MarÂryÂing form and conÂtent, Swiss magiÂcian MarÂco TemÂpest uses the relÂaÂtiveÂly new techÂnolÂoÂgy of proÂjecÂtion mapÂping to illuÂmiÂnate sevÂerÂal vignettes of NikoÂla TesÂla, the SerÂbian invenÂtor of alterÂnatÂing curÂrent, the hydroÂelecÂtric dam, and hunÂdreds of othÂer necÂesÂsary, fanÂtasÂtic, and someÂtimes tragÂiÂcalÂly unreÂalÂized techÂnoloÂgies. Over the course of the 20th cenÂtuÂry, TesÂla was overÂshadÂowed by his oneÂtime employÂer, Thomas EdiÂson, who is givÂen credÂit for Tesla’s most famous ideas. EdiÂson has emerged from hisÂtoÂry as less a sciÂenÂtist than a venÂture capÂiÂtalÂist, arch-marÂketer, and popÂuÂlarÂizÂer of othÂer, smarter people’s ideas (those of filmÂmakÂing team the Lumiere BrothÂers, for examÂple), while Tesla’s repÂuÂtaÂtion as a mysÂtic genius has only grown since his death in relÂaÂtive obscuÂriÂty and absolute poverÂty in 1943.
TesÂla has occuÂpied a promiÂnent place in popÂuÂlar culÂture for over two decades now: There was David Bowie’s perÂforÂmance as the invenÂtor in 2006’s The PresÂtige, a 2001 biogÂraÂphy simÂply entiÂtled WizÂard, and, of course, the sucÂcess of very earnest 90s hair metÂal band TesÂla. ForeÂcastÂing the TesÂla revival, OrchesÂtral ManeuÂvers in the Dark recordÂed their song “TesÂla Girls” in 1984. A new TesÂla legaÂcy to watch is the pioÂneerÂing high-end elecÂtric car comÂpaÂny TesÂla Motors, foundÂed by PayÂPal bilÂlionÂaire Elon Musk. Whether or not TesÂla Motors’ expenÂsive new fulÂly-elecÂtric sedan lives up to its promise, NikoÂla Tesla’s name lives as an exemÂplar of ambiÂtion, futurÂism, perÂsisÂtence, sciÂenÂtifÂic wonÂder, and as MarÂco TemÂpest demonÂstrates above, the imporÂtance of enthuÂsiÂasÂtic showÂmanÂship.
J. David Jones is curÂrentÂly a docÂtorÂal stuÂdent in EngÂlish at FordÂham UniÂverÂsiÂty and a co-founder and forÂmer manÂagÂing ediÂtor of GuerÂniÂca / A MagÂaÂzine of Arts and PolÂiÂtics.
