Architecture in the

Anthropocene
Encounters Among Design, Deep Ti me,
Science and Phi losophy
Edited by Etienne Turpin
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Architecture in the
Anthropocene
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Series Fdilors. Ton Cohen ond Cloire Colebrook
The eia of climate change involves the mutation of systems beyonu 2uth
centuiy anthiopomoiphic mouels anu has stoou, until iecently, outsiue
iepiesentation oi auuiess. 0nueistoou in a bioau anu ciitical sense, climate
change conceins mateiial agencies that impact on biomass anu eneigy,
eiaseu boiueis anu miciobial invention, geological anu nanogiaphic time,
anu extinction events. The possibility of extinction has always been a latent
figuie in the textual piouuction anu aichives; but the cuiient sense of ueple-
tion, uecay, mutation anu exhaustion calls foi new moues of auuiess, new
styles of publishing anu authoiing, anu new foimats anu speeus of uistii-
bution. As the piessuies anu ie-alignments of this ie-aiiangement occui, so
must the ciitical languages anu conceptual templates, political piemises anu
uefinitions of 'life.' Theie is a paiticulai neeu to publish in timely fashion ex-
peiimental monogiaphs that ieuefine the bounuaiies of uisciplinaiy fielus,
ihetoiical invasions, the inteiface of conceptual anu scientific languages,
anu geomoiphic anu geopolitical inteiventions. Ciitical Climate Change is
oiienteu, in this geneial mannei, towaiu the epistemo-political mutations
that coiiesponu to the tempoialities of teiiestiial mutation.
Architecture in the
Anthropocene
Encounters Among Design, Deep Ti me,
Science and Phi losophy
Edited by Etienne Turpin
An imprint of Michigan Publishing
University of Michigan Library, Ann Arbor
2013
OPEN HUMANITIES PRESS
Fiist euition publisheu by 0pen Bumanities Piess 2u1S
Fieely available online at http:ux.uoi.oig1u.S998ohp.12S2721S.uuu1.uu1

Copyiight 2u1S Etienne Tuipin, chapteis by iespective Authois.


This is an open access book, licenseu unuei Cieative Commons By Attiibution
Non-Commeicial No-Beiivatives license. 0nuei this license, authois allow anyone
to uownloau, uisplay, piint, uistiibute, anuoi copy theii woik so long as; the
authois anu souice aie citeu, the woik is not alteieu oi tiansfoimeu, anu the
puipose is non-commeicial. No peimission is iequiieu fiom the authois oi the
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Covei Image Betails: Bouike-White, Naigaiet (19u4-1971) vAuA, NY. Winu
Tunnel Constiuction, Foit Peck Bam, Nontana. 19S6. uelatin silvei piint, 1S x 1u"
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If a book can be saiu to begin in a place, this collection suiely has its point of oiigin
in the office of Piofessoi }ane Wolff, then the Biiectoi of the 0niveisity of Toionto's
giauuate piogiamme in Lanuscape Aichitectuie, who askeu me, iathei piovoca-
tively, why I hau not yet consiueieu the tiajectoiy of my iecent uoctoial ieseaich
in ielation to the Anthiopocene thesis. Piompteu by hei insistence that I moie
caiefully investigate this ielationship, I can say without any uoubt that most of my
philosophical, uesign-baseu, anu activist woik has, since that ciystalizing conveisa-
tion, been an attempt to moie fully compiehenu the implications of oui planetaiy
geological iefoimation. In eaily 2u11, with the financial suppoit of both the Waltei
B. Sanueis Fellowship at the Taubman College of Aichitectuie anu 0iban Planning,
anu a giant fiom the Institute foi the Bumanities, I cuiateu a symposium at the
0niveisity of Nichigan titleu !"# %#&'&()* !+,-. /,*")0#*0+,#12 3#4 /'')5-*#. If the
title was at fiist intenueu to be moie suggestive than scientific, the lectuie piesen-
tations anu panel conveisations uuiing the symposium left little uoubt that if the
geological anu stiatigiaphic sciences weie themselves becoming moie speculative
by way of theii consiueiation of the Anthiopocene thesis, then uesign coulu also
benefit fiom a similai tuin towaiu a much bioauei but no less uigent paiauigm
foi contempoiaiy piactice. Buiing this symposium, the suppoit of my stuuents in
the Nastei of Science in Besign Reseaich piogiammea post-piofessional uegiee
piogiamme which the College sauly ueciueu to eliminate uespite its tiemenuous
successhelpeu execute the event without a hitch thiough theii conceiteu, con-
vivial paiticipation. I owe a uebt of giauuate to all the stuuents anu faculty who
suppoiteu anu attenueu this event, as well as eveiyone who paiticipateu, espe-
cially those whose woiks appeai in this book, as well as Euwaiu Eigen, B. uiaham
Buinett, }amie Kiuse anu Elizabeth Ellswoith of smuuge Stuuio, anu Petei ualison,
all of whom enliveneu oui uiscussion anu impaiteu insights which have caiiieu
ovei into this collection. A thanks also to my colleagues fiom the College who facil-
itateu the panel uiscussions, incluuing Rania uhosn, Neieuith Nillei, anu Rosalyne
Shieh, all of whom shaieu theii expeitise while opening the uiscussion towaiu
new uiiections anu conceins. Buiing my two yeais at the 0niveisity of Nichigan,
uuiing which this collection began to take shape, I was incieuibly foitunate to both
teach anu leain alongsiue a gioup geneious, challenging anu thoughtful colleagues
incluuing Robeit Auams, NcLain Cluttei, Robeit Fishman, Anuiew Beischei, Peiiy
Kulpei, Kathy velikov, }ason Young, anu Claiie Zimmeiman. As I was moving fiom
Nichigan to }akaita, I also incuiieu a significant uebt of giatituue to my colleagues
at the Baus uei Kultuien uei Welt in Beilin, both foi theii oiganization of the
67-582#. 9-0#,-50)&-5' :+,50&,21 3#04&,; woikshop, anu foi theii ongoing suppoit
anu inteiest in my ieseaich. This woikshop was incieuibly tiansfoimative, anu
eveiy piesentation challengeu anu encouiageu me in unique ways. I woulu like to
thank cuiatois Xiaoyu Weng, vincent Noimanu, Nabil Ahmeu, anu Anna-Sophie
Spiingei foi theii continueu fiienuship, conveisation, anu auvice as this book
2
pioject came to fiuition. To oui Synapse special guest, Richaiu Pell, I woulu also like
to extenu my giatituue foi shaiing insights, stiategies, anu suppoit. To Scott Sili,
who has both cuiateu my aitistic woik on the Anthiopocene, anu taught togethei
with me as a co-instiuctoi foi oui giauuate seminai on lanuscapes of extiaction,
a ciitical test foi much of this pioject, I am especially giateful foi mentoiship anu
piovocation. Faiiu Rakun, my fixei who quickly became a ueai fiienu, anu without
whom I woulu have not maue it a single uay in }akaita, is oweu a special thanks foi
his ongoing patience anu uiiection. I woulu also like to thank my new mentois at
the 0niveisity of Wollongong, especially Bi. Pascal Peiez, Reseaich Biiectoi of the
SNART Infiastiuctuie Facility, anu Bi. Ian Buchanan, Biiectoi of the Institute foi
Social Tiansfoimation Reseaich, both of whom have encouiageu my scholaiship
anu pusheu me to uevelop my woik on the Anthiopocene thiough new piactices
anu piotocols of ieseaich; at SNART, I am also giateful to all my colleagues, espe-
cially Reseaich Fellows Tom Bolueiness anu Rohan Wickiamasuiiya who, as pait
of oui 0iban Resilience Reseaich uioup, have inspiieu me to uevelop new tools
anu techniques auequate foi auuiessing the uiban conuition of the Anthiopocene.
This book woulu not exist if not foi the auvise of }ohn Paul Ricco, my auvisoi,
mentoi, anu fiienu, who suggesteu that the Ciitical Climate Change seiies was the
piopei vehicle foi uisseminating this collection of ieseaich on the Anthiopocene.
I am also ueeply inuebteu to my fiienu anu colleague Beathei Bavis, who was an
essential voice foi both conceptualizing anu conuucting many of the conveisations
in this book, anu with whom I have alieauy begun co-euiting a seconu volume,
/,0 )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#. <-*&+-0#,2 /=&-( /#20"#0)*2> ?&')0)*2> <8)20#=&'&()#2 5-@
<-A),&-=#-02, which we hope will fuithei extenu anu intensify the concepts anu
conceins of the piesent collection. To each anu eveiy contiibutoi whose woik
inspiieu this collection, I owe you all moie than any euiteu volume coulu evei
uelivei foi what you have shaieu anu inspiieu in me. To my copy euitois, Lucas
A} Fieeman anu }effiey Nalecki, I owe a uebt foi theii piecision, patience, anu
supeihuman attention. As seiies euitois, Claiie Colebiook anu Tom Cohen have
been funuamental in seeing this pioject though by theii shaiing auvise anu encoui-
agement; Sigi }ottkanut anu Baviu 0ttina of 0pen Bumanities Piess have likewise
been geneious anu tiieless auvocates. Because this book uepaits significantly fiom
pievious 0BP piojects in teims of its uemanuing giaphic uesign, I woulu like to
extenu my sinceie giatituue to Saia Bean, whose piolific skill as a giaphic uesignei
alloweu this pioject to be iealizeu, anu whose patience anu suppoit have been
unflinching fiom stait to finish. This collection woulu not have been possible
without the stalwait suppoit of my fiienus anu family who, as geneious as always,
toleiateu my often fiustiating commitment to solitaiy ieseaich while encouiaging
me with caie, love, anu impoitant ieminueis to sleep. Finally, as a gestuie of ueep,
enuuiing giatituue, I woulu like to ueuicate this book to my mentoi, }ane Wolff, who
taught meanu no uoubt many otheisto see the lanuscape as maue, not given.
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While the Anthiopocene thesis has iecently ieceiveu significant attention in both
the news meuia anu acauemic scholaishipceitainly uiifting well beyonu its oiig-
inal loci of consiueiation within the meetings of the Inteinational Commission on
Stiatigiaphy anu the Inteinational 0nion of ueological Sciencestheie iemains a
funuamental ambivalence about the value of the concept fiom the point of view
of both cultuial theoiy anu uesign piactice. Is the Anthiopocene not just anothei
asseition, typical of Euiopean society, of the ascenuancy of man ovei natuie. Is the
Anthiopocene, when ieau thiough the lens of cultuial ciiticism, not just anothei
appiopiiation of a piopeily scientific nomenclatuie foi the puiposes of piovoking
aesthetic oi moial shock. Is the Anthiopocene not an apolitical, even fatalistic iuea,
given that it implicates all humanity equally in the piouuction of a geophysical
stiatigiaphy that is, anu has beensince the "beginning" of the eia, which is also
a mattei of uebateasymmetiically piouuceu accoiuing to uivisions of class, iace,
genuei anu ability. Is theie ieally any iole foi the theoietical humanities aftei the
uivision between natuie anu cultuie is eiaseu by a geological iefoimation.
The piesent collection of essays, conveisations, anu uesign piojects anu pioposals
iesponus to these questions by pioblematizing the veiy teims of theii auuiess.
While each of the contiibutions in this volume opeiates on the Anthiopocene thesis
thiough the specificity of its own paiticulai consiueiations anu conceins, seveial
impoitant piemises might fiist be summaiizeu heie. Regaiuless of the eventual
conclusion aiiiveu at by the geo-scientific community of expeits consiueiing the
meiit of this new eia, the concept of the Anthiopocene affoius contempoiaiy
scholais, activists, anu uesigneis a unique oppoitunity to ieevaluate the teims of
theoiy anu piactice which have been inheiiteu fiom moueinity. Not least among
these inheiitances is the assumption of an ontological uistinction between human
cultuie anu natuie. The Anthiopocene thesis not only challenges this inheiiteu
assumption, but uemanus of it a fatal conceit: with the aiiival of the Anthiopocene,
this uivision is @#G&-0&'&()C#@; as such, the sepaiation between natuie anu cultuie
4
appeais insteau as a epistemological piouuct mistakenly piesumeu as a given fact
of being. If the will to knowleuge chaiacteiistic of moueinity pioviueu the assui-
ance that the fault line between human cultuie anu natuie was inueeu factual, the
piouuction of the Anthiopocene countei-factually ielieves oui contempoianeity
the buiuen of peipetuating this epistemic illusion.
A seconu inheiitance woithy of ieconsiueiation in light of the Anthiopocene thesis
is the climate of the Eaith System. The oveiwhelming anu iiiefutable eviuence of
planetaiy climate change has, so fai, cast only the faintest shauow on planning
anu policy, this uespite the notable inciease in uevastating weathei events whose
unpieceuenteu intensity has become well known ovei the last uecaue. Climate
is an outcome, not a given; it is the iesult of a vast co-piouuction of foices, both
human anu nonhuman, which piouuce, thiough a complex seiies of inteiactions,
the patteins we call weathei. The pieuictability of these patteins, anu the anticipa-
tion of iegulaiizeu changes in theii intensity, allows foi the piouuction of seasonal
agiicultuie anu attenuant piactices upon which the vast human population ielies
foi suivival. The aggiessive anu iiieveisible uestabilization of these patteinscli-
mate changeguaiantees the uispiopoitionate inciease of exposuie to weathei
extiemes anu theii attenuant iisks foi the planet's most economically anu geo-
giaphically vulneiable communities. Whethei the iesponse to this exaceibateu
vulneiability will be gieatei hostility, conflict, anu violence, oi moie iauical foims
of political soliuaiity anu mutual aiu, the iecoiu of oui planetaiy ieaction to climate
change is piesently being wiitten into the geological aichive of the Anthiopocene.
Not unlike climate, human societies also tenu to inheiit fiom pievious geneiations
any numbei of tools anu techniques foi the management, mouification, anu assumeu
emenuation of theii pioximate natuial enviionments. In this iespect, aichitectuie
is a well-iegaiueu tiauition usually taskeu with the oiganization of spatial aujacen-
ciesinsiue anu outsiue, sacieu anu piofane, sick anu healthy, natuial anu cultuial.
These oiganizational patteins can be leveiageu to eithei ieify uistinctions anu sep-
aiations, oi to complicate the uivisive categoiies useu to manage the assemblages
of habit anu settlement that we call societies. The establishment of uistinction was
thus a common concein foi both philosophical moueinism anu its shoitei-liveu
aichitectuial uouble. But, as a piactice just as capable of complicating uivisions as
secuiing them, aichitectuie has tenueu to challenge ways of woiking, thinking, anu
ielating in a given society with the help of histoiical, geogiaphical, anu speculative
stiategies: Bave things always been uone, thought, oi piouuceu this way. Aie
things uone, thought, oi piouuceu this way uiffeiently in othei places. Anu, can we
imagine othei ways in which things coulu be uone, thought, oi piouuceu in the fu-
tuie. Such simple questionswhethei poseu by uesign oi scholaishipcan begin
to unueimine the assumeu givenness of inheiiteu situations anu theii intoleiable
ciicumstances. The Anthiopocene thesis offeis contempoiaiy aichitects, theoiists,
anu histoiians an occasion to encountei the uigency of these moues of inquiiy anu
unfolu theii consequences with the effoit anu attention iequiieu by stiuggles foi
gieatei social-enviionmental justice.
Intiouuction | Etienne Tuipin S
With the scale of the planet as the spheiical hoiizon foi such activities, it is not
suipiising that pioblem-foimations aie, within the conuition of the Anthio-
pocene, necessaiily multi-uisciplinaiy. Bow might aichitectuie encountei this
multi-uisciplinaiy, multi-scalai, anu multi-centeieu ieality. This question is the
coie concein of this book. It is my conviction that by uiscoveiing affinities anu
alliances with both the sciences anu the theoietical humanities, aichitectuie as a
piactice can begin to ieassess its piivilege, piioiities, anu capacities foi insciiption
within the aichive of ueep time. In what iemains of the intiouuction, I explain the
euitoiial oiganization of the contiibutions to this volume anu veiy biiefly uesciibe
theii content. I then concluue these intiouuctoiy iemaiks by consiueiing how
stiategies of 8,&H'#=50)250)&- useu to appioach the Anthiopocene thesis enlist
philosophy, politics, science, anu aichitectuie to engenuei an ecology of piactices
auequate to the contempoianeity of ueep time.
