Collection Assignment
Item Type
Representation(s)
Document
Extent
3 sheets, 11.75" x 8.25"
Creator(s)
Scope and Content
This is a handwritten, three-page letter from James Acord while in Nottingham, England, to Janet, Edward, and Push Button (the cat) Galore in Seattle, dated 28 October 1999. This letter is written on the versos of other printed letters and emails.
The three-page letter concerns: (1) his challenges functioning in England, comparing himself to a "Samual [sic] Beckett" character; (2) the past seven days of teaching and lecturing in Nottingham; (3) Acord modifying his return date in order to "explore every last option for reactor use," the end of his time with the Arts Catalyst, and his impression of the lack of courage the scientists at the Imperial College have; (4) his pleasure and experience in being an artist-in-residence at the Imperial College, a mention of Jim Gibb the head of Physics, and their assurances that the materials he needed to "create the last, complicating, final, transmuted, long-sought, reliquary sculpture" was within their budgets; (5) Edward [Galore] telling him not to quit, despite the bad press around nuclear work; (6) Acord's efforts with the Imperial College support on "crunching the numbers" on his "kitchen counter-top transmutation apparatus" and an AmBe [Americium-Beryllium] neutron source; (7) documentation of his transmutation efforts; (8) a concluding statement on his health, his correspondence, his economy, and his aspirations.
On the other side of the first page, upside-down, is a copied letter from Bea Tobolewska at City Arts/The Art Exchange in Nottingham to James Acord, dated 22 October 1999, thanking Acord for a lecture on 15 October, and wishing him well on his residency.
On the other side of the second page is a copied letter from James Acord to Simon Franklin, Director of Reactor Operations and Safety at Imperial College, London, dated 20 October 1999. This thanks Simon for his time at Penney Labs on 23 September [1999], asks Simon Franklin's advice on his desire to transmute Technetium to Ruthenium, his extension of his residency at Imperial College, and an ask for Simon to collaborate on a Science and Art partnership grant for the transmutation. This includes a note in Acord's hand: "First draft in London on Jim Flint's computer."
On the other side of the third page is a printed email from Nicola Triscott at Arts Catalyst to Roger Wiltshire and Roger's reply. The query from Nicola is for the availability of Technesium [sic, Technetium] 99 in powder form, and Roger's reply is a request for a phone number. Acord has written in his hand, "the message that defines the problem of the project," circling the reply.
The three-page letter concerns: (1) his challenges functioning in England, comparing himself to a "Samual [sic] Beckett" character; (2) the past seven days of teaching and lecturing in Nottingham; (3) Acord modifying his return date in order to "explore every last option for reactor use," the end of his time with the Arts Catalyst, and his impression of the lack of courage the scientists at the Imperial College have; (4) his pleasure and experience in being an artist-in-residence at the Imperial College, a mention of Jim Gibb the head of Physics, and their assurances that the materials he needed to "create the last, complicating, final, transmuted, long-sought, reliquary sculpture" was within their budgets; (5) Edward [Galore] telling him not to quit, despite the bad press around nuclear work; (6) Acord's efforts with the Imperial College support on "crunching the numbers" on his "kitchen counter-top transmutation apparatus" and an AmBe [Americium-Beryllium] neutron source; (7) documentation of his transmutation efforts; (8) a concluding statement on his health, his correspondence, his economy, and his aspirations.
On the other side of the first page, upside-down, is a copied letter from Bea Tobolewska at City Arts/The Art Exchange in Nottingham to James Acord, dated 22 October 1999, thanking Acord for a lecture on 15 October, and wishing him well on his residency.
On the other side of the second page is a copied letter from James Acord to Simon Franklin, Director of Reactor Operations and Safety at Imperial College, London, dated 20 October 1999. This thanks Simon for his time at Penney Labs on 23 September [1999], asks Simon Franklin's advice on his desire to transmute Technetium to Ruthenium, his extension of his residency at Imperial College, and an ask for Simon to collaborate on a Science and Art partnership grant for the transmutation. This includes a note in Acord's hand: "First draft in London on Jim Flint's computer."
On the other side of the third page is a printed email from Nicola Triscott at Arts Catalyst to Roger Wiltshire and Roger's reply. The query from Nicola is for the availability of Technesium [sic, Technetium] 99 in powder form, and Roger's reply is a request for a phone number. Acord has written in his hand, "the message that defines the problem of the project," circling the reply.