presented as a collection of historical and archaeological documents: the work is embedded with countless bits of information, which speak to technological capabilities and geological and meteorological information, as well as cultural, political and personal experience. In addition to being an archaeological document the history is a collection of art works by Sean Connaughty that span a time period of more than twenty years.

The boxes contain photographic documents of objects and artworks. One such image, Citizen, was created in 1988 by smashing a television and fitting it inside of a jar, and accompanying the television is a second jar, which contains the accumulated receipts from one year.

A History of the Earth (the Video) is a series of videos that document the passage of one year (2005). The videos note climatic activity, the diversity of species, human anatomical, cultural, commercial and economic structure, from a deeply personal vantage point.

A History of the Earth 9 CDs 1984-2005

Archival papers, CDs, DVDs, photographs

CD sleeves were die cut using Rives BFX 280g paper. These were letter-pressed by master-printer Chip Schilling and screen printing on the inserts was done by Matt Zaun.
SEQUENCE OF ITEMS:

1. "Memory" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a jar containing a journal or sketchbook entry and river water. The page went through a process of decomposition within the jar and was then ceremonially returned to the river. This piece was made around 1989.

2. “Periphery” c-print. 2006. This is an image of my mothers glasses, the lenses have been sandblasted. This piece was made around 1988.

3. "Home" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of the home I grew up in. It was taken around the time I was born.

4. "Linoleum" c-print, 2006. This is an image of two old pieces of linoleum.

5. "Snapper Scale" c-print, 2006. this is an image of a large 'scale' from the shell of a huge snapping turtle.

6. "Big Dandelion" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a kind of plant that makes a puffy seed bloom similar to a dandelion, but much bigger, I don't know its name.

7. "I FEAR HELL" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a cast lead piece I made first in wood in the 90's, then later as a cast lead piece around 2000.

8. "Mullein" photogravure print, 2006. This an image of a common Mullein plant sans stalk.

9. "Superior" photogravure print, 2006. This an image from pebble beach on Lake Superior's North Shore.

10. "The Wires" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of the powerlines that run by my childhood home.

11. "Purgatory" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image from Purgatory Creek in Eden Prairie.

12. "Memory Site" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a bridge that crosses Purgatory Creek.

13. "Hemlock" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a dried hemlock umbel I collected.

14. "Pre-Cambrian Seas" This is a CD of recordings that date from 1984-1989

1. What America Shoots

2. David

3. Religion 1

4. "go" "stop"

5. Convoluted Logic Train 1

6. 2645 Nicollet Avenue

7. tape manipulation

8. weather report

9. Skip to my Lou

10. Convoluted Logic Train 2

11. Tribe

12. Religion 2

13. Twentieth Generation Approximation  (Lonesome Blues by Guitar Welch)

14. cut-up

15. The Hour of Decision

15. "Spirit" photogravure print, 2006. This an image of me smoking a cigarette.

16. "Russian Hill" photogravure print, 2006. This image was captured in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco around 1985.

17. "Citizen" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a piece I made in 1989. I took a television and broke it down to fit inside of a jar. The second jar contains receipts accumulated over a period of one year. (piece was destroyed or lost)

18. "No Context" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of David Pitman strapped to a car seat in the forest. "No Context" was the title of a multi-media exhibition David and I had in the mid nineties.

19. "Apokalypsis Arm" photogravure print, 2006. This is an accidental image that also bears a resemblance to a painting I made in 1988, from the "Apokalypsis Series"

20. "Elevator" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a grain elevator in Northeast Minneapolis.

21. "Gold Medal" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of The Gold Medal Flour Building in Minneapolis.

22. "The Anthropocene Epoch" This is a CD of recordings from 1989-1997

1. Occupant

2. Blackheart

3. Magnetic Poetry

4. Come Down Easy (Spacemen 3)

5. Light snow cold (Minnesota Public Radio)

6. At the Beach

7. The Welcoming River

8. Alien

9. Gilbert Johnson

10. Sad Ditty

11. Nun of Ether

12. Badlands

13. Poison in the Water

14. Faded Love (Bob Wills)

15. Molly and Sean (With Molly Maher)

16. Driving Music

23. "ONE CANNOT ACT NATURAL" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a cast lead piece I made around 2000.

24. "Cave Sculpture" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a sculpture made by David and I in a cave in St. Paul, shot by flashlight, by friend Colleen, these tiny prints are the only documentation.

25. "Infra Red" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a friend, the original image was shot using infra-red film.

26. "Time and Space Study" c-print, 2006. This an image of a piece I created in 1990. The text was inscribed using heavy, steel letter-stamps on found pieces of wood. These pieces were recordings of a sort.

They state:

a. I AM IN THE CAVE NOW

b. I AM OVER THE RIVER NOW

c. I AM ON THE ISLAND NOW

27. "Time and Space Study Documentation" c-print, 2006. This is an image of the making of the previous piece.

28. "Love Letters to Language" c-print, 2006. This an image of a paper I wrote in Ronald Dahls Critical Studies Class in 1989.

Sciences

29. "Fish Dream" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a piece I made transcribing directly from the memory of a dream.

30. "Electricity" photogravure print, 2006. This an image of the music room from 5748 Nicollet ave.

31. "Bison" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a chunk of Bison Hair I found in the badlands.

32. "Badlands" photogravure print, 2006. This an image of the picnic benches in the Sage Creek remote campsite in The Badlands of South Dakota.