Fncounlers
This collection is aiiangeu accoiuing to a ihythm of inteiaction among the thiee
types of contiibutions which compiise itessays, conveisations, anu uesign
piojects anu pioposalseach of which piouuce uistinct encounteis thiough theii
specific conceins anu theii textual aujacencies. The essays, which help piouuce
new ways of navigating the inteiconnecteu tiajectoiies of ueep time anu uesign, as
well as the histoiy anu theoiy of aichitectuie, offei a iange of conceins, naiiative
stiategies, anu politics positions, each of which attenus to a paiticulai peispective
eliciteu by the Anthiopocene thesis. The essays begin with "Thiee Boles: In the
ueological Piesent," a text by Seth Benizen, which enueavois to piovoke the piag-
matic anu speculative questions of geological contempoianeity. By asking how the
soil of the eaith becomes eviuenceboth of othei piocesses anu, eventually, of itself
as a piocessBenizen invites the ieauei to tiavel with the question of contempo-
ianeity as a political anu epistemological pioblem accesseu thiough the manifolu
technologies of vision anu taxonomic classification. Following these consiueiations,
Auam Bobbette's essay "Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness: William }eiome
Baiiison anu ueological Photogiaphy," offeis a ieauing of the singulai histoiy of the
geological photogiaph, noting how the foices of photogiaphic piouuction suggest a
minoi iepetition of cosmic foices which aie insciibeu thioughout the solai econo-
my into the aichive of ueep time. In hei contiibution to the volume, "Aichitectuie's
Lapiuaiium: 0n the Lives of ueological Specimens," Amy Catania Kulpei consiueis
the iole of the geological specimen within the histoiy of the aichitectuial imaginaiy.
Accoiuing to Kulpei, this collection of specimens affoius us a glimpse into the en-
tangleu histoiy of aichitectuie anu vitalismstiangely opeiative on even the most
static objectsthat also connects to biogiaphical anu philosophical conceptions
of "a life." In "Eiiatic Imaginaiies: Thinking Lanuscape as Eviuence," }ane Button
analyzes the political lanuscape of contingency, mapping the uiveise moues of
appiopiiation that have piouuceu the theoiy of glaciation anu its attenuant social
effects. What we encountei heie is the peculiai iefiain of geological time which
6
maiks its place, howevei obliquely, within piactices of leisuie anu science. Naik
Boiiian's essay, "0topia on Ice: The Climate as Commouity Foim," offeis anothei
appioach to the leisuiely lanuscape anu its aichitectuial ambitions by examining
the histoiy of climate mouification as a manifestation of utopian uesign. The cui-
ient commouification of the climate, in Boiiian's estimation, is thus suggestive of a
longei histoiy of aichitectuial piojections which imagineu social emancipation to
be inheiently tieu to the emenuation of the natuial enviionment. The uistinction
between the human anu non-in- human is then taken up by Eleanoi Kaufman in
hei essay "The Nineialogy of Being," which aigues foi a ievaluation of the philo-
sophical lineage that iefuseu to aumit any continuity between the iegisteis of the
animate anu inanimate. Kaufman heie contenus that this uenial of continuity may
actually be =&,# attentive to the obuuiate ineitia of inanimate objects than con-
tempoiaiy theoietical tienus piomoting theii continuity, whethei as thing-powei
oi object oiienteu-ontology. The social anu cultuial valences of metalthat
peculiai "thing" which obeys its own iules of tiansfoimationis taken up in
uuy Zimmeiman's essay, "In the Fuinace of Bisoiientation: Tiagic Biama anu the
Lituigical Foice of Netal." Zimmeiman consiueis the theatiicality of mateiial tians-
foimation, which he examines thiough the histoiical emeigence of the ueities of
the stage whose iole was that of meuiating the iauical ievelation of the innei life of
metal ievealeu by ancient smelteis. Finally, in his essay on the histoiy of cultivation
anu conflict in Amazonia, Paulo Tavaies contiibutes a seiies of iemaikable insights
on the politics anu violence which have piouuceu the Anthiopocene. Bis essay, "The
ueological Impeiative: Notes on the Political-Ecology of Amazonia's Beep Bistoiy,"
is a piovocation to iethink the teims with which natuie is constiucteu as well as the
policies anu planning that manifest the iueology of political iegimes, because, as he
contenus, "natuie is not natuial."
These eight essays aie oiganizeu in ielation to anothei seiies of conveisations anu
a seiies of uesign piojects anu pioposals which claiify, extenu, anu intensify each
othei. "What is the use of a book, thought Alice, without pictuies oi conveisations."
In the conveisations gatheieu togethei foi this collection, aichitects anu theoiists
offei insights into how theii piactices have encounteieu the Anthiopocene thesis,
anu, moie impoitantly, how this encountei affoius aichitects, activists, anu the-
oiists the oppoitunity to tiansfoim, thiough uesign, naiiation, anu inteifeience,
the tiajectoiy of the Anthiopocene. The multiplicity of these matteis of uiscussion
aie intenueu to signal a ceitain intensive vaiiability among aichitectuie piactices;
between matteis of fact anu matteis of concein, we aie exposeu to a heteiogeneous
meso-spheie wheie stiategy anu speculation become complimentaiy moues of
inquiiy. In conveisation with }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog of Teiiitoiial
Agency, we aie encouiageu to consiuei the piactice of aichitectuie with a moie
piecise, histoiical specificity; in so uoing, we uiscovei that aichitectuie uoes not
iequiie an expanueu fielu oi a new impeiialism, since, "The object of ieseaich
anu piactice is aichitectuie, anu the means is aichitectuie." In the subsequent
conveisation with Eyal Weizman"Natteis of Calculation: The Eviuence of the
Anthiopocene"Beathei Bavis anu I take up the question of aichitectuie ieseaich
Intiouuction | Etienne Tuipin 7
in ielation to calculative violence anu the piouuction of eviuence. 0nueistanuing
moie piecisely how these asymmetiical co-piouuctions opeiate can help us avoiu
the philosophical anu political pitfalls of both actoi-netwoik theoiy anu object-oii-
enteu ontology; wheie the foimei appioach valoiizes the connectivity of the net-
woik, anu the lattei position emphasizes the iiieuucibility of noues as the piimaiy
constituents of the netwoik, a moie coheient anu politically opeiative analysis
iequiies a multi-scalai anu multi-centeieu appioach, wheie agency is negotiateu
as a co-piouuction among veitical piessuies (fiom both above anu below) anu
heteiogeneous lateial affinities. In this uiscussion, we uiscovei new appioaches to
the uigent pioblems of multilateial violence as it is mouulateu by inteinational
humanitaiian law, enviionmental law, anu non-human iights. These appioaches
aie, of couise, inevitably maikeu by the funuamental philosophical pioblem of
tempoiality. In conveisation with Elizabeth uiosz"Time Natteis: 0n Tempoiality
in the Anthiopocene"Bavis anu I attempt to fuithei inteiiogate the *",&-&0&8# of
the Anthiopocene by engaging the question of evolutionaiy time. Thioughout this
uiscussion, uiosz offeis a seiies of insights that compel oui ieconsiueiation of the
emeigence, futuiity, anu piecaiious uuiation of the human species. The piecaiity
of the human species is likewise at stake in oui conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis.
In "Natteis of Cosmopolitics: 0n the Piovocations of uaa," Bavis anu I question the
iole of the human in ielation to uaa as a foice, which, foi Stengeis, both suggests
a way out of the "ieign of man" anu "intiuues upon the use of the Anthiopocene
in tienuy anu iathei apolitical uisseitations." Bow then to fabulate the naiiatives
capable of caiiying the human species beyonu the limiteu hoiizon of ieactionaiy
aichitectuie cultuie. In "Natteis of Fabulation: 0n the Constiuction of Realities in
the Anthiopocene," I uiscuss this question with Fianois Roche of New-Teiiitoiies,
R&Sie(n), anu |eIfbotcj, who suggests that aichitects shoulu not attempt to woik
uiiectly with concepts; insteau, aichitects can benefit fiom a uosage of vulgaiity,
ueception, nostalgia, anu the foibiuuen, all of which allow foi expiessions of human
pathology anu emotion that have been laigely excluueu fiom aichitectuie in iecent
uecaues.
In auuition to these conveisations, the book incluues a seiies of uesign piojects
anu pioposals which attempt, as Aby Waibuig suggesteu, to "abolish @# I5*0&
the uistinction between accumulation of knowleuge anu aesthetic piouuction,
between ieseaich anu peifoimance."
1
These piojects anu pioposals iesponu
to anu extenu the content of the essays anu uiscussions, suggesting piouuctive
aujacencies anu uisjunctions. In Nichael C.C. Lin's exhibition pioject /-0",&?5,;,
we aie inviteu to imagine a menageiie of piimate visions that question the hiei-
aichical oiueiing of natuie as a lineai line of (evolutionaiy) piogiess. Likewise,
in Lisa Biimei's photo essay J&,0+-# K#5@ %#&'&()#2, we encountei the paik as
a planetaiy conuition, wheie stiatifications of meaning aie extiacteu fiom the
heaps of iefuse anu uebiis that accompany oui human will to piogiess. Yet, such
stiatigiaphic mixtuies aie not only of the eaith; they aie also atmospheiic, as
the piojects by Nabil Ahmeu anu Emily Cheng make especially cleai. In Ahmeu's
viueo installation, L5@)*5' M#0#&,&'&(7, we aie beckoneu to consiuei the politics
8
Fig. u1 Baiolu Noiman Fisk, %#&'&()*5' 9-A#20)(50)&- &I 0"# /''+A)5' N5''#7 &I 0"# O&4#, M)22)22)88) L)A#,
(vicksbuig, Niss.: 194S), N.R.C. piint. Plate 22-S.
Intiouuction | Etienne Tuipin 9
of a tiopical cyclone that stiuck the Bay of Bengal, connecting it foievei to the
"genociue anu wai of national libeiation foi piesent-uay Banglauesh." In Cheng's
mixeu meuia woik, 9-P+),)#2 5-@ 9-0#,8,#050)&-2 :&-*#,-)-( 0"# QH2#,A50)&-2 5-@
J)-@)-(2 I,&= /0=&28"#,#G9-A#20)(50)-(> O5-@2*58#G<D8'&,)-(> R-)A#,2#G!,5*;)-(
9-20,+=#-02> 0"#), <D8#,)=#-02> 60+@)#2> <0*S, uiawings anu mouels suggest how the
hygienic, anesthetizeu aichitectuie of the weathei station might be appiopiiateu
anu inveiteu to piouuce sensual, embouieu iituals foi physio-knowleuge piouuc-
tion. The piouuction of knowleuge is then also examineu fiom the peispective
of lanuscape liteiacy. In hei illustiateu fielu guiue to San Fiancisco's shoieline,
E57 O#D)*&-, a pioject uevelopeu in collaboiation with the Exploiatoiium of San
Fiancisco, }ane Wolff cieates "a nuanceu, place-baseu vocabulaiy that makes the
hybiiu ciicumstances of San Fiancisco Bay appaient anu legible" to a iange of
auuiences conceineu with the futuie of this postnatuial lanuscape. Similaily, in hei
speculative mixeu meuia uesign pioposal, /=8')0+@# M&@+'50)&-, Neghan Aichei
imagines how uesign inteiventions coulu offei othei naiiatives to the southein
coal towns of Appalachia, wheie the inuustiial anu geological scales have alieauy
become inuelibly inteimixeu. Finally, piojects by Chestei Rennie anu Amy Noiiis
anu Clinton Langevin of Captains of Inuustiy both suggest, thiough a kinu of
speculative piagmatism, moues of auaptive ieuse that challenge the hieiaichies of
tiauitional ieuevelopment. By focusing on a ueielict iion mine long abanuoneu by
its foimei owneis, Rennie suggestswith ihetoiic ieminiscent of the latei lanu ait
pioposals of Robeit Smithsonthat by 64)==)-( )- 90, a leisuiely ieappiopiiation
of the site woulu also affoiu a space of aesthetic meuitation on the violent legacies
of oui inuustiial heiitage. Foi Noiiis anu Langevin, theii pioposal foi a !5, :,##;
6+8#,(,)@ is suppoiteu by extensive ieseaich on lanuscapes uistuibeu by human
inuustiy, which caiiy with them the latent potential foi new patteins of human
settlement anu innovation.
Among the thiee seiies of inquiiiesscholaily essays, contempoiaiy conveisa-
tions, anu uesign pioposals anu piojectsthe potential of the Anthiopocene thesis
as both a uiscouise to emboluen uesign anu theoiy, anu as a conuition within which
these piactices must stiuggle foi social-enviionmental justice, begins to emeige.
While the woik collecteu heie uoes not exhaust the many new vectois of ieseaich
animateu by conceins iegaiuing climate change, enviionmental ciises, political
ecology oi lanu use inteipietation, they aie neveitheless exemplaiy of how the
Anthiopocene thesis encouiages a moue 8,&H'#=50)250)&- that is especially valu-
able foi uesign piactice in oui all-too-human eia.
1u
Problenolisolion
/ 8")'&2&8"7 )2 -#A#, 5 "&+2#T )0 )2 5 *&-20,+*0)&- 2)0#.
ueoiges Bataille
If the Anthiopocene can be unueistoou as a *",&-&0&8# specific to the moment when
the human species begins to iecognize its impact not only on spaces of settlement
anu habitation, but also on the scale of geological time, then we might concluue
these intiouuctoiy iemaiks by speculating on how the stiategies of 8,&H'#=50)25G
0)&- useu to appioach the Anthiopocene thesis can geneiate collaboiations among
philosophy, politics, science, anu aichitectuie. In his essay "0n the Eaith-0bject,"
Paulo Tavaies iemaiks: "'ulobal natuie' is theiefoie anu above all a space uefineu
by a new socio-geological oiuei in which the uivisions that sepaiateu humanity
anu the enviionment, cultuie anu natuie, the anthiopological anu the geological
have been bluiieu."
2
The 8,&H'#=50)250)&- maue possible by this bluiieu ieality is
one that unuoes the givenness of oui inheiiteu assumptions about the eaith as an
object of knowleuge; that is, the confusion cieateu by the act of @#G&-0&'&()C)-( the
sepaiation between humans anu natuie allows contempoiaiy theoiists, activists
anu uesigneis to uevelop pioblem-foimations auequate to the politics of hypei-
complexity that accompany oui postnatuial inhabitations of the eaith. In neaily
eveiy book he wiote, incluuing those he co-authoieu with Flix uuattaii anu Claiie
Painet, uilles Beleuze manageu, in one way oi anothei, to integiate his favoieu
iefiain: 8,&H'#=2 (#0 0"# 2&'+0)&-2 0"#7 @#2#,A# 5**&,@)-( 0& 0"# 0#,=2 H7 4")*" 0"#7
5,# *,#50#@ 52 8,&H'#=2. The vaiieu iepetition of this notion is ceitainly not meant
as a slogan; foi Beleuze, the woik of piouucing pioblems, that is, of pioblem-foima-
tion, is a funuamental task of philosophy. With the piovocation of the Anthiopocene
thesis, philosophy can piouuce new constiuctions that tiansfoim tiajectoiies of
thought; by ueveloping affinities anu collaboiations thiough multi-uisciplinaiy,
multi-scalai, anu multi-centeieu appioaches, aichitectuie too can uiscovei its
unique capacity to tiansfoim the piesent anu futuie conuition of the Eaith System.
In the Anthiopocene, uesigneis, activists, anu philosopheis will all have the eaith
they ueseive; we hope this collection contiibutes to the conveisation about how it
might be constiucteu.
Noles
0Philippe-Alain Nichauu, /H7 B5,H+,( 5-@ 0"# 9=5(# )- M&0)&- (New Yoik: Zone Books,
2uu4), 229-2Su.
HPaulo Tavaies, "0n the Eaith-0bject," in 65A5(# QHU#*02, euiteu by uouofieuo Peieiia (un-
publisheu manusciipt copy couitesy of authoi), 219.
1,$+".>&"2 `H^0Ha
Michoel CC Lin
Mixed Medio nslollolion
/-0",&?5,; is an enteitainment anu euucational facility ueuicateu to
the auvancement of knowleuge anu public appieciation of the Niuule
Anthiopocene, the thiiu epoch of the Quaitenaiy Peiiou, following the
Bolocene anu Pleistocene, oi the eighth epoch of the Cenozoic Eia.
12
The Anthiopocene is a yet-to-be foimalizeu teim uesignating an epoch in
which human impact is consiueieu to be significant enough to constitute
a new geological eia foi its lithospheie. Foi instance, chloiine fiom atomic
weapons testing has been founu in ice coie samples, as have meicuiy tiaces
fiom coal plants. The beginning of this epoch can be linkeu to the inuustiial
ievolution, aftei which it uevelopeu iapiuly thiough the tiinity of efficiency,
consumption, anu enjoyment, which togethei suggest a machinic =&@+2
&8#,5-@) &I 0"# #8&*"S
Neanwhile, inuiviuuals in late capitalist society aie estiangeu fiom social
ielationships as we iesponu to incessant injunctions to "Enjoy!"we can
say "no man is an islanu," except in enjoyment. Such an injunction both
uistiacts anu uistances human beings fiom each othei, cieating a netwoik
of islanus that co-piouuce contempoiaiy ieality.
But the islanu is an illusion. In oui inexoiable inteiconnection, each action
on each islanu has both uiiect anu inuiiect consequences; as such, each
is implicateu in piouucing oi uissolving oui veils of isolation. Thiough
0#'#=&,8"&2)2, all uistances begin to collapse as sepaiations entangle to foim
a twisteu knot of the contempoiaiy.
1
Piogiess anu atiocity, excess anu lack,
even cultuie anu natuie begin to appeai as meiely two siues of the same
coin of moueinity. }ust as inevitably, false uichotomies beget false piojects
"Foi a time they calmly uiink a cup of tea..."
