Biofeedback Chain - 1970

Gold fish in a tank, stump-tailed macague monkey, EEG alpha brainwave sensor, galvanic skin response sensor, buzzer and miscellaneous electrical hardware.
Performed at Chicago Art Institute.

For the performance Biofeedback Chain, Welch was attached to an EEG alpha brainwave-sensing device which controlled the power to the pump and light of a tank with gold fish. Facing him, a monkey was attached to a galvanic skin response sensor (GSR) linked to a buzzer on the artist's hand. When the monkey became excited, the monitored signals would trigger the buzzer and shock Welch out of the alpha wave pattern emitted in his relaxed state. This reaction would in turn shut down the air pump and light of the tank. As the artist regained alpha brain wave pattern, the pump and light would restart.