Paul Laffoley
(b. 1943 Cambridge, MA)

The Hieronymous Box Two
1999-2003
Serigraph inks, aluminum, gold & copper wire, mahogany, blood, glass
No. 4 from an Edition of 6
25 x 25 x 3 in.
Signed and numbered by the artist

Notes:This is a psychotronic device (a mind-matter interactive system), otherwise known as a “radionic”, “radiesthesia”, “Dowsing” instrument. This present invention derives from the work of the American inventor Thomas Galen Hieronymus, who obtained the first United States patent for a psychotronic device on September 27, 1946. Later, January 2, 1952 he received a British patent. The title of his patent is: “The detection of emanations from materials and measurement of the volumes therof.” The wording of the patent specifications was such that it attempted to disguise its real intent: The patenting of a magical charm: (A) an amulet- a protection against its real evil forces; or (B) a talisman- an object possessing specific supernatural capacities that can direct consciousness in a specific direction and at a specific time to either harm of help another entity. The parts of the name are: (1) anthe= exerting energy in the opposite direction; (2) hieronymusbox= a not so veiled reference (pun) to Hieronymus Bosch (1474-1516) the German painter of panel pictures both large and small showing gruesome and threatening scenes of nightmare worlds in lurid color effects. Although this is literally an “electronic VooDoo Doll”, it works by means of Eye Energy and Touch Energy of the operator through a Two-Dimensional System of components. The various shapes and colors act as attractors and inhibitors of visual energy (energy that is efficacious without motion).