Electric Eel; Electrophorus electricus, actually a fish dwelling in the Amazon and other rivers of South America. These eels use electrical charges generated in their muscle tissue to stun their prey. Voltage of the shock varies with the size of the eel and lasts 1/500th of a second. Since their eyesight is very poor, the eels also use electrical impulses to “feel” their surroundings; similar to how bats use sound waves. |
| The new Sculpture Center building in Long Island City was originally an electric power transfer station for the subway system. In the basement is a corridor lined with alcoves which call to mind catacombs and ancient burial sites. One of the alcoves could contain an interactive installation where |
the upper half becomes an aquarium with two small electric eels, each about 24” long. The lower portion has enough space to accommodate someone lying face up looking at the eels through the glass bottom of the aquarium. |
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| Upon touching the copper plate on the underside of the aquarium, minute electrical charges emitted from the body flow to the copper leads in the tank to be sensed by the eels. Sensing this electrical “presence” the eels will strike the copper leads | transferring a jolt to the person below. A jolt from such small eels would not be harmful, but would enable a brief communion with these creatures while momentarily being part of a circuit. |
