A daredevil performs on the Ken Fox Wall of Death, a cylindrical wooden track 20 feet high and 32 feet in diameter. The audience is keenly aware that deceleration on the steep vertical wall is not an option; slowing down would produce catastrophic results. Sasaki explores this action as an analogue for our culture of “electric speed”, identifying an imperative to continue along this trajectory (or, more likely, accelerate.) Shot at a high frame rate and presented in slow motion, the rider appears untethered from the physical forces that are keeping him aloft. Centrifugal motion becomes invisible and physical space is distorted as the rider seems to take on the ability to navigate impossible Escher-like planes. With a triumphant gesture he appears to transcend physical form, to float. He is both angelic and forebodingly reckless.
Jon Sasaki gratefully acknowledges Ken Fox, Alex Fox, and the Ken Fox Troupe for their generosity and participation.