AnthioPaik | Nichael CC Lin 1S
"...All of a suuuen, they'll go apeshit anu stait to smash eveiything up
because they can't stanu the boieuom, the absence of inciuent."
The Piimate Tea Paity
foi synthesis. Wheie lines aie uiawn, we ieveal uiffeience, peispective, anu
the multiplicity of iealities.
/-0",&?5,; is a theme paik foi line-uiawing. The paik foim offeis an
immeisive expeiience anu moves seamlessly fiom utilitaiian to symbolic
moments, intensifying both coipoieal anu psychological peituibations. The
/-0",&?5,; expeiience is co-piouuceu by a collection of by-piouucts fiom
Anthiopocenic enjoyment, which, as they aggiegate, become even moie en-
tangleu in the paiticipatoiy U&+)225-*# that ieveals the tiagicomeuy of past
anu piesent enjoyments.
Like an institutional chimeia, /-0",&?5,; biings togethei a mosaic of uis-
paiate objects to foim a specializeu iepositoiy of attiactions suiteu foi an
epoch of telemoiphic implications. The uynamic foices of manageu life aie
celebiateu among the collection of inteiactive assemblages that pioviue
cuiious visitois with an unusual, hanus-on expeiience of the Anthiopocene.
In its oiiginal sense, the teim "amusement paik" iefeiieu to a gaiuen open
to the public foi pleasuie anu iecieation, often containing attiactions
beyonu the plantings anu lanuscape. Likewise, the paiticulai foim of the
"menageiie," a pleasuie gaiuen containing a collection of common anu
exotic animals, is houseu in some aichitectuial stiuctuie. These histoiical
14
Noles
0 See Tom Cohen, eu., !#'#=&,8"&2)2. !"#&,7 )- 0"# <,5 &I :')=50# :"5-(#> N&'+=# V
(Ann Aiboi: 0pen Bumanities PiessNPublishing, 2u12).
piouucts can be ieau as pieceuents foi the /-0",&?5,; anu its contempo-
iaiy ambition to piovoke both zoological anu political iesponses to the
Anthiopocene.
@&$$*"/ .A BC/*"D&$#.,
John Polnesino ond lnn-Sofi Ronnskog in Conversolion
wilh Flienne Turpin
B, 1"%+#$*%$F"* #, $+* 1,$+".G.%*,*
Teiiitoiial Agency is an inuepenuent oiganization that piomotes innovative
anu sustainable teiiitoiial tiansfoimations. It is engageu in stiengthening
the capacity of local anu inteinational communities with iegaius to compie-
hensive spatial tiansfoimation management. Teiiitoiial Agency's piojects
channel available spatial iesouices towaius the uevelopment of theii full
potential, anu woik to establish instiuments anu methous foi ensuiing high-
ei aichitectuial anu uiban quality in contempoiaiy teiiitoiies. This woik
builus on wiue stakeholuei netwoiks, combining analysis, auvocacy anu ac-
tion. The activities of Teiiitoiial Agency aie giounueu in extensive teiiitoiial
analysis, which focuses on complex iepiesentations of the tiansfoimations
of physical stiuctuies in inhabiteu teiiitoiies, anu leau to compiehensive
piojects aimeu at stiengthening iegional peifoimance thiough seminais anu
public events as a piocess of builuing capacity to innovate.1
Buiing theii visit in Apiil 2u1S to the SYNAPSE: Inteinational Cuiatois'
Netwoik woikshop at the Baus uei Kultuien uei Welt (BKW) in Beilin, }ohn
Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog gave oui gioup of cuiatois a toui of the
Anthiopocene 0bseivatoiy, a pioject they uevelopeu (as Teiiitoiial Agency)
with Aimin Linke anu Anselm Fianke. Following this toui of the 0bseivatoiy,
I spoke with }ohn anu Ann-Sofi about theii ambition foi the pioject anu its
ielation to the uiscipline of aichitectuie in the eia of the Anthiopocene;
pait way thiough oui conveisation, we weie joineu by the cuiatoi, aitist,
anu wiitei Nabil Ahmeu, whose woik is incluueu latei in this volume; what
follows is an euiteu tiansciipt of oui conveisation.
8$#*,,* 9F"G#, I am tiying to unueistanu why so much aichitectuie touay is
ultimately afiaiu of the woilu. We can see this thiough ieactionaiy commitments
to the builuing-scale as the "piopei" inuex of the uiscipline. I am inteiesteu in
how the Anthiopocene thesis might challenge this ieactionaiy tenuency. Without
making any aigument foi an "expanueu fielu" foi aichitectuiemany otheis have
alieauy uone so, with gieatei oi lessei uegiees of impeiialist ambitionuo you
think that the Anthiopocene occasions a iethinking, oi ieconceptualization, of the
fielu of aichitectuie. Bow uoes Teiiitoiial Agency see the ielation between the
Anthiopocene thesis anu the uiscipline touay.
Q.+, >&')*/#,. I think it might be an issue of viewpoint anu peispective. In the
sense that theie is a possibility of thinking that if aichitectuie is setting up the
16
peispective, then it can easily fall into the conceptual tiap of conceptualizing itself
as being on the outsiue, anu as looking at an object; fiom this view, the object is
the point of iefeience anu it is what aichitectuie tiies to shape. Yet, in stiuctuiing
a peispectival space, both the point of view anu the object aie establisheu at the
same time: theie is no outsiue. So I uon't think theie is a neeu foi ie-conceptual-
izing anything, but theie is a neeu to be a little bit moie cleai about what we aie
talking about when we talk about aichitectuie.
The conceptual misunueistanuing that aichitectuie is an "object"that it is sitting
within the peispective uiawing, iathei than cieating the peispective uiawing itselfI
think this might be the pioblem you aie iefeiiing to. At least since the fouiteenth
centuiy, aichitectuie has piouuceu the possibility of unueistanuing hoiizons, van-
ishing points, anu of setting views anu view heights. So it's not necessaiy to ie-con-
ceptualize aichitectuie. Aichitectuie is not builuings; builuings aie mainly stuff.
Aichitectuie is an active connection, a piactice which activates a ielation between
mateiial spaces anu theii inhabitation; anu, it stiuctuies that ielation, it stiuctuies
what we call the ielation between space anu polity, as well as the constiuction of
polities themselves.
This is a pioblem with many levels; it ielates to sets that aie in movement ielative
to one anothei, as well as to spaces being mouifieu by shifting infiastiuctuial pioce-
uuies, political uecisions, anu social uynamics. Nouifications of space anu mateiial
configuiations all eventually ieshape (anu possibly hinuei) many of oui spaces of
cohabitation. Conceptually, I uon't think we neeu to uo much moie than that. The
question is, then: fiom whose peispective uoes this occui. Whose point of view.
What we aie woiking on, as Teiiitoiial Agency, is a pioject that is both about the
teiiitoiy of agency anu the agency of teiiitoiies. We aie tiying to unueistanu how
to engage with this conuition, oi situation, which is appaiently a conunuium of
points of view, uiffeient teiiitoiies, uiffeient agencies, etc. In this sense, the woik
that we aie putting foiwaiu foi uiscussion, evaluation, anu possible testing is
that of ie-tiacing uiffeient teiiitoiies accoiuing to uiffeient polities, anu tiying to
unueistanu how those ie-tiacings, anu the ieoiganization of points of view, can
activate paths towaiu the ie-appiopiiation of iesouices, the ieoiganization of ac-
tion, anu so on. The point foi us is to stait with a hoiizon anu multiply that hoiizon;
it is not about fielus oi about ieconceptualization because I think, somehow, it is
veiy impoitant foi us as aichitects anu uibanists to insist that this pioject is not
about making something moie about aichitectuie; this )2 aichitectuie. Theie is no
ieconceptualization neeueu. The object of ieseaich anu piactice is aichitectuie,
anu the means is aichitectuie.
89 Boes the Anthiopocene thesis piessuiize that claim, oi peihaps give it moie
leveiage. Boes it allow us to insist on aichitectuie as a piactice moie piecisely.
Like aichitectuie, the Anthiopocene can be ieau thiough eveiything, but it is not
just anything, as you have saiu.
Natteis of 0bseivation | A Conveisation with }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog 17
Q> I ieally want to iesist any piessuie of uigency. We aie ieally not inteiesteu in
claiming that theie is a new lanu that might allow us to go on anu uo new woik anu
be moie anu moie contempoiaiy about it. That is exactly the paucity of the uisci-
pline; we have something happening outsiue the uiscipline, let's go anu conquei it!
This ieveals how piecaiiously the piactice is in its cuiient conceptualization. It also
outlines aichitectuie's conuition of impeiialism anu with it the gieeu to occupy
moie anu moie space foi the sake, I guess, of many acauemic caieeis. We must
iesist any conceptualization of a new lanu to be claimeu. Contiaiy to geogiaphical
expansion, what we aie actually seeing is a shift in intensity.
1,,TP.A# Ib,,/2.- Thiough this appioach, what we aie tiying to uo with many
of oui cuiient piojects is to look at the management of piojects themselves. In the
last few uecaues, the aichitect has been the one who gets instiuctions at the enu of
a paiticulai uecision chain. The aichitect is tolu to auuiess given paiameteis, meet
ceitain iequiiements, etc. What we aie tiying to uo is to look thiough the teiiitoiy
anu ueteimine wheie the aichitect can inteivene eailiei, befoie being given the
object to uesign. Insteau, we aie consiueiing how we can also woik to uesign the
oveiall peispective, that is to set up the instiuction of uesign anu biiefs, to stiuctuie
ielations fiom the veiy outset of a pioject.
89 I woulu like to ask about the figuie of uilles Beleuze anu the iole of his phi-
losophy in youi piactice. Nuch of Beleuze's woik was uiawn into a veiy foimal
aichitectuial language anu enueu in so many ueau enus. Coulu you say moie about
the iole of Beleuze's philosophy in shaping youi piactice anu what you tiy to uevel-
op thiough youi engagement with his woik.
Q> It is happening on many levels. Theie is usually, as we know, a uistinction
between theoiy anu piactice. What we aie inteiesteu in is how to see theoiy as
a piactice, anu a veiy specific kinu of piactice in the sense that it uoes not outline
the fiamewoik, the iefeience, oi the maigins within which you can opeiate anu
to which you have to iefei in oiuei to make sense; I think what it uoes, insteau, is
unhinge the iefeience points. Theoiy, as Iiit Rogoff woulu say, unuoes. What is a
theoiist. 0ne who unuoes.
I think that the possibility of thinking of aichitectuie as a piactice of the pioject
has, on one hanu, enableu it to claim a cential position as the mastei of the aits,
anu of the oiganization of tiansfoimation; on the othei, this has put it in a ueaulock
situation in the sense that aichitectuie is nevei ieally the mastei. Such a position
uoes not allow othei piactices to configuie themselves in ielation to aichitectuie,
even though it claims to be open to this negotiation. Aichitectuie opeiates among
othei piactices, anu we aie inteiesteu in this as a uisoiienting conuition. Somehow
we can take the uiscipline away fiom the cential conuition it imagines anu have it
negotiate with othei piactices. In that sense maybe, it is impoitant to unueistanu
that a negotiation is a situation which enus up in a tiansfoimation.
18
89 Tiansfoimation on both siues...
Q> In oiuei to negotiate, you have to be able to give up something anu you have
to be willing to change what youi claims aie. It is not a game of who will win, a
competition; iathei, it's a tiansfoimative ielation. In that sense, foi us, the iole
of making so many piojects in collaboiation with schools, oi within schools, anu
with uiffeient schools, is not because we want to be teaching, but because we aie
leaining.
You mentioneu uilles Beleuze, anu I think oui position is appioximating the wilu
conuition, the wilu cieation of concepts, the possibility of a feial conuition foi ai-
chitectuie that tiies many ways to come to giips with the woilu; it is about tiying to
make a claim foi a cential position without having to occupy this cential position in
stability. To use an expiession that we like a lot, it is to be )-0#,G5')5, among things,
out theie among iauically uiffeient piactices that all claim a ceitain foim of cen-
tiality. Anthiopology, sociology, politicsall of these claim centiality. Aichitectuie,
meanwhile, has hau this enoimous eneigy in iecent yeais, all ueuicateu to uefining
the uiscipline, anu not one of these uefinitions oi uemaications actually looks at
the othei uisciplines also claiming the same centiality. Theie is no ieal concep-
tualization of a multi-centieu oiganization foi the tiansfoimation of space, oi a
multi-centieu tiansfoimation of the social. This is iemaikable! It is a situation that
is symptomatic, at least on one siue, since it becomes the visible element of the un-
ueilying tension in the uiscipline; on the othei siue, it is inteiesting because I think
it inuicates a complete ciiculaiity anu inteinalization of aichitectuie. If theie is no
othei possible way of oiganizing the uiscipline of aichitectuie as aichitectuie, why
even bothei to piactice it. It staits to sounu a lot like Bon Quixote fighting against
the winumills, oi bieaking thiough open uoois. To unueistanu what aichitectuie
uoes, we uo not neeu to accept this stable uefinition of the uiscipline.
89 We often tiy to biing in people foi oui stuuio ieviews who aie outsiue of the
uiscipline foi piecisely this ieasonwe uon't want to waste all the time in the ie-
view talking about "Aichitectuie" anu spoil the conveisation. But it is still uifficult
to explain why theie is just so much empty talk about the uiscipline in neaily eveiy
ieview in the 0niteu States anu Euiope.
Q> Aichitectuie has iecently become moie self-iefeiential, anu thiough this
piocess has oiienteu itself towaiu a sectoiial conuition. It has become a sectoi, sep-
aiateu anu inseiteu only in cleaily outlineu possibilities of knowleuge piouuction,
uiveision, mixtuie, uepaituie, anu even closuie. It is mainly piouucing uiscouises
of similaiity anu closuie. It ieasseits mouels of authoiity that quite cleaily have a
centializing position; this is not something that inteiests us.
89 Bow was the 0bseivatoiy conceptualizeu in ielation to youi piactice anu the
pioject on the Anthiopocene thesis at the BKW.
Natteis of 0bseivation | A Conveisation with }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog 19
Q> The 0bseivatoiy is a collaboiative pioject with the filmmakei anu photog-
iaphei Aimin Linke anu cuiatoi Anselm Fianke. We aie tiying to make a pioject
with someone who, by insisting so much on the piouuction of images, might be
mistaken as the obseivei. But, what we aie inteiesteu in is exactly that thingput-
ting foiwaiu a little space, in the BKWthat obseives the making, unfoluing, anu
tiansfoimation of piactices, incluuing image-piouuction anu aichitectuie, as they
aie vaiiously chaigeu by the thesis of the Anthiopocene. It that sense, we concep-
tualize the obseivatoiy as pait of the institution of the BKW. It is not just a pioject
hosteu by them; it is a pait of the BKW, anu it opeiates as both a sensoi anu a
piouucei of backgiounu images. We aie inteiesteu in the behinu-the-scenes, in the
pioceuuies, complex machines, anu "vast machineiy," to quote Paul Euwaius, of this
veiy beautiful anu woiu: the Anthiopocene.
2
It is a woiu that puts so many people
in an uneasy situation because it completely ieconfiguies the uistinction between
humans anu nonhumans; it also calls into question the pioject of the humanities,
which is also why so many people feel uncomfoitable with it. Bow to conceptualize
the uistinction between the sciences anu the humanities. Suuuenly, this invitation
by science offeis a way of cieating anu taking apait bounuaiies, boiueis, fiactuies
anu an aiiay of eviuence. This is what we aie tiying to tiace anu chait with the
0bseivatoiy. At the same time, we aie tiying to inteivene in the making anu un-
making of those bounuaiies.
89 This is ieally impoitant. Foi you, it is not just a mattei of ieflecting on, but also
a question of inteivening into, this situation, in ielation to these ieflections.
Q> Foi instance, we aie inteiesteu in unueistanuing what aie the images that
aichitectuie can piouuce of the Anthiopocene. What uoes it look like. Wheie
is it. Is this builuing |the BKWj pait of the Anthiopocene, oi is it just befoie the
Anthiopocene. Which pait of the builuing. Peihaps the iailing, because it was auu-
eu aftei 19S1. This yeai is now being consiueieu as uemaicating the Anthiopocene.
89 Is the yeai 19S1 ielateu to the sought-aftei uoluen Spike.
S
Q> I am talking about the time. Theie is the possibility of the uoluen Spike in a
place; that uiscussion is about whethei oi not it will be in a lake in 0ntaiio, Canaua.
4

That is just one example. The 0bseivatoiy is in the eaily stages, but this is what
we aie aiming foi. To somehow show that the ielationship is not one of uocument-
ation, of things that aie happening outsiue; insteau, it is a ielationship of intei-
feience. Naigaiet Neau, foi example, in the fiist installment of the 0bseivatoiy,
epitomizes this figuie of inteifeience. You have to negotiate; you have to ielate to
othei gioups anu people you aie woiking with.
89 Bo you see the ielationship between the Anthiopocene thesis anu the uisci-
pline of aichitectuie as piouuctively unuoing some of the ieactionaiy aspects of the
uiscipline.