33. "Dead Carp" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of some dead burned carp I found along the Mississippi.

34. "Cleopatra" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of the dog Cleopatra at the Confluence of The Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers.

35. "Extraction" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image some stitches on my sternum.

36. "Medicine" c-print, 2006. A collection of medicines.

37. "MEDICINE THE BEHAVIOR OF MATTER" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a cast lead piece. circa 2000.

38. "Photosynthesis" A CD of recordings from 2003, recorded at The Blacklock Nature Sanctuary while I was on a month long residency for painting.

1. Mouse Song

2. Avalanche (A Leonard Cohen Song)

3. The Peanut Butter Song

4. There’s a Place for you in Mississippi

5. Mr. Ed

6. Get Along Little Doggies (Traditional)

7. The Rangers Command (Woody Guthrie)

8. Halleluiah (A Leonard Cohen Song)

9. Gay Man’s Blues

39. "Clutch" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a UHaul Truck that broke down while my Friend Todd and I were driving art from Savannah, Georgia to New York City.

40. "Highly Specific Residue" (wheat) c-print, 2006. This is an image of residues from the making of the painting "Birds of Appetite".

41. "Palmetto Bug" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of the big cockroaches they have in Savannah, Georgia.

42. "Highly Specific Residue Thumbs" c-print, 2006. This an image of residues from the making of the painting "Birds of Appetite"

43. "INFLUENCE IS CONSCIOUSNESS AT WORK" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a cast lead piece. circa 2000

44. "Alexander" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a bridge over the Savannah River.

45. "Savannah" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a vine growing on a building in Savannah, Georgia.

46. "Modes of Communication" This is a CD of recordings of long form verbal and musical improvisations. circa 2003-4

1. Big Ears Mahaulsey, (A post, post, post modern tale)

2. They’re Talkin’ about Us

3. Glory 5 (The Keening)

4. The Yaquii Way

5. Angel in a Space Ship (whole)

6. USS Rustica Galactica

47. "Karma Tape" c-print, 2006. This is an image of a cassette tape, with text.

48. "Super America" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a Super America station in Eden Prairie, Minnesota circa 1999

49. "Tectonic Activity" audio CD circa 2004

1. Happy Birthday

2. Technical School Five Hands Tall

3. Let’s Light a Light (two)

4. Her Eye/Her, I

5. Masters of the Clay

6. Tummy Slap

7. Everything is Permitted

8. Viscous Fluid

9. Chord Organ

10. Count the Beadz

11. Stock Song

12. Don’t Cross Off Your Center

13. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme

14. Happy Birthday (two)

50. "Opportunism and Predation" audio CD circa 2004

Viscous Fluid disc two:  (OPPORTUNISM AND PREDATION)

Sean Connaughty 2004

1. Silver and Green

2. Les to think more to feel

3. Bruised Oranges

4. Fear Factor (three)

5. Glory IV (Turned on the TV)

6. My Opponent 2

7. Bird on a Wire (L. Cohen)

8. The Innocent Ones (August 6, 1945, 8:45 am)

9. Transgressions

10. Come Along Now Cowboys

11. Ketchup

12. I was Living Long and Large

13. Tealc 2

14. Shadows (Bauhaus)

51. "Orbit and Rotation" audio CD circa 2004

1. Dhali Gholong

2. Tome

3. Bobby Ambergrease

4. Voices on the Wind Five Hands Tall

5. Diurnal

6. Like the Old Days

7. Questions

8. Hollis Brown (Bob Dylan)

9. Mama and the Landlord

10. Its Only Free Association

11. Broken

12. My Name is Nothing 2

13. The Soul

52"Valerian" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a valerian plant, in Duluth Minnesota.

53 "Shoveling" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of me shoveling snow.

54"Matter and Energy" This is a CD of recordings from 2004

1. Let’s Light a Light

2. August 6, 1945, 8:45 am

3. Lost God Ballad (seafarers)

4. Ballad of a Demi-Politico

5. Glory III Nictating Membrane

6. I Swim Alone Sometimes

7. Avarice

8. My Opponent

9. The Victory Song

10. Lost God Ballad (mac version)

11. Ewahr

12. Tennessee Williams

13. Mother’s Gold

14. NTIOB

15. Mr. Whitaker b-side

55 "The Charleston" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a Urinal in a bar in Brooklyn called "The Charleston".

56 "Atmospheric Composition and Climatic Phenomenon" A CD of recordings from 2005

1. BY FORCE OF WILL YOU MAKE YOURSELF BE SEEN

2. Backward Harmony

3. Nimbus Rangers

4. The Arrival

5. Gilded Hamster

6. On Star

7. La Mano Poderosa

8. Public Document

9. I Failed with my Decision

10. Keep it Simple

11. Is it the Quality of the Recording or the Quality of the Recording Equipment?

12. ADVERTISEMENT!

13. I’m Living Through The TV Now

14. Hands Cut Off

15. A CITIZEN AMONG THE GHULS

57 "My Hemlock" photogravure print, 2006. This is an image of a hemlock plant in the early spring.

58 "3 m&m's" c-print photograph, 2006. This is an image of three m&m's.

59 "A History of the Earth" A DVD of Videos from 2005

1. KARMA

2. 8:45

3. Seafarers

4. The River Song

Shot in Monticello, MN

5. Wind

6. The New Charlie Close

7. Advertisement!

8. Victory

9. Force

10. Silver and Green are my Dreams