Thomas Edison waged a battle with Nicola Tesla to decide if Alternating Current (AC) or Direct Current (DC) would be the technology to distribute electricity to people's homes. Edison lost but before that he went around the country electrocuting stray dogs and cats with AC power ('it's dangerous'). The 'high point' of these demonstrations was the execution of Topsy the Elephant at Coney Island in NYC in 1905. You can find a video of it on the internet - it's very sad.
This piece was made at the
very gracious request of
Jamie Allen for the
Electric Lab show at
Exit Art, Sept 20 - Nov 17, 2007.