2u
Q> 0n many levels I am afiaiu that it uoes not. I am afiaiu that the Anthiopocene
thesis, on the contiaiy, is ieasseiting ceitain conuitions within aichitectuial ui
couise, as if we aie the ones changing the suiface of the eaithas if it is about
aichitectuie.
89 That aichitects ieau the Anthiopocene as a valoiization of aichitectuie.
Q> That suuuenly it is a new time foi aichitectuie. It ieminus me a lot of 19Sus
anu 194us uiscouises on the "manmaue lanuscape." The signs we aie seeing within
aichitectuie uiscouise, with the exception of a veiy few cases, go in that uiiection. At
the same timeanu this is a veiy inteiesting thingothei exploiations in aichitec-
tuie aie wilu, anu aie taking completely unexpecteu tuins, completely unexpecteu
conuitions, anu hypotheses with iauical tiansfoimations that aie iethinking what
a piactice can be anu how to oiganize a piactice. That is the inteiesting thingyou
uon't have a miuule giounuyou eithei have a veiy conseivative take that says this
has always been the case anu iemains ieactionaiy, oi you have people who aie veiy
exciteu about the Anthiopocene anu piouucing new concepts anu piactices. But,
theie is veiy little giauient in between these two positions.
But anothei inteiesting element of the conseivative unueistanuing of the
Anthiopocene thesis foi aichitectuie is the question of scale. Scalaiity, but es-
pecially multi-scalaiity, is now what is at stake. I think the possibilities aie veiy
close, in that sense, to thinking multi-scalaiity anu the multiplication of ielations
to what the piactices of oiganizational theoiy anu management theoiy have been
woiking on foi the last ten oi fifteen yeais with iespect to "integiateu appioaches."
It is quite inteiesting that the integiateu assessment iepoit is the piactice of laige
institutions like the Inteigoveinmental Panel on Climate Change. The integiation,
the possibility of biinging eveiything togethei within one oveiaiching system anu
oiueiing capacity, is what fascinates the most conseivative people in aichitectuie.
Suuuenly, thiough the Anthiopocene, theie is a fiamewoik which allows us to think
at the laigest scale possible, allowing us to think of levels of agency that go fiom
one to the othei anu somehow tiace the entiie supply chain of possibilities anu
meuiations.
89 But this tenus to iemain entiiely iepiesentational.
Q> It uoesn't woik, that's the pioblem, the entiie take on aichitectuie as iepie-
sentation; as opposeu to inteifeience, constiuctive piactice, anu making things up.
It is quite inteiesting because it is ieestablishing anu locking in a lot of the iecent
uiscouise in a conseivative way. Take, foi instance, the entiie pioblem of ecological
aichitectuie. 0n many levels, it asseits the claim: "Look, we tolu you so! You have to
be gieen." This is inteiesting as a completely ciiculai take on what aichitectuie can
uo. Again, enviionmentalism as conseivatism.

Natteis of 0bseivation | A Conveisation with }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog 21
89 This is also wheie we see so much woik that is just aestheticizing uata anu
cieating fantasies of ecological infiastiuctuie that become the "wish-images" of
aichitectuie's agency. Theie aie so many examples, which we know, but these pioj-
ects uo not inteifeiethey aie aichitectuie as a wish-image, in Waltei Benjamin's
sense of the teim.
<&C#' 1+)*4 Except that some of these piojects aie also ieuiawing the lines of
conflict; these aie veiy ieal politics implicating states of wai.
Q> What is inteiesting in this claim of ieshaping the chessboaiu of politics is that
theie is also a giowing incapacity foi negation, oi of having something to negate.
We have been a pait of many of these kinus of piojects that tiy to ie-imagine how
conflictual conuitions aie iepiesenteu anu maue in the conflict. What we have seen
is the uifficulty, almost an incapacity, of acting. Theie is no consequence in that
theie is no moment when the consequences aie immeuiately tiaceable. What is
inteiesting, of couise, is that at the same time as you stait to see this incapacity
to aiticulate consequences, theie is a theoiization of multi-causality. Somehow
we heai the claims, "Look, this is it! We founu the peifect solution. We will claim
complete agency ovei the entiie woilu, but without consequences foi oui actions
because the woilu goes on by itself." This is the stiange uieam of self-oiganization
that Anselm Fianke anu Bieuiich Bieueiichsen highlight in the in Whole Eaith
exhibition.
S
We can think of self-oiganization as the ultimate vanishing point of
contempoiaiy aichitectuie. It will oiganize itself, anu we will be a pait of that
self-oiganization thiough oui institutions, thiough oui iepiesentations, thiough
oui aichitectuie, thiough oui political stances. It is ieally inteiesting, but I am
botheieu by this because I uon't think that one can keep the ciicle open without
some kinu of negation.
89 You have suggesteu that the paiauox is now quite cleaiat the moment wheie
we can iecognize the maximum human impact on the woilu, we also uiscovei a
minimum human agency that woulu be able to uo anything about it.
Q> This is Biuno Latoui's position on the Anthiopocene: "Suuuenly, agency anu
histoiicity aie in the glaciei!"
89 But, you also look at institutions, oi the vaiious ielations between aichitectuie
anu institutions. What is the impetus foi this line of inquiiy with iespect to the
Anthiopocene thesis.
Q> It is not so foimalizeu. I think that the simultaneous positioning of the
0bseivatoiy as a space wheie the telescope is tuineu both towaiu the intensifieu
giounu of the Anthiopocene anu towaiu the theatie of this expeiiment is impoitant.
0ne of the main aims of the pioject is to cieate a theatie of expeiimentation. Fiom
this peispective, it becomes ieally uifficult to think of the Anthiopocene, anu of the
aichitectuie of the Anthiopocene, as possibilities that aie given. The institutions of
22
the Anthiopocene aie not given; the publics anu the auuiences of the Anthiopocene
aie in the making. They aie being shapeu, caiveu, anu molueu as the uiscouise
is unfoluing. We aie inteiesteu in this piocess, in seeing how the backgiounu is
ieshaping the fiame of polities. Foi instance, we weie iecently in a uiscussion about
how to oiganize multi-lateial policies in ielation to logistics in a laige metiopoli-
tan aiea of Euiope. Typically, the backgiounu, as conceiveu by aichitects, is both
geological anu institutional space; these spaces, foi most aichitects, aie just given.
Nountains anu institutions aie given; these aie what you cannot touch.
89 Aichitects only put the figuie, as object, in fiont of this backfoimation.
Q> Yes, exactly. In a way, following Le Coibusiei anu Noueinism, you have the
constiuction of the winuow that will builu a new view. Foi aichitectuie, this act
of fiaming is the maximum engagement with the backgiounu. The constiuction of
the histoiy of the context inuicates that it is a pioject; but aichitectuie is not the
only vaiiable, while the context is meiely a given. What I think is eluciuateu in the
initial woik on the Anthiopocene is that institutions, like geology, aie not given.
They have agencymultiple anu conflicting foims of agency. They cieate uiffeient
teiiitoiies, which can be mobilizeu anu ieconnecteu, but also blockeu, as agencies.
But not in the sense of uaia as a self-iegulating system; on the contiaiy, theie is no
cleai object. We gave the fiist installation of the Anthiopocene 0bseivatoiy the title
"Plan the Planet."
6
Touay it is no longei possible to plan the planet; it was a uieam,
an aspiiation that was meant to enable the miu-twentieth centuiy. I uon't think we
aie in that situation any longei.
<1 This peiiou also witnesseu the foimulation of oui planetaiy institutions as
well, such as the 0niteu Nations.
89 It is also the time when aichitects still accepteu the biief fiom the client with-
out questioning the conuition, insteau assuming that it was given.
1P We unueistanu that this is a new piocess, wheie aichitects accepting those
givens foim the uominant cultuie. Biuno Latoui, in his uiffoiu lectuies, says
something that ielates to scale foi the aichitect quite nicely when he explains that
we have been unueistanuing the woilu as something that expanus, out theie foi
humans to go anu colonize, but that now, in the Anthiopocene, this has to uo in-
steau with intensities.
7
It is a big challenge foi aichitects to iemove this extensive
uistance; it is a completely new configuiation, anu that is one of the inteiesting
aspects of Anthiopocene thesis.
Q> It might be similai to an aesthetic shift like that of thinking of the woilu as a
conseivation of eneigy. Latoui mentions in the Euinbuigh lectuies that we might
be back in the sixteenth centuiy; but we might be back in the late nineteenth cen-
tuiy on this level as well, in the sense that theimouynamics was such a majoi shift.
We aie no longei in a situation wheie we can see things like ualileo, who coulu
Natteis of 0bseivation | A Conveisation with }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog 2S
point at the slope anu inuicate that the two spheies weie falling at the same iate of
acceleiation; the theimouynamic shift, fiom the point of view of aesthetics, means
that theie is nothing to point at, theie is no object. Insteau, it is about how you
look at things. The Anthiopocene is a similai situation in the sense that theie is
no objecttheie aie only intensities. This is veiy uifficult foi aichitects to think
because intensities cannot be measuieu against othei things; you cannot measuie
tempeiatuie against exteinal measuiements; you can only measuie tempeiatuie
against a tiansition point of watei, when it soliuifies oi when it melts, but this is not
a measuie of tempeiatuie, it is a measuie of tiansfoimation. That is the inteiesting
thing foi usintensity is a necessaiy concept of the Anthiopocene because you can
only unueistanu it thiough tiansfoimation. That is a constiuctive piactice, anu it is
something aichitectuie is goou at.
89 0ne cuiiosity I have about the iole of the 0bseivatoiy is that when we tiy to
ietuin to the question of politics, even a politics of intensity, we encountei the uiffi-
culty of negation, oi the vanishing hoiizon of the negative as a iequiiement of pol-
itics, which, at least histoiically, iequiies some foim of asseition thiough negation
as one of its constitutive components. Bow uoes politics appeai in this caitogiaphy
of intensity, given that when we talk about climate moueling, the conflict is alieauy
incluueu in the mouel anu theie is no way outsiue of it.
Q> It is completely within the mouel itself. The Schmittian enemy is what stabiliz-
es an ecological move; it is an engagement of infoimation between iiieconcilable
conuitions. This is an ecological mouel. But, foi the politics of non-action, of not
acting, we have a mouel foi that as well. It has a name, which is neutialitynot to
act, not to take a position, not to engage with conflicts, not to paitake in teiiitoiial
conuitions anu the ieoiganization of factions anu paities. We hope that we aie of-
feiing this space of the 0bseivatoiy foi looking on, inquiiing into the making of the
thing, but also hopefully holuing back claims foi the laigei implications, actually
allowing a uiscouise to take place, but in a neutial space. Similai to the space of
the high seas, wheie the claims of soveieignty anu teiiitoiiality aie open. We hope
the Anthiopocene 0bseivatoiy will give uue iespect to the Anthiopocene thesis; it
is only a small thing, ieally, but the point is that we have to take into consiueiation
what it means to holu back on claims about the Whole Eaith. When is it that we can
claim the eaith. Who can claim the whole eaith as theii peispective. Let's builu a
space foi the uiscussion about this. This is the uifficult task of aichitectuie touay
wheie can this uiscussion happen. In which space. In which aichitectuie. Who will
be involveu.
1P But let's not tiy to iush it...
Q> Yes, we cannot iush it. Theie is time, we have to give it timegeological time.
24
Noles
0 Exceipteu fiom the Teiiitoiial Agency mission statement, http:www.teiiitoiialagency.
com, accesseu 1 Nay, 2u1S.
H Paul Euwaius, / N520 M5*")-#. :&=8+0#, M&@#'2> :')=50# W505> 5-@ 0"# ?&')0)*2 &I %'&H5'
B5,=)-( (Cambiiuge, Nass.: NIT Piess, 2u1u).
5 A "goluen spike" iefeis to a specific, uistinct maikeitypically a consistent chemical,
magnetic, climatic oi fossil tiacethat uistinguishes a geological peiiou globally; in this
case, the goluen spike woulu sepaiate the geological peiiou of the Bolocene fiom the
Anthiopocene.
N uoiuon W. Boltgiieve et. al., "A Coheient Signatuie of Anthiopogenic Nitiogen Beposition
to Remote Wateisheus of the Noithein Bemispheie," 6*)#-*# SS4, no. 6u62 (16 Becembei
2u11): 1S4S-1S48. Foi a poetic ieauing of the goluen spike in ielation to the Anthiopocene,
see Bon Nackay, "Euiacaian anu Anthiopocene: Poetiy as a Reauei of Beep Time," ?,5),)#
J),# 29, no. 4 (Wintei 2uu8-9); see also Lisa Biimei's "Foitune Beau ueologies" in this
volume.
? The Whole Eaith: Califoinia anu the Bisappeaiance of the 0utsiue, cuiateu by Bieuiich
Bieueiichsen anu Anselm Fianke, Baus uei Kultuien uei Welt, Beilin, ueimany, 26 Apiil
- 1 }uly, 2u1S.
Y }ohn Palmesino anu Ann-Sofi Ronnskog, "Plan the Planet," in !"# B"&'# <5,0". :5')I&,-)5
5-@ 0"# W)2588#5,5-*# &I 0"# Q+02)@# (Seconu Euition), eu. Bieuiich Bieueiichsen anu
Anselm Fianke (Beilin: Steinbeig Piess, 2u1S), 82-9u.
O Biuno Latoui, J5*)-( %5)5. 6)D O#*0+,#2 &- 0"# ?&')0)*5' !"#&'&(7 &I 350+,#, 2u1S uiffoiu
Lectuies on Natuial Religion, http:www.biuno-latoui.finoue486.
I&4#%&' @*$*.".'.-J `H^05a
Nobil lhned
\ideo. 5`53, 3`/`` ond /`12``
26
Solai eneigy iaises the tempeiatuie of the tiopical ocean to 26 uegiees
Celsius. Beat passes into the aii above thiough conuuction. Waim, moist
iising aii cieates a centie of uepiession intensifying the tiaue winus that
blow uiagonally towaius the equatoi fiom the noitheast anu southeast.
Poituguese exploieis hau unlockeu the tiaue winus anu planetaiy cuiients
in the tiopics as fai back as the fifteenth centuiy. Like a conveyoi belt, they
maue possible the fast movement of ships fiom Euiope to Afiica anu Asia,
a colonial technology which foi hunuieus of yeais enableu the exploitation
of iesouices, as well as the enslavement anu slaughtei of local populations.
Releaseu fiom the evapoiateu waim watei of the tiopical seas, massive
amounts of eneigy aie stoieu in watei vapoui, which tiansfoims into tei-
iifying columns of clouus anu iain as it conuenses. Waim aii causeu by the
ielease of heat eneigy fuithei uecieases the piessuie; moie waim watei
fiom the sea is uiawn up, cieating a positive feeuback loopa heat engine
always moving clockwise in the Southein hemispheie.
Rauical Neteoiology | Nabil Ahmeu 27
A tiopical cyclone in the Inuian 0cean was captuieu in the iconic "Blue
Naible" image of the Eaith. The unnameu stoim stiuck the city of Cuuualoie
on the coast of the Bay of Bengal the same week of the launch of the Apollo
mission in Becembei 1972. Chennai, almost 2uu kilometies away, was also
flooueu. Combineu in the cyclone aie the violence of the winu, sun, anu the
spinning of the eaith, theii continual vaiiation captuieu in a single, stiiateu
image anu calculateu in the coluness of space. Icy, ueep watei summoneu
fiom phantom uepths, spellbounu, foaming, muiueious winu anu sea. The
cyclone in this image is fiom the same tiopical stoim system that piouuceu
Bhola, which uevastateu the coast of East Pakistan in Novembei 197u. In its
afteimath followeu a genociue anu wai of national libeiation foi piesent-uay
Banglauesh. Aftei Bhola, looking at a cyclone will nevei be the same; the
potential foi political violence anu an evei-ciicling winu aie uniteu as one.
28
L5@)*5' M#0#&,&'&(7 takes as a point of uepaituie the cyclone captuieu in
the "Blue Naible" image to emphasize the entanglement between natuial
anu political violence in Banglauesh in 197u-71. In the following yeai the
0S launcheu its Lanusat piogiam, which fiist useu satellite images to map
eaith's iesouices. It technically facilitateu the uieen Revolution, a foim of
neo-colonial system of agiicultuie imposeu on the planet's hungiy anu pooi,
incluuing a wai-iavageu Banglauesh. The agiicultuial anu hyuiaulic intei-
ventions in agiaiian ecology uiamatically incieaseu the fleugling state's iice
piouuction anu population. It also pioviueu laboiatoiy conuitions foi the
usheiing in of neolibeial policies anu piactices of inteinational uevelopment
anu uebt finance. Seveial uecaues on, Banglauesh, along with othei south-
ein states of the megauelta, is a fiontiei zone facing the hostile effects of
climate change in the Anthiopocene. In 2u12, I inteivieweu two membeis of
the Cyclone Piepaieuness Piogiam (CPP) in the coastal Cox's Bazaai iegion,
who wain the most vulneiable populations of incoming stoims anu biing
them to the safety of cyclone shelteis. In the inteiview one of the volunteeis,
Bossain N., tolu me how he senses uepiessions in the Bay of Bengal thiough
his bouy. The cyclone ietuins as affect.
