PALINGENESIS Tim Collins with Reiko Goto Palingenesis was originally an alchemical term that referred to the ability to regenerate life from ashes. By exploring this outward alchemical process they were attempting to prove that consciousness, intelligence and form survive the annihilation of the physical structure. In our project; the "immediate sterilization" of the Sacramento river due to a railway spill of a toxic chemical in 1991 is used as the "annihilation" component of our installation. The complete text from the congressional testimony on the spill fill the walls. Four components provide an opportunity for the viewer to evaluate their own relationship to water and the meaning of such catastrophic events. 1. An audio/video shows a man in a large glass helmet repeating the words of the Congressional Testimonies against the background of a water image. 2. Various small jars with lichens and mosses are displayed on the central wall with an artificial light source. 3. A small copper and glass work features an electronic cooling element that allows people to breath on the glass, and their breath spells out "Palingenesis" 4. The July 18,1991 San Francisco Chronicle front page image and story is "edited" to clearly illustrate the dichotomy between the actual title of the piece "Spill Reaches Shasta Lake - 'No Threat' to Drinking Water" with the accompanying photograph showing a State Water Resources Engineer in full protective clothing and a gas mask.... wading into the lake to take a water sample.

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