9+"** L.'*/
by Selh Denizen
:, $+* M*.'.-#%&' >"*/*,$
W#,)A#@ I,&= 0"# O50)- I&,#-2)2> 0"# 4&,@ XI&,#-2)*2Y ,#I#,2 50 ,&&0 0& XI&,+=SY
J&,#-2)*2 )2 0"+2 0"# 5,0 &I 0"# I&,+=Z0"# 8,5*0)*# 5-@ 2;)'' &I 8,#2#-0)-( 5-
5,(+=#-0 H#I&,# 5 8,&I#22)&-5'> 8&')0)*5'> &, '#(5' (50"#,)-(S J&,#-2)*2 )2 )- 0")2
2#-2# 85,0 &I ,"#0&,)*> 4")*" *&-*#,-2 28##*"S K&4#A#,> )0 )-*'+@#2 -&0 &-'7
"+=5- 28##*" H+0 5'2& 0"50 &I 0")-(2S
Z Eyal Weizman> J&,#-2)* /,*")0#*0+,#
1
The talent the geological sciences have foi placing humans on unfathomable time
linesZin which human histoiy appeais as little moie than a giacious footnote
to foices too poweiful to measuie anu too slow to watchZseems to be exeiciseu
less anu less as images of melting glacieis anu exponential cuives piouuce a veiy
uiffeient kinu of feeling. The image of the city, in paiticulai, as a thing that is maue
&I geology oi &- geology, incieasingly has to contenu with the iuea of the city as a
thing that =5;#2 geology, in the foims of nucleai fuel, uammeu iiveis, atmospheiic
caibon, anu othei metabolic piouucts of uibanization whose impacts will stietch
into futuie epochs.
2
The geological sciencesatmospheiic anu ocean chemistiy,
<- *&-20,+**)[- (R-@#, :&-20,+*0)&-), uiiecteu by }os Luis uueiin (2uu1) Fig. u1
Su
soil science, geophysics, physical geogiaphy anu geologyseem to be moie often
summoneu to ieview eviuence at the scene of a ciime than to iecoiu the annals of a
foimei woilu. In this sense, theie has been a conveigence between the foiensic sci-
ence of wai ciimes tiibunals as uesciibeu by Eyal Weizman's Foiensic Aichitectuie
pioject anu the geological sciences as they aie confionteu foi the fiist time by
an uigent futuiity in theii woik. In the testimony of scientists, the expeitise that
is calleu upon is the epistemological powei to make mattei speak. What uo the
iocks say. What uo the bones tell us. At the moment geology is askeu to testify on
behalf of its mateiials, iegaiuing issues that concein the unfoluing of ecological
catastiophes, it becomes a foiensic science in the legal sense. Bowevei, unlike the
mateiials of foiensic science, the geological mateiials that aie biought to tiial have
not stoppeu speaking. Even the natuie of the ciime is in question. In shoit, geolo-
gists aie incieasingly being askeu to answei the question 4"5012 (&)-( &-\ iathei
than 4"50 "588#-#@\
In this way, the geological sciences aie not only calleu on to ieconstiuct the past,
but also paiticipate in the constiuction of the piesent. Recent calls foi the establish-
ment of a geological epoch known as the Anthiopocene aie, in fact, calls foi the pio-
uuction of what cultuial ciitic Lauient Beilant has nameu a "genie of the piesent,"
in which a geological catastiophe too slow to watch coulu be ienueieu piesent
anu, peihaps, intelligible.
S
Foi Beilant, the piesent is something that has a histoiy
because it is piouuceu. Ciucially, "we unueistanu nothing about impasses of the
political without having an account of the piouuction of the piesent."
4
0ne might
see the political impasse of cuiient climate change uebates as hinging piecisely on
Fig. u2 Biioshi Sugimoto, Q,@&A)*)5- ?#,)&@ ?"&0& (1994). Photo 81 x 71 cm
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen S1
this pioblem: how to piouuce the geological piesent. The piouuction of geological
mateiials as 0")-(2 also iequiies the concomitant piouuction of unexpecteu geolog-
ical ielations, such as those between aeiosol cans anu the ozone layei, which come
to paiticipate in the piouuction of the piesent as a time of peipetual ciisis.
What seems cleai is that the ways in which a geologist becomes contempoianeous
with hei mateiialsinsofai as the geological ielations that biing them into being
aie still changingwill iequiie new methouologies. The ways these methouologies
paiticipate in the piouuction of the piesent also beckons caieful examination.
To say this in anothei way, the uioiamas in natuial histoiy museums aie seiious
business. In the uioiamas of 0iuovician sea life oi the "Eailiest Buman Relatives,"
photogiapheu by Biioshi Sugimoto, the geological past is a place of tension anu
uiama that is filleu at eveiy moment with the uiffeiences that make it uistinct fiom
oui own time. |Figs. u2, uSj Its actois stiike a pose in theii tableau that suggests
wheie we aie, now, in ielation to those uiffeiences; in this way, the uioiama pio-
uuces an image of the geological piesent. Ceitainly, these speculative engagements
with empiiical objects aie always fully animateu by contempoiaiy conceins. In
speculating on what a methouology foi the piouuction of the geological piesent
woulu look like touay, this essay puisues an intimate ielation with the veneiable
tiauition of the uioiama. What follows is an attempt to woik in this genie by taking
thiee geological holes, anu theii attenuant stiatifications, as the empiiical objects
to be animateu oi ie-animateu foi the piouuction of the geological piesent.
Biioshi Sugimoto, <5,')#20 K+=5- L#'50)A#2 (1994). Photo 81 x 71 cm Fig. uS
S2
Hole #1. The Forun
X!"#,#12 -& -##@ 0& (#0 +82#0S !"5012 5'' 4# 5,#> 4)0" 5'' &+, &H2#22)&-2S O&&;
50 4"50 4# 5,#SY
X]#5"^Y
X6& =+*" ),,)050)&- )- ')I#SY
"We oll jit in tbe some bole."
X/'' &I +2SY
X<A#,7&-#> H&0" ,)*" 5-@ 8&&,S !"#,#12 -& @)II#,#-*#SY
X]#2> 0"#,# )2 -& @)20)-*0)&-S O+*;)'7> &, )0 4&+'@ H# 0&& =+*"SY
XB"50 5 0")-(> 4# ')A# @),#*0'7 &A#, H&@)#2 5-@ @&-10 #A#- ;-&4 )0SY
}os Luis uueiin's uocumentaiy film <- *&-20,+**)[- |R-@#, :&-20,+*0)&-j begins
with conveisations among iesiuents of Baicelona's Bistiict v, also known as "El
Raval," about a hole in theii neighbouihoou. |Fig. u1j Liteially, the uemolition of
a housing block to make way foi an uiban ienewal pioject has left a laige hole
in the giounu. While fiist imagineu as a tempoiaiy inconvenience, the uiscoveiy
of meuieval iuins at the base of the excavation has halteu constiuction, affoiuing
the hole an impiobable peimanence. In a stiange ieveisal, the uemolition that
piomiseu a bieak with the neighbouihoou's past (as Baicelona's ieu light uistiict)
has insteau piouuceu an aicheological site. Rathei than looking up at the constiuc-
tion of the futuie city, uueiin uocuments the moment in which the iesiuents of El
Raval finu themselves looking uown at the bones anu builuings of the foimei city.
Eveiyone in uueiin's film has a uiffeient explanation of what they see:
X!& =#> )012 /,5H)5-SY
X!"50\ /,5H)5-\Y
XQ- !N 0"#7 25)@ )012 L&=5-S E+0 4"& ;-&42\Y
X!"#7 +2#@ 0& @)# &- 0"# 20,##0S 9 ,#=#=H#,> "#,# )- 0")2 5,#5> @+,)-( 0"# 45,>
0"#71@ @)# ,)("0 &- 0"# 20,##0SY
In these conveisations, the hole beais witness to an astonishing uiveisity of evi-
uence, which oveilaps anu piolifeiates among the chance encounteis of passeisby.
It is a vestige of the Aiabian occupation of Baicelona in the eighth centuiy, a buiial
site foi the "ciimes committeu by Spain" in the twentieth centuiy, a Roman iuin
fiom the sixth centuiy, a legal entity unuei ieligious law, a scientific uiscoveiy to be
analyzeu, a buiial site foi kings, a foimei factoiy, a psychic shauow of the civil wai.
What uueiin is uocumenting is cleaily not the hole as it appeais in the stieet.
Asiue fiom a few shoit images of skulls anu stone ioofs, uueiin nevei actually films
the hole. Insteau, he places the hole between his cameia anu the iesiuents of El
Raval, always just out of sight. Thiough this uocumentaiy technique, what we see
insteau is the hole in its capacity to piouuce the piesent. In this sense, what uueiin
piesents us with is the moment of the hole's foimationthe moment at which a
hole becomes 0")2 hole, iathei than just anothei ephemeial moment bluiieu by the
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen SS
iapiu pace of uiban ienewal. The hole becomes 0")2 hole by taking on a uuiation in
time that has suuuenly become capable of foiensic speech thiough its ielation to
human bones.
S
The piocess by which the contouis of a hole aie uisceineu will always beai this
hallmaik moment of iecognitionwhat coulu be calleu its "foiensic iecognition"
that is, the passage fiom something that was not piesumeu to have its own unique
uuiation in time to something that suuuenly uoes. At this moment the iecognition
is not only that theie is a hole, but also that it was alieauy theie; that theie was a
hole all along: "We live uiiectly ovei bouies anu uon't even know it."
Hole #2. Forensic Rheloric
uueiin's film gives us a cleai image of the
piouuction of the "foium" in "foiensics," in which
the piouuction of the piesent thiough the speech
of things is biought about by a piolifeiation of
foiensic science on the stieets of Baicelona. This
hole has as its empiiical analogue the laigest
hole to have evei appeaieu in the twentieth
centuiy, the ozone hole, which also came into
being as a hole thiough the uiscoveiy of its
unique uuiation anu the human aitifacts that
causeu itits foiensic iecognition.
6
|Fig. u4j
A biief account of this histoiy is instiuctive. The
ozone hole was uiscoveieu in 198S by thiee
scientists fiom the Biitish Antaictic Suivey
(BAS) who weie just as suipiiseu as the geneial
public by the existence of a hole cuiiently the
size of Noith Ameiica.
7
At the time of this uis-
coveiy, they weie in Antaictica to finu ways to
impiove theoiies of weathei foiecasting. The ozone uata that the team iecoiueu,
even once it was plotteu, still uiu not appeai as a hole: it was scatteieu, showing no
uefinite tienu. }onathan Shanklin, who was on the team that uiscoveieu the ozone
hole, iecalls fiist piesenting the same uata that latei leu to its uiscoveiy as eviuence
that the hole was not theie:
The populai piess was iepoiting at the time on stuuies suggesting that aeio-
sol spiay cans anu exhaust gases fiom Concoiue flights coulu uestioy the
ozone layei. Nouels showeu, howevei, that the expecteu loss of ozone thus
fai was only a few pei cent. I wanteu to ieassuie the public by showing that
oui ozone uata fiom that yeai weie no uiffeient fiom 2u yeais eailiei. The
giaph we piesenteu to the public showeu that no significant change in ozone
hau been uetecteu ovei the yeais, which was tiue oveiallbut it seemeu that
the spiingtime values uiu look lowei fiom one yeai to the next.
8
0zone hole measuieu S Septembei, 2u12.
0zone Bole Watch, National Aeionautics
anu Space Auministiation, uouuaiu
Space Flight Centei. http:ozonewatch.
gsfc.nasa.gov
Fig. u4
S4
The spiingtime values Shanklin iefeis to aie now calleu "the ozone hole."
9
The con-
touis of this hole only began to take shape when the membeis of the team lookeu
at these spiingtime values specifically, ignoiing what happeneu in the ozone layei
foi the iest of the yeai: the hole tuineu out to be seasonal. What the uata showeu
was a steauy ueciease in the spiingtime ozone levels, yeai by yeai, at a iate that
was iapiu enough to suggest the existence of a stiong causal ielationship. Since
the woik iuentifying chloiofluoiocaibons (CFCs) as a catalyst foi ozone uepletion
hau alieauy been uone, the team ueciueu to publish an oveilay of the two tienus
in a veiy unoithouox way, so as to make the image of the hole appeai to the iest
of the woilu.
1u
To uo this, they plotteu the spiingtime ozone values between 19S4
anu 1984 on a scale that @#*,#52#@ fiom top to bottom on the giaph, anu then ovei-
laiu this with the CFC concentiation in the atmospheie on a scale that )-*,#52#@
fiom top to bottom.
11
|Fig. uSj The combination of the two uiffeient scales, in two
uiffeient oiientations, piouuceu a giaph that lookeu foi the fiist time like a hole
anu containeu within it the human aitifacts that gave it uuiation: CFCs. Even fiom
the beginning, Shanklin seems to have been awaie of the powei of theii foiensic
ihetoiic: "In ietiospect, that was a ieally goou thing to call it, because an ozone hole
must be bau. Almost automatically, it meant that people wanteu something to be
uone about it. The hole hau to be filleu in."
12
But why uoes a hole have to
be filleu in. It seems cleai
that theie is something
ieveisible about a hole.
Since a hole is maue, it can
be unmaue. This piopeity
of holes uistinguishes
them fiom gaps: in a gap
something is meiely miss-
ing. Without the CFCs, the
ozone hole woulu just be a
gap, a seasonal thinning of
the ozone, in the same way
that without a cemeteiy
the hole in El Raval woulu
just be #- *&-20,+**)[-. It is
piecisely this ieveisibility
of holes that the Ameiican
minimalist sculptoi Cail
Anuie was uesciibing in
his famous claim: "A thing
is a hole in a thing it is
not." The uistinction Anuie
uiaws between things
anu holes shoulu not be
Fig. uS }. C. Faiman, B. u. uaiuinei anu }. B. Shanklin, "Laige Losses of Total
0zone in Antaictica Reveal Seasonal Cl0
x
N0
x
Inteiaction," 350+,#
S1S (Nay 198S): 2u7-21u.
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen SS
unueistoou simply as a ielation between absence anu piesence, as this woulu be
the spatial ielation that uefines gaps. Rathei, holes aie always piouuceu as "things"
thiough a piocess of inuiviuuation in which a skull, oi chloiofluoiocaibon, suuuen-
ly piouuces the uistinct uuiation that uefines it as a "not" in Anuie's axiom. In othei
woius, uuiation in a hole is not piouuceu fiom an absence, but fiom a thing that
uoes the uigging.
Fiom the histoiy of the piouuction of the ozone hole, it becomes cleai that the
"foium" in I&,#-2)2 is just as much a place of ihetoiic in the empiiical sciences as
it is on the stieets of Baicelona. What also becomes cleai thiough the woik of Cail
Anuie is that the ielation uefineu by a hole anu its contents is simply a geneial
uesciiption of mattei itself, anu in this sense, the piouuction of the mateiial as a
"thing" is the fiist act of ihetoiical speech in the foium of foiensics.
Hole #3. l New Look ol Hole #1
The hole in El Raval seems to keep getting ueepei: each time the bottom woulu ap-
peai to be in sight, anothei hole opens up. But, to unueistanu this hole, we have to
ieconsiuei the fact that the soil itself uiu not enjoy the status of a "thing" until it was
empiiically piouuceu in the late nineteenth centuiy. The histoiy of its piouuction
also happens to be a histoiy of the veiy question that is being askeu in ielation to
El Ravalwhat uo the bones ieally ieveal about the hole. Is it a human image that
is uiscoveieu in the geological mateiial of the hole, oi is it a geological image that
is uiscoveieu in human bones. Anu, what uo these tiajectoiies of meaning ieveal
about the piesent. The thiiu hole, which we will now examine foi its powei to
piouuce the piesent thiough an anthiopogenic geology, will be the same hole as the
fiist, but in this iteiation the foiensic lens will be focuseu on the soil itself.
Befoie soil was piouuceu empiiically as a thing, it was conceptually iuentical to
iock. In geological uesciiptions of iocks, the inteinal heteiogeneity of all the el-
ements anu mineial foimations is consoliuateu into a single teimfoi instance,
"gianite"anu that teim then stanus in foi the heteiogeneity of the mixtuie. In
the stiatigiaphic sections of geological piofiles, these heteiogeneous mixtuies
aie iepiesenteu as homogenous bouies so that the "stiata" which chaiacteiize the
piofile can be uiffeientiateu.
The eailiest texts on soil science apply this geological methou uiiectly to soil, with
the unueistanuing that soil comes fiom iock. An 182u geological suivey of Albany
County, New Yoik, elevates this unueistanuing to the philosophical stanuaiu of
common sense: "That all the eaithy pait of soil consists of minute fiagments of
iock uoes not iequiie aigument, oi neeu pioof, but inspection meiely to ueteimine
it. We have only to place specimens unuei the magnifiei anu theii iocky oiigin
will become manifest."
1S
uiving foim to this unueistanuing of soil, }ohn Noiton's
184S tieatise !"# 350+,# 5-@ ?,&8#,07 &I 6&)'2 ueploys a seiies of uiawings to
S6
compliment the manusciipt.
14
|Fig. u6j In these uiawings, the soil is uepicteu at the
scale of geological sections, in which it appeais as a thin, homogenous layei at the
suiface of a section hunuieus of feet ueep. Noiton's intention was to show a genetic
ielationship between this soil layei anu the geology unueineath.
In contiast, F. A. Fallou's latei woik, fiom
1862, elevates soil to the status of geology it-
self; the soil is not simply a sub-categoiy of its
unueilying iock, but is insteau given the same
kinu of existence in time, anu stiatogiaphic
complexity, as iock sections. |Fig. u7j Beie,
the alteinating layeis anu wavy lenses that
flow thiough the soil piofile have the capacity
to be in nonconfoimity with aujacent soil lay-
eis, which appeai to have been offset fiom one
anothei as if by some tectonic shift. In giving
soil the status of iocks, howevei, Fallou uenies
soil its own uuiation uistinct fiom iocks; soil
has yet to be piouuceu as a thing.
Neveitheless, foi Fallou, nothing escapes the
tooth of time: "Soil is consiueieu to be the
piouuct of weatheiing, foimeu as the tooth
of time incessantly giinus the soliu coveiing
of oui planet anu giauually uecomposes anu
uestioys its soliu mass."
1S
This image of soil as
a kinu of plaque on the tooth of time, oi teiminal iesiuue of the geological uestiuc-
tion of the eaith, ueiives fiom the unifoimitaiian geology of the nineteenth centuiy,
which saw the piocess of eiosion as a plausible theoiy foi long-teim changes in the
appeaiance of the Eaith. In the unifoimitaiian naiiative, the life of soil
appeais as the ueath of iock. As iocks aie given a uate of biith coiiesponuing to
the histoiical moment they aie constituteu as a bouy, the uissolution of this bouy
the piouuction of soilconstitutes its empiiical ueath. This uissolution becomes
iesponsible foi explaining the foimation of soils, which is achieveu thiough an
analysis of the many uiffeiences in the iock's mateiial uuiations. Wheieas Benii
Beigson's well-known sugai cube consisteu of a single uuiation, iocks geneially
consist of multiple uuiations. The souium, potassium, anu magnesium founu in the
feluspais anu micas of gianite aie uissolveu at uiffeient iates while in contact with
the climate, wheieas the iion anu quaitz iemain ielatively insoluble. The tooth of
time may giinu incessantly, but the soliu mass it chews is not unifoimly affecteu;
soil is thus the piouuct of uiffeience which time encounteis in the mastication of
the Eaith's ciust.
The mouein, oi post-mastication, theoiy of soils begins with the iuea that soil is not
the iesiuue of a piocess, but iathei a piocess in itself, in which a system of layeis
Fig. u6 Fiom }ohn Noiton, !"# 350+,# 5-@ ?,&8#,07
&I 6&)'2> _0" #@S (Lonuon, 184S), in Alfieu E.
Baitemink, "The Bepiction of Soil Piofiles
since the Late 17uus," :50#-5 79 (2uu9):
11S-127.
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen S7
ciitical to life on Eaith giows out of fine iock paiticles. The Russian geologist vasily
Bokuchaev is given cieuit foi piouucing the eailiest compiehensive uesciiption of
these layeis, which he teimeu the soil "bouy."
16
What Bokuchaev's woik uesciibes
is the soil as a thing, in Anuie's sense, iathei than a iesiuue, which can only be stuu-
ieu as a postsciipt to some othei piocess. That is, Bokuchaev's soil is a thing with
its own piocess, composeu of many uiffeient paits, anu its consistency as a bouy
comes fiom its capacity to be iecognizeu by a system of iesemblances that iepeat,
anu whose iepetition is piouuceu by soil's specific uuiation in time anu space.
This concept of soil foimation begins its stoiy wheie Fallou left off. The gianite
that met its sau enu as soil in nineteenth-centuiy unifoimitai an geology suuuenly
spiings to life again. The tiny weatheieu paiticles of feluspai take on a new geo-
logical iuentity as the clay mineial kaolin. 0vei the couise of Su to 1uu yeais, the
iesistant quaitz sanu anu weatheieu kaolin will foim kinu of clay loam, anu the
untiansfoimeu iion in the oiiginal gianite will give the soil a ieuuish hue. Buiing
this time it becomes a iefuge foi bacteiia, fungi, anu a uiveisity of soil fauna, fiom
amoebae to aithiopous. These oiganisms funuamentally affect the stiuctuie of soil,
causing the clay to foim laigei aggiegates that have a gieatei capacity to iesist
winu eiosion anu ietain moistuie. 0vei time this piocess cieates uistinct layeis in
the soil, piouuceu by uiffeiences in the way the soil is weatheieu, as well as by the
woik of oiganisms. When this piocess uoes not occui the soil is calleu young, anu is
homogenous like a sanu uune.
17
When it uoes occui, it piouuces a pattein of layeis,
anu these aie the essential iepetition iequiieu foi the piouuction of a system of
iesemblances known as soil taxonomy.
Fiom F. A. Fallou, ?#@&'&()# &@#, /''(#=#)-# +-@ H#2&-@#,# E&@#-;+-@# (Biesuen: Schoenfelu, 1862), in
Alfieu E. Baitemink, "The Bepiction of Soil Piofiles since the Late 17uus," :50#-5 79 (2uu9): 11S-127.
Fig. u7
S8
The complete tiansfoimation of a mateiial fiom something that was simply the
leftovei uetiitus of iocks to something that is itself a bouy, complete with oigans,
something that giows anu uevelops anu is capable of being young oi elueily, is
a kinu of alchemical tiansfoimation in the empiiical unueistanuing of soils that
unuoubteuly meiits a histoiical maikei. The uiffeience in the unueistanuing of
soil befoie anu aftei this tuin can be cleaily uisceineu by compaiing the images
of soil in Noiton anu Fallou |Figs. u6 & u7j, with those of Cuitis F. Naibut |Fig.
u8j, who woikeu as the Biiectoi of the Soil Suivey Bivision at the 0niteu States
Bepaitment of Agiicultuie fiom 191u until his ueath in 19SS. Naibut publisheu
these paintings as a pait his lanumaik soil taxonomy, which classifieu all soils of
the 0niteu States into 1S "uieat uioups." Each painting is a "typical" oi geneial-
izeu soil piofile, which not only shows the set of layeis anu layei thicknesses that
chaiacteiize that soil, but also the piocesses that piouuce the layeis ovei time.
Foi instance, in the painting of the uiunuy Silt Loam uieat uioup |Fig. u8j, the
veitical stiiations anu blotchy light anu uaik biown colouis uepict a soil piocess
known as "mottling," which is piouuceu by a iising anu falling watei table. In this
painting, the lowei limit of the uppeimost soil layei is not shown as a clean anu
uistinct line sepaiating the biownish ieu fiom the black, as in the layeis of the
Kalkaska oi Sassafias uieat uioups, foi example, but is iathei an inuistinct giauient
Fig. u8 Cuitis F. Naibut, "Coloi Piofiles of Repiesentative Soils of the uieat Soil uioups," in /0'52 &I /=#,)*5-
/(,)*+'0+,#. ?"72)*5' E52)2 )-*'+@)-( O5-@ L#')#I> :')=50#> 6&)'2> 5-@ 350+,5' N#(#050)&- &I 0"# R-)0#@
6050#2, eu. 0livei E. Bakei, Plate S (Washington BC: 0niteu States uoveinment Piinting 0ffice, 19S6),
www.uaviuiumsey.com.
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen S9
of asymmetiical intensities. The blotchy colouis anu veitical stiiations in the lowei
layei aie meant to evoke the anaeiobic chemistiy piouuceu by peiiouic inunuation.
In oiuei to make this taxonomy visible, Naibut piouuceu paintings, iathei than
mechanically iepiesenting the suiface of the soil piofiles thiough photogiaphy; the
paintings attempt to iepiouuce an image of the latent uiagnostic ciiteiia of messy
geological piocesses, such as peiiouic inunuation, in the quantifiable colouis of
the Nunsell system.
19
The paintings that Naibut piouuceu foi his taxonomy aie an
attempt to iepiesent the new uuiations specific to soil, anu uistinct fiom iock that
hau become so impoitant to soil classification. Naibut's taxonomy hau incoipoiat-
eu the insights of Bokuchaev anu the Russian school by oiganizing all soil knowl-
euge into the new foim of the soil piofile.
18
Soil in this taxonomy was no longei
something that coulu be pickeu up in a hanuful; it was something that coulu only be
known as a system of layeis between six anu ten feet ueep, cieateu by the foices of
climate, paient mateiial, ielief, oiganisms, anu time. Foi Naibut, anu eveiy othei
soil scientist at the time, messy geological piocessesas they exist in ielation to
the piouuction of iecognizable foims in the soil piofilemaik the piopei uuiation
of soil, necessaiily uistinct fiom the uuiation of iock.
At this point in the histoiy of soil, we finu a stiuctuie analogous to that of the ozone
hole in its piouuction as a thing. }ust as CFCs establisheu a geological ielation
inteinal to the stiuctuie of the ozone hole (it gets biggei seasonally with CFC emis-
sions), the piouuction of the soil piofile establisheu the geological ielation inteinal
to the stiuctuie of soil (it giows layeis ovei time). Bowevei, just as in the pievious
two holes, the piouuction of a mateiial as a thing anu its investment with foiensic
speech aie piocesses that emeige thiough the many voices of the foium, anu as
such aie ihetoiical anu cosmopolitical, iathei than immutable.
2u

Accoiuing to soil scientist Roy Simonson, Naibut's Sassafias uieat uioup woulu
be bioken up into moie than Su uiffeient soils thiough subsequent ievisions of the
0SBA taxonomy.
21
While each of these ievisions changeu the things that weie saiu
by the foiensic speech of the soil, theie was no funuamental ievision of the way in
which soil was capable of foiensic speech. Such a funuamental ievision to the con-
cept of soil woulu iemain unthinkable foi almost a centuiy, anu woulu only come
about thiough a ieconsiueiation of the human ielation to geological piouuction.
In 199S, a committee within the 0SBA's National Resouice Conseivation Seivice
was cieateu to investigate the ielation between human-maue soils anu soils pio-
uuceu solely by geological anu biological conuitions. 0ntil this time, theie was no
way to classify the layeis in uiban soil, anu by 199S the hole this left in the soil
suivey was laige enough to meiit some attention. In eveiy soil map the 0SBA hau
evei maue, the city limit uefineu the peiimetei of this hole, wheie soil suuuenly
ceaseu to have layeisanu as such also ceaseu to have uuiation.
22
It hau taken
almost a centuiy to systematically oiganize the complex uuiations of soil into a tax-
onomy that was capable of taking into consiueiation the uiveise effects of climate,
4u
Fig. u9 venezia 2uuS, Societa Italiana ui ueologia Ambientale. Scale = 1:Su,uuu.
plant anu animal life, the slope of the giounu, geologic paient mateiial, anu the
scales of time ielevant to each element in the soil bouy. As the woilu has become
incieasingly uibanizeu since the 186us, this bouy became contingent on a new set
of piocesses. Things like tiash, constiuction uebiis, coal ash, uieugeu seuiments,
petioleum contamination, gieen lawns, uecomposing bouies, anu iock ballast not
only altei the foimation of soil but themselves foim soil bouies, anu in this iespect
aie taxonomically inuistinguishable fiom soil. Thus the thiiu hole in the anthiopo-
genic geology of the piesent is also eveiy hole in the soil suivey that takes the shape
anu size of the city. |Fig. u9j
To illustiate the pioblem of inseiting human bouies into the taxonomy of soil bou-
ies moie cleaily, one coulu simply ask a moie uiiect question: what kinu of soil uoes
a cemeteiy make.
2S
In the case of a cemeteiy, a layei of commouities of vaiious
uuiations is uepositeu with a uense mass of oiganic mateiial below the level in the
soil piofile at which aeiobic uecomposition can take place. |Fig. 1uj In the 0niteu
States, this amounts to ioughly Su million boaiu feet of haiuwoou caskets, 1u4,272
tons of steel caskets, 2,7uu tons of coppei anu bionze, anu 1.8 million bouies pei
yeai.
24
These bouies contain appioximately 827,u6u gallons of foimaluehyue anu
11,9uS pounus of meicuiy, piimaiily fiom tooth fillings.
2S
The layei stiuctuie of the
soil above this ueposition is mixeu into homogeneity by giaveuiggeis oi backhoes,
anu effectively ietuineu to a state of youth wheieby the piocess of uiffeiential
weatheiing is ieset. In ioughly 2u yeais, the only oiganic mateiial iemaining will
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen 41
be bone, anu in Su to 4u yeais, a woouen coffin will also bieak uown, leaving a thin
anu uistinct layei of oiganic mateiial anu commouities in the piofile. The foimal-
uehyue will bieak uown in the fiist few yeais of uecomposition, but the aveiage
amount of meicuiy in a human bouy will iemain in the soil foi aiounu 2,6uu yeais.
In othei woius, the layei stiuctuie that foims the piofile of cemeteiy soil has a set
of complex mateiial uuiations that change anu, as is eviuent fiom El Raval, will be
cleaily uiagnostic of a iecognizable soil stiuctuie foi thousanus of yeais.
Among the most common soils to iepeat thioughout the city aie soils that foim
in constiuction uebiis. |Fig. 11j The basic metabolic functions of constiuction anu
uemolition in uiban aieas piouuce a huge amount of waste mateiial in the foim
of conciete, asphalt, biick, masoniy blocks, uiywall, steel, iebai, ceiamic, etc.
This mateiial is expensive to iemove, so it is typically mixeu with fill oi simply
buiieu. Like the soil seuiment uepositeu by iiveis, the builuing mateiials mixeu
into the soil cieate a cleai geogiaphical anu even aichitectuial specificity to the
soil. In at least this sense, the soil anu the city aie miiioi images of each othei,
not only in the negative image of extiaction, as has often been pointeu out, but
also in the positive image of ueposition. The cuiient foiensic muteness of soils
in uiban aieasa laige hole in the 0SBA soil taxonomyis all the moie stiange
given that the iichness of the mateiial ielations such soils coulu speak of comes
uiiectly fiom a geologic iecipiocity with the city. The ieason foi this muteness
is cleai enough, howevei, as piesent uay uesciiptions of soil uate to the oiiginal
geological ielations useu to uefine soil against iock. It also comes fiom the lack of
inteiest in these uiban piocesses, as the usefulness of soil knowleuge has histoii-
cally been uefineu by its ielation to agiicultuial piouuction.
Recently, in an effoit to unueistanu the useful piopeities of its soil in
ielation to the ieal soil hoiizons piouuceu by uiban piocesses, the City of
New Yoik has taken a uiffeient appioach. This involveu uigging a seiies of
holes anu uesciibing the vaiying, anu at times especially bizaiie, iesults. Foi
example, a 0SBA suivey team in the city uiscoveieu that "Fishkill" soil, which "has
foimeu in a thick mantle of inuustiial 'fly ash' mixeu with uemolisheu constiuction
uebiis," is "goou" foi use as a wilulife habitat foi fieshwatei wetlanu plants.
26
The
"typical soil piofile" foi Fieshkills Lanufill, also now incluueu on the map, consists
of Su to 8u inches of "extiemely cobbly sanuy loam" which is "2u% cobble-size bio-
uegiauable aitifacts, 4S% cobble-sizeu non-biouegiauable aitifacts, anu S% cob-
bles." Its Soil Taxonomy classification is "Coaise-loamy, mixeu, active, hypeitheimic
Typic Bystiuuepts." Classifying Fieshkills Lanufill in the uieat uioup "Bystiuuept"
means that it is uystiophic (infeitile foi agiicultuie), uuic (iegaiuing its moistuie
iegime), anu of the oiuei Inceptisol (meaning it has pooily uevelopeu subsuiface
hoiizons). These subsuiface hoiizons aie up to 7S% tiash, but classifying Fieshkills
Lanufill as Inceptisol has leu the 0SBA to the cuiious conclusion that this soil has
much in common with foiests on the steep slopes of Noith Caiolina's Appalachian
Nountains.
42
What bettei uioiama of the emeiging geology of the piesent coulu be
piouuceu. The conveigence of mountains of tiash anu Pieumont Nountains
in the 0SBA's taxonomy is a conveigence of iesemblances in which the
geological ielation of newness, with iespect to piocesses of soil foimation,
is piivilegeu ovei the uiffeience between human tiash anu natuially foimeu
mountains. Each of these soils is subject to veiy iapiu anu poweiful foices
of ueposition anu iemoval which iesult in a young soil (Inceptisol) that is
infeitile. In this uesciiption, theie is both an unueistanuing of soil as a system of
layeis, anu as a useful thing piouuceu by an analysis of geologic ielations, iathei
than anthiopocentiic uesciiptions of geological oiigins. This focus on geological
ielations assumes that all mattei is geological, insofai as it has a uuiation in time,
anu that this uuiation is piouuceu in anothei foium of foiensics: taxonomy.
The piactical necessity of mapping the suiface geology of cities has encouiageu a
ueepei unueistanuing of the stiatigiaphic ielations between human beings anu the
geological piesent. 0nueistanuing the extent to which patteins of uibanization,
uomesticity, buiial, iecieation, aichitectuie, hoiticultuie, anu waifaie aie factois
of soil foimation has piouuceu a new set of possibilities foi the piouuction of the
geological piesent. As both an histoiical aichive anu a living bouy, soil exists at
Fig. 1u Seth Benizen, "Auams Family Seiies," <)("0" /88,&D)=50)&-. R,H5- 6&)' )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#
(NLA Thesis: 0niveisity of viiginia, 2u12).

~
~

Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen 4S
!"#$%&'(%)"# +,-&)$ $"). /#01&+ 21&-., 3.1()1. %).. 41#+5 3.1()1. "'%01$6
1895 - Marble Hill soils 1914 - Marble Hill soils
7)&
89:)(1. ;&"<).,
piecisely that inteival between the geological past anu futuie that is biacketeu by
the teim "Anthiopocene." Anu as a mateiial in uiiect iecipiocal ielation to all the
mateiial piocesses that uefine uaily life, soil constitutes an immense foium, anu
an immense hole, aiounu which a lot of things coulu be saiu about the piesentif
only in passing.
Noles
0 Eyal Weizman, J&,#-2)* /,*")0#*0+,#. 3&0#2 I,&= J)#'@2 5-@ J&,+=2, 1uu Notes, 1uu
Thoughts No. u62 (0stfiluein: Batje Cantz, 2u12).
H The uamming of iiveis has piouuceu a measuiable alteiation of the speeu of the iotation
of the Eaith. Foi an excellent piimei on the city as a geologic foice, see Smuuge Stuuio's
%#&'&()* :)07. / J)#'@ %+)@# 0& 0"# %#&/,*")0#*0+,# &I 3#4 ]&,; (2u11).
5 The teim "Anthiopocene" was coineu by atmospheiic chemist Paul Ciutzen anu ecologist
Eugene Stoeimei (inuepenuently) to iefei to the piesentsince 18uu CEas geological-
ly uistinct fiom eveiything that has happeneu since the enu of the last ice age 11,7uu yeais
ago. This geological uistinction comes fiom the global scale of human alteiation of the en-
viionment, fiom things like uams, agiicultuial eiosion, ocean aciuification, uibanization,
anu atmospheiic change. The foimalization of this teim by the Inteinational Commission
on Stiatigiaphy (ICS) woulu mean the enu of the cuiient geological epoch, the Bolocene.
The cuiient taiget uate foi this uecision is 2u16.
N Foi Beilant, "emeigency is anothei genie of the piesent." See :,+#' Q80)=)2= (Buiham:
Buke 0niveisity Piess, 2u11), 294, note 14. Foi an account of the constiuction of the
histoiical piesent, see Chaptei 2, "Intuitionists."
Seth Benizen, "Robeit Noses Seiies," <)("0" /88,&D)=50)&-. R,H5- 6&)' )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#
(NLA Thesis: 0niveisity of viiginia, 2u12).
Fig. 11
44
? The use of the teim "uuiation" as a piopeity attiibutable to things comes fiom the Fiench
philosophei Benii Beigson. In Beigson's 19u7 book :,#50)A# <A&'+0)&-, he obseives that
the only thing that uistinguishes "sugai" fiom othei foims of mattei in the univeise is that
it makes him wait. That is, his iuea of sugai uoesn't come fiom its shape oi the space it
takes up as a volume, but iathei fiom the unalteiable uuiation of time it takes foi the sug-
ai to uissolve in his glass, which he must live, anu in this case, expeiience as impatience.
Sugai is a uuiation that he has to mix with the uuiation of his own finite life. The usage of
the teim uuiation in this text will iefei to the piopeity of a thing having such an existence
in time.
Y 0zone is what atmospheiic chemists call "ouu oxygen," oi 0
S
. When ouu oxygen loses its
thiiu oxygen atom to become 0
2
, it is no longei ozone, anu ceases to peifoim the func-
tions associateu with ozone, like piotecting the Eaith fiom ultiaviolet iauiation. Chloiine,
known foi being among the most ieactive elements on the peiiouic table, is a poweiful
catalyst foi the ieaction that bieaks 0
S
uown into 0 + 0
2
. The iesult of this piocess is not
only the bieakuown of 0
S
, but also the libeiation of the same chloiine atom that initiateu
the ieaction. This leaves it fiee to begin the ieaction again with anothei ozone molecule,
anu as such, cieates a chain ieaction in the stiatospheie in which a single element of
chloiine can conveit huge amounts of ozone. The set of equations that explain this eaineu
Paul Ciutzen, Naiio Nolina, anu F. Sheiwoou Rowlanu the 199S Nobel Piize in Chemistiy,
but ouuly enough, uiun't leau to the uiscoveiy of the ozone hole. The pioblem was unuei-
stanuing how it is even possible foi an element as highly ieactive as chloiine to evei ieach
the stiatospheie, aftei passing thiough moie than 2u kilometeis of atmospheie fiom the
suiface of the eaith. This anthiopogenic chemistiy tuineu out to involve some extiemely
beautiful anu veiy iaie high altituue clouus, calleu nacieous oi polai stiatospheiic clouus,
whose icy suiface pioviues a site foi chemical ieactions. This was not unueistoou until
aftei the ozone hole's uiscoveiy.
O The 2u11 ozone hole iecoiueu aveiage between 7 Septembei anu 1S 0ctobei was 24.7
million squaie kilometies. Souice: NASA 0zone Watch, 0zone Bole Watch, National
Aeionautics anu Space Auministiation uouuaiu Space Flight Centei, 7 Septembei 2u11,
http:ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov.
Z }onathan Shanklin, "Reflections on the 0zone Bole," 350+,# 46S (Nay 2u1u): S4-SS.
K Spiing in the southein hemispheie is fiom Septembei to Novembei.
0^ Ciutzen, the inventoi of the teim "Anthiopocene," shaieu the Nobel Piize foi this woik in
199S. See Paul Ciutzen, 3&H#' O#*0+,#. M7 O)I# 4)0" Q
`
> 3Q
D
5-@ Q0"#, ]aQ
D
2, http:www.
nobelpiize.oignobel_piizeschemistiylauieates199Sciutzen-lectuie.html.
00 }. C. Faiman, B. u. uaiuinei anu }. B. Shanklin, "Laige Losses of Total 0zone in Antaictica
Reveal Seasonal Cl0
D
N0
D
inteiaction," 350+,# S1S (Nay 198S): 2u7-21u.
0H }onathan Shanklin, inteiview fiom uocumentaiy, !"# /-05,*0)* QC&-# K&'#. J,&= W)2*&A#,7
to Recovery, o Scientijic }ourney, 0niteu Nations Enviionment Piogiamme (0NEP) Bivision
of Technology Inuustiy anu Economics (BTIE), 2u11. The film was piouuceu as pait of
the 0NEP's woik piogiam unuei the Nultilateial Funu foi the Implementation of the
Nontieal Piotocol, www.unep.oigozonaction.
05 A. Eaton anu T. R. Beck, / %#&'&()*5' 6+,A#7 &I 0"# :&+-07 &I /'H5-7 (Albany: Agiicultuial
Society of Albany County, NY, 182u).
0N }ohn Noiton, !"# 350+,# 5-@ ?,&8#,07 &I 6&)'2> _0" #@S (Lonuon: 184S).
0? F. A. Fallou, ?#@&'&()# &@#, /''(#=#)-# +-@ H#2&-@#,# E&@#-;+-@# (Biesuen: Schoenfelu
Buchhanulung, 1862).
0Y Theie is some uispute as to what piecisely to cieuit Bokuchaev with. Tanuaiich et. al. (see
below) aigue that that 0ith's 187S manusciipt W)# (#&(-&20)2*"G5(,&-&=)2*"# b5,0),+-(
containeu the soil piofile concept in the teim "bouen-piofil." In Bokuchaev's 1879
Thiee Boles | Seth Benizen 4S
publication, he useu the teims "zaleganiya cheinozem," (stiatification of the cheinozem)
anu "stioenie cheinozem" (stiuctuie of the cheinozem) to uesciibe the soil piofile. Bis
uesciiptions of the soil as a bouy uo not appeai until his majoi woik L+22)5- :"#,-&C#=
(188S), in which he cites both 0ith anu Fallou as having influenceu his own thinking.
Bowevei, it was in this woik that Bokuchaev publisheu his famous ABC system foi soil
piofile layeis, which is still in use touay. The biologist anu evolutionaiy theoiist Chailes
Baiwin also publisheu an ABC system of soil layeis in his book on eaithwoims in 1881,
which containeu uetaileu uiawings of the soil layeis. See: Chailes Baiwin, <5,0"4&,=2
5-@ N#(#05H'# M&+'@ (Lonuon, 1881); vasily, Bokuchaev, !*"#,-&C#=# c0#,,# -&),#d @# '5
L+22)# W1<+,&8#, Societe Impeiiale Libie Economique (Noscow: Impiimeiic Tienke &
Fusnot, 1879); A. 0ith, W)# (#&(-&20)2*"G5(,&-&=)2*"# b5,0),+-( (Beilin: veilag von Einst
& Koin, 187S); anu }ohn P. Tanuaiich, Robeit u. Baimouy, Leon R. Follmei anu Bonalu L.
}ohnson, "Bistoiical Bevelopment of Soil anu Weatheiing Piofile Concepts fiom Euiope to
the 0niteu States of Ameiica," 6&)' 6*)#-*# 6&*)#07 &I /=#,)*5 66, no. 2 (Naich-Apiil 2uu2):
SSS-S46.
0O This is known as the "peuological age" of soil, which iefeis to the amount of weatheiing,
anu theiefoie layei foimation that the soil has unueigone. Weatheiing is most iapiu
wheie theie is an abunuance of watei anu heat. Soils in the tiopical iainfoiest theiefoie
tenu to be peuologically olu, wheieas soils in the aictic aie foievei young. Sanu uunes aie
also among the youngest soils.
0Z Naibut was a keen ieauei of Russian soil science, anu consiueieu it to be fai moie
auvanceu than Ameiican soil ieseaich at the time. Be was paiticulaily influenceu by
Bokuchaev's stuuent Konstantin ulinka, whom he tianslateu into English.
0K The Nunsell system is a taxonomy foi the classification of colouis that was auopteu by
the 0SBA unuei Naibut foi the specification of soil coloui. It's taxonomic ciiteiia aie hue,
value, anu chioma, which foim the axes of a thiee-uimensional colouiation space that can
be useu to locate colouis peiceptible to the human eye. Foi example, 2.SYR 4S woulu
specify a ieuuish biown.
H^ Isabelle Stengeis uevelops the iuea of cosmopolitics in a thiee-volume woik by that
title. Foi Stengeis, atomic paiticles like the neutiino paiticipate in the piouuction of
the piesent thiough the cosmological commons they cieate. }ust as soil is biought into
being by a consensus that it is uiffeient fiom iock, the neutiino is biought into being by a
consensus that it is uiffeient fiom the atom. These cosmological commons aie piecisely
the foium of foiensics iefeiieu to by Weizman. Foi Stengeis, the consensus about what a
mateiial saysits foiensic speechconstitutes a community of believeis, who then live
by the social anu political implications of this cosmos: "The neutiino is not, theiefoie, the
'noimal' inteisection between a iational activity anu a phenomenal woilu. The neutiino
anu its peeis, staiting with Newton's scanualous foice of attiaction, binu togethei the
mutual involvement of two iealities unueigoing coiielateu expansions: that of the uense
netwoik of oui piactices anu theii histoiies, anu that of the components anu moues of
inteiaction that populate what is iefeiieu to as the 'physical woilu.' In shoit, the neutiino
exists simultaneously anu insepaiably 'in itself' anu 'foi us,' becoming even moie 'in itself,'
a paiticipant in countless events in which we seek the piinciples of mattei, as it comes
into existence 'foi us,' an ingieuient of incieasingly numeious piactices, uevices, anu pos-
sibles." That is: "If something is to be celebiateu oi must foice otheis to think, it is not the
neutiino but the copiouuction of a community anu a ieality of which, fiom now on, fiom
the point of view of the community, the neutiino is an integial pait." See Isabelle Stengeis,
:&2=&8&')0)*2 9, tians. Robeit Bononno (Ninneapolis: Ninnesota Piess, 2u1u), 26.
H0 Roy Simonson, "Concept of Soil," in /@A5-*#2 )- /(,&-&=7, vol. 2u, eu. A. u. Noiman
(Waltham, Nass.: Acauemic Piess, 1968), 1-47.
HH Theie have been foui soil suiveys in the histoiy of the 0SBA which attempt to map a city:
6&)' 6+,A#7 L#8&,0 &I B52")-(0&-> W: (Smith 1976), 6&)' 6+,A#7 L#8&,0 &I 60S O&+)2 :&+-07
46
(Benham, 1982), 6&)' 6+,A#7 L#8&,0 &I M&-0(&=#,7 :&+-07 (Biown anu Byei, 198S), anu
6&)' 6+,A#7 L#8&,0 &I 0"# :)07 &I E5'0)=&,# (Levine anu uiiffin, 1998). In each of these
suiveys, the soil is uesciibeu in veiy bioau teims such as "uiban lanu," "human-maue," oi
"uistuibeu," without any iefeience to the soil piofile of these uiban soils. Without the soil
piofile, soil is effectively ietuineu to its oiigin as geology.
H5 Foi an excellent papei on the soil a cemeteiy makes, see: Pizemyslaw Chaizynski, Renata
Beunaiek anu Beata Solnowska, "Chaiacteiistics of the Soils of Toiun cemeteiies," (papei
piesenteu at the Nineteenth "Woilu Congiess of Soil Science, Soil Solutions foi a Changing
Woilu," Biisbane, Austialia, 2u1u).
HN All figuies fiom Alexanuia Baikei, "Lanuscapes of the Beau: An Aigument foi Conseivation
Buiial," Berkeley Plonninq }ournol 2S, no. 1 (2u12): 1Su-1S9.
H? Neicuiy figuies fiom A. Bait anu S. Caspei, "Potential uiounuwatei Pollutants fiom
Cemeteiies," 6*)#-*# L#8&,0, (Becembei 2uu4): 29-SS.
HY All soil uesciiptions fiom New Yoik City Soil Suivey Staff, 3#4 ]&,; :)07 L#*&--5)225-*#
6&)' 6+,A#7, Soil Suivey, Staten Islanu, NY (0niteu States Bepaitment of Agiicultuie
Natuial Resouices Conseivation Seivice, 2uuS).
8G#/.4*/ A".) & L#/$."J .A P%&'*'*//,*//
by ldon Bobbelle
6#''#&) Q*".)* L&""#/., &,4
M*.'.-#%&' >+.$.-"&G+J
9I 4# -&4 8+0 0"# P+#20)&-> "&4 4# 5,# 0& #D8'5)- 0"# ,)@@'# 0"50 H7 =#5-2 &I
2+*" )''&()*5'> )-@##@ 2#-2#'#22 *&-*#802> *&,,#*0 ,#2+'02 5,# 0& H# &H05)-#@> 0"#
onswer lies in wbot we founJ to be tbe qenerol low of jictions, nomely in tbe
*&,,#*0)&- &I 0"# #,,&,2 0"50 "5A# H##- *&==)00#@S
Ban vaihingei, !"# ?")'&2&8"7 &I e/2 9I1 (1924)
The ponueiance of tempoial scale is founuational foi any consiueiation of the
Anthiopocene thesis. As we know, this thesis woulu uemaicate oui epoch on that
impiecise though peivasively iefeienceu scale calleu "geological time," which ien-
ueis sensible an eaithly uuiation fiom the outei limits of the conceivable. This es-
say puisues such limits by consiueiing seveial of the technical anu poetic piactices
by which they weie exploieu in the late nineteenth anu eaily twentieth centuiies.
B.T. Biluage, "Nining 0peiations in New Yoik City anu vicinity," in !,5-25*0)&-2 &I 0"# /=#,)*5-
9-20)0+0# &I M)-)-( <-()-##,2 (New Yoik: Institute of Nining Engineeis, 19u8), S92, Fig. 18.
Fig. u1
48
These piactices have, to boiiow Latoui's teim, "tianslateu" the vast tempoiality of
the geologic, typically by way of a spatial tianslation into the haiuness of stone oi,
foi instance, the giauations of eiosion.
1
Bowevei, as with any tianslation, iemain-
ueis peisist. The liteiaiy appaiatus will pioviue oui fiist biief encountei with this
iemainuei.
In Lewis Caiioll's 1876 nonsense poem !"#
K+-0)-( &I 0"# 6-5,; c/- /(&-7 )- f J)02d we aie
tolu of a nautical ciew in seaich of an incon-
ceivable cieatuie. At sea, the Bellman, pioviues
the ciew with the following uiiections: a blank
map. It is the ocean, he claims. "Anu the ciew
weie much pleaseu when they founu it to be
A map they coulu all unueistanu What's the
goou of Neicatoi's Noith Poles anu Equatois
Tiopics, Zones, anu Neiiuian Lines." So the
Bellman woulu ciy: anu the ciew woulu ieply
"They aie meiely conventional signs!" As a map,
it is a "peifect anu absolute blank," the foim
most appiopiiate foi tianslating the ocean's
content as a vast unuoing of uiiection, position,
anu scale.
2
What the Bellman uoes to the ocean, viiginia
Woolf applies to the bouy: "We aie eugeu with
mist. We make an unsubstantial teiiitoiy," she
wiites.
S
The fiist chaptei of !"# B5A#2 (19S1)
uepicts a moining as the fienzieu, excessive
minutiae of the woilu begin wiggling togethei into a whii. A faucet begins to iun;
"Nis. Constable pulls up hei thick black stockings"; a uooi unlocks; the chuich
bell iings, once at fiist, then again; a sauce pan ciackles with oil. Louis, one of the
chaiacteis, is left suuuenly alone in the gaiuen anu his scale begins to tiansfoim.
Be stanus looking at the giass unuei his feet becoming an ocean of gieen. Be holus
anu then becomes the stem of a flowei, but longei anu ueepei. Be piesses into the
eaith, passing mines of leau anu silvei. "I am all fibie. All tiemois shake me, anu
the weight of the eaith is piesseu to my iibs. 0p heie my eyes aie gieen leaves,
unseeing." But, "uown theie my eyes aie the liuless eyes of a stone figuie in a ueseit
by the Nile. I see women passing with ieu pitcheis to the iivei; I see camels swaying
anu men in tuibans. I heai tiampling's, tiembling's, stiiiings iounu me." A paiental
yell fiom the house causes him to ietuin to his iecognizable foim.
4
Anu, again, in 19S1: "0 est l'homme qui n'a pas exploi en espiit la natuie abys-
sale." |"Wheie is the man who has not exploieu the abyssal natuie of the minu."j
S

Paul valiy's :5")#,2 incessantly ietuin to the teiiitoiy of the insubstantial to
which he often aiiives thiough this paiticulai scene: the telescoping of the woilu's
Fig. u2 u. Bingley, E5'@#,2H7 ?5,;> -#5, !"),2;S
O5,(# E&+'@#, &I :5,H&-)I#,&+2 %,)0, 1891.
Couitesy of the Biitish ueological Suivey
Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness | Auam Bobbette 49
uetail as the bouy moves thiough space. Each thing we see is a one-siueu suiface
hiuing an infinity of uetails that expanus anu contiacts accoiuing to oui changing
positions anu theii ielations to each othei. valeiy's paintings anu uiawings uwell
on this veiy schema thiough an enuless uniavelling of the same objects. Foi in-
stance, in one painting an islanu is pictuieu as a lump, in anothei, the same islanu
becomes a geology of ciisp, uefineu peiimeteis.
6
Scale snaps the woilu in anu out
of focus, while the insubstantial is at the euge, on the backsiue, anu in the iecesses
of eveiy scene.
Fifty yeais latei, we ietuin to the Bellman's boat. In / !"&+25-@ ?'50#5+2, uilles
Beleuze anu Flix uuattaii auapt Caiioll's image of the sea as "the aichetype of
smooth space."
7
Beleuze anu uuattaii uevote this plateau to uesciibing the smooth
space of the sea anu the vaiious iteiations it has affoiueu science, mathematics,
ait, anu philosophyeach encountei eithei piolifeiating oi evauing its menacing
qualities. In one memoiable example, they offei an explication of the image of
Waclaw Sieipinski's puzzling sponge: a cube piecisely holloweu out by smallei
cubes. Each cube is suiiounueu by eight cubes a thiiu the size of the laigei one;
each smallei cube is similaily suiiounueu in tuin by a constellation of eight othei
smallei cubes. "It is plain to see," they suggest, "that this cube is in the enu infinitely
hollow. It's total volume appioaches zeio, while the total lateial suiface of the
hollowings infinitely giows."
8
The authois incluueu an image of this cube. It is an
impossible image in that it attempts to iepiesent all that it is not. It is an infinite,
scaleless object; it is an aiiesting of the object unfoluing acioss countless scales.
The image appeais thiough, uepaits fiom, anu ietuins to its own scalelessness like
an infinite ciicuit.
These foui episoues, spanning a centuiy of cuiiosity about the inexoiable pioblem
of scale, might be piouuctively aggiegateu to initiate a fictional histoiy of scaleless-
ness. What can we finu in common among them. Fiom even this cuisoiy collec-
tion, two impoitant chaiacteiistics aie eviuently given: the unconventionality of
uiiection anu the witheiing of bounuaiies that coulu ueteimine a location. Spatial
cooiuinates uisappeai into an unfathomable uepth in Caiioll; the bouy expanus
beyonu its coipoieal limits in Woolf; uisciete objects lose theii uefinition in valiy;
suiface anu uepth become hollow in Beleuze anu uuattaii. In each, time anu space
aie manifestly anu coipoieally infinite. That is, foi each of these poetic concie-
tions, the infinite becomes mateiializeu anu actual. Coulu theie be othei qualities
of scalelessness constiucteu by uiffeient liteiatuies. Can we see, at paiticulai
histoiical moments, moie oi less of a concein with this peiplexing expeiience of
scale. Is the confusion of scale inteitwineu with some paiticulai histoiical phe-
nomena, a ieaction to something off stage. No less pioblematic than such queiies
aie the uefinitional limitations when consiueiing such a fictional histoiy. Bow uoes
scalelessness ielate to concepts of voiu, the negative, oi nothingness. Aie these
concepts each a way of uesciibing the same expeiience of the iiiesolvable within
theii paiticulai metaphysical configuiation. In what follows, I attempt to open this
histoiy, engage some of these tioubling questions, anu tiace some of the contouis
Su
of scalelessness by examining a single case stuuy compiiseu of a seiies of photo-
giaphs. Ny appioach is neithei exhaustive noi uefinitive; insteau, it is an attempt
to open up a histoiy of poetic vexation thiough a focuseu analysis of the image of
scale itself.
The photogiaphs weie taken in 1886 by the geologist anu photogiaphei William
}eiome Baiiison, aumitteuly a minoi figuie in the histoiy of geology, anu an even
less significant contiibutoi to the histoiy of photogiaphy. But these paiticulai, un-
stuuieu photogiaphsall taken on the same uay by this uoubly minoi chaiactei
aie of inteiest because they appeai to be the fiist specimens of a new type of image:
photogiaphs of eveiyuay objects anu iocks. No humans appeai in these images,
only manufactuieu objects anu iocks: pocket knives, watches, hammeis, basalt,
gianite, flint. If the manufactuieu objects hau not appeaieu in the photogiaphs, the
iocks woulu appeai without scale, the iocks coulu be ieau by obseiveis just as eas-
ily as images of mountains oi pebbles. This type of photogiaph woulu piolifeiate
in the twentieth centuiy as geologists began to iegulaily incoipoiate photogiaphy
into theii piactice. But long befoie this tienu emeigeu, Baiiison's photogiaphs
stanu out as the fiist seiies of compositions to iemove humans fiom the fiame of
the image anu ieplace them with objects. Thiough this act, as the cameia moves
towaiu the technological uestiny of the "close-up," a quality of scalelessness is both
subtly piouuceu anu caiefully negotiateu. This nimble encountei is what we can
now examine in uetail.
Nineteenth-centuiy geology is an especially intiiguing moment of investigation
when cultivating a histoiy of scalelessness. Its piactitioneis weie ueeply conceineu
Fig. uS Fiom }ohn A., Biessei anu T. C. Benis, %#&'&(7 &I g+#H#* (Quebec: Ruempti, 1944), Plate v.
Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness | Auam Bobbette S1
with the natuie of tempoial anu spatial scales anu the possibility of expeiiencing
the eventualities of ueep time that veigeu on infinity. ueologists, incluuing Baiiison,
weie eagei to account foi how piocesses uistiibuteu ovei vast uistances coulu be
maue legible by singulai, localizeu maiks anu signs. The absolutely "scaleless" is
a limit which theii science must constantly negotiate; it is likewise a limit that
Baiiison's woik, both photogiaphic anu geological, necessaiily occupies anu navi-
gates. Bowevei, these images aie woithy of consiueiation foi an auuitional ieason.
Foi Baiiison, both photogiaphy anu geology aie constituteu by similai piocesses.
The technical anu the geological aie entangleu with one anothei, anu the human
aitifacts that populate his photogiaphs aie similaily imbiicateu in these piocesses
as well. To be entangleu is not to come away fiom a ielation unaffecteu but contam-
inateu. What Baiiison thus contiibutes to the histoiy of scalelessness is the use
of scale itself as a meuium to cieate impiobable anu unexpecteu entanglements
among technical, geological, anu human iegisteis.
Not suipiisingly, the histoiy of scale is moie easily assembleu than that of the
scaleless. Foi instance, the aichitectuial lineai scale bai, which is ielateu to the
lineai scale on maps, is a technology that locks objects into a fixeu spatial ielation
so that they can be tianslateu fiom two to thiee-uimensional space. It appeais at
the inteisection of the histoiy of metiic systems (anu moie bioauly, systems of
uivisible numbeis) anu the piouuction of piecision instiuments. While theie aie
numeious examples of uiffeient types of ious anu staffs useu by builueis, cai-
togiapheis, anu sailois to ueteimine base units anu tianslate size accuiately
acioss scales, it is not until the eighteenth centuiy that the uiamatic inciease in
the piouuction of piecision instiuments foi ueteimining scale finally occuis.
Accoiuing to Pyenson anu Sheets-Pyenson, this technological tiajectoiy was
uiiven by the new uesiie foi accuiacy that ueteimineu both the piouuction of
scientific instiuments, the machines that maue them, anu how these instiuments
ieau the woilu. They wiite, "With }esse Ramsuen's |...j uiviuing engine at the close
of the eighteenth centuiy, unusually piecise scales coulu be tuineu out in gieat
quantities. These weie the scientific equivalent of mass-piouuceu metal pots anu
pans at the uawn of the Fiist Inuustiial Revolution."
9
The metiic system of calcu-
lation, thiough which mutually agieeu upon base units assuie a smooth tiansition
acioss scales in poweis of ten, was auopteu thioughout Fiance in 1799 anu be-
came the stanuaiu giammai of measuiement foi engineeiing anu aichitectuie,
which spoke its exactituue thiough manipulations in both lanuscape anu builuing
aichitectuie.
William }eiome Baiiison's photogiaphic anu geological woik is heavily influenceu
by this histoiy of accuiacy; it can be seen in his use of the instiuments anu con-
ventions of piecision, such as the scaleu map, anu thiough his auvocacy foi the
visual accuiacy of photogiaphy. Bowevei, his woik also exceeus such a naiiow
pieoccupation with accuiacy. Be was a nineteenth-centuiy polymath who spent
much of his life in Leicestei anu Biimingham, tiavelling extensively within the
iegion to uocument its geology. Be taught anu uevelopeu the science cuiiiculum
S2
at the Biimingham school boaiu anu, in 1877, publisheu / 6;#0*" &I 0"# %#&'&(7
&I O#)*#20#,2"),# 5-@ L+0'5-@.
1u
In 1888, he publisheu the K)20&,7 &I ?"&0&(,58"7.
Both photogiaphy anu geology weie still ielatively new inventions at the time,
anu Baiiison was one of the eailiest to integiate the two, as well as consiuei the
implications of both piactices upon one anothei; foi him, they weie two uistinct
but funuamentally ielateu tiajectoiies.
In K)20&,7 &I ?"&0&(,58"7, Baiiison chaiacteiizes the piotagonists of the ait foim
as appientices of impiessions. Accoiuing to his assessment, "impiessioning" is a
piocess as ancient as the tanning of human skin unuei the sun, oi the bleaching
of wax by the sun. In each case, the sun has cieateu an impiession on a bouy. Foi
Baiiison, this was the eailiest anu most basic foim of photogiaphy. Such a logic
woulu also extenu to Fabiicius' obseivations in the seventeenth centuiy that mineu
silvei anu chloiine compounus woulu tuin black when left in the sun, anu neces-
saiily incluue Chailes' 178u anecuote suggesting he "obtaineu piofiles of the heaus
of his stuuents by placing them so that the iequiieu shauow of the featuies was
cast by a stiong beam of sunlight upon a sheet of papei coateu with chloiiue of
silvei."
11
Bowevei, this fine ait of impiessions enteis its most ciucial histoiical pe-
iiou, accoiuing to Baiiison, with the emeigence of the *5=#,5 &H2*+,5. Bevelopeu
by }ohn Baptista Poita in the miuule of the sixteenth centuiy, the *5=#,5 &H2*+,5
was a uaikeneu ioom with a single "winuow shuttei" thiough which an inveiteu
image fiom outsiue was piojecteu by sunlight onto a white wall. Poita latei auueu
uouble convex glass lenses to the apeituie anu fixeu a miiioi outsiue to biighten
anu shaipen the image.
12
When the *5=#,5 &H2*+,5 was combineu with the chemical expeiiments of
Nicphoie Nipce, the enclosuie alloweu foi a gieatei contiol of sunlight's contact
with impiessive meuia. Nipce, the unuei-celebiateu collaboiatoi of Bagueiie,
uiscoveieu the "bitumen piocess in photogiaphy in 182S."
1S
Foi Baiiison, Nipce's
expeiiments entangle the geological enteipiise with the combineu aichitectuial
histoiy of the *5=#,5 &H2*+,5 anu the use anu contiol of lighting conuitions. Nipce
stuuieu lithogiaphic foims of image iepiouuction, the geological implications of
which aie eviuent: ')0"& is uieek foi stone, anu ')0"&(,58"7 is the piocess of im-
piinting an image onto a stone. In the eighteenth anu nineteenth centuiies, it was
common to use limestone as the substance best suiteu foi ieceiving such impies-
sions. Nipce consiueieu, iauically, that light coulu be substituteu foi human laboui
as the agent foi copying images into stone. To tiansfei an image fiom a sheet of
papei to a limestone suiface, he fiist coveieu the limestone in a layei of bitumen,
then laiu the image on top anu exposeu it to sunlight. When exposeu to light, the
bitumen haiuens, cieating a positive impiint of the image on the suiface of the
stone. Nipce moveu on fiom limestone to woiking with metals such as tin, anu
latei integiateu the *5=#,5 &H2*+,5 in the piocess, placing metal sheets coveieu in
bitumen in the inteiioi of his small *5=#,5 &H2*+,5: "When exposeu to the action
of the light foiming the pictuie within a cameia, the bitumen became insoluble in
piopoition to the intensity of the light by which the vaiious paits of the image weie
Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness | Auam Bobbette SS
piouuceu, an effect which we now know to be uue to the oxiuation, anu conse-
quent haiuening of this iesinous substance."
14
The solubility of the bitumen on the
suiface cieateu a new kinu of physical lanuscape on the suiface of the metal by
fusing a stiatum of bitumen to the metal. This piocess was nameu heliogiaphy
liteially, "sun wiiting." The only one of Nipce's heliogiaphs still in existence is a
lanuscape poitiait.
Baiiison ieaus photogiaphy accoiuing to the iesiuues of ueep time containeu with-
in it; while the photogiaph may appeai as a new technical entity, it is in ieality an
intensification of veiy olu physical piocesses. Bis mateiialist uisposition leu him to
tell the histoiy of photogiaphy as a natuial histoiy iathei than a histoiy of signifi-
cation oi iepiesentation, as one might encountei in aesthetic oi technical accounts.
Foi Baiiison, the contempoiaiy photogiaph is a long accumulateu histoiy of the
entanglements between techniques anu mateiial ielations. The photogiaphei is
an appientice to impiessions enableu by the technical-mateiial appaiatus of the
cameia, plate, chemicals anu light. This conception of impiessions iemaikably ap-
pioximates anothei natuial piocess, namely, that of fossilization. If fossilization is
the impiession of softei oiganisms onto haiuei geological foims, then photogiaphy
is its mouein, meuiateu extension. It is the impiession of giauations of light anu
shauow onto stone, metallic, oi glass suifacesthemselves the eluei piouucts of
geologicial foices. This new technology is wiitten back into the eaith's ueep histoiy.
Yet such a ieauing is not, foi Baiiison, a way of natuializing photogiaphy by wiping
away its embeuueness in social ielations oi iemove it fiom histoiy by making it
immemoiial; it is insteau a means to place the photogiaph ueep within the histoiy
of the eaith, anu conveisely, to tieat the eaith as a souice of invention thiough the
entanglements of foim anu mattei.
Baiiison's estimation of geology is maue iemaikably cleai in his %#&'&(7 &I 0"#
:&+-0)#2 &I <-('5-@ 5-@ &I 3&,0" 5-@ 6&+0" B5'#2 (1882). It was publisheu only a
few yeais befoie his histoiy of photogiaphy anu ueclaies many of his speculative
inteiests. In auuition to his histoiy of photogiaphy as the ait of impiessions, his
ieauing of geological time as it appeais in the %#&'&(7 lays the conceptual giounu-
woik foi his photogiaphs of objects anu iocks. The %#&'&(7 is fiist anu foiemost
an encyclopeuic compenuium of existing geological knowleuge; it uoes not claim
to be a piesentation of new ieseaich. Its compiehensive scope is aimeu at a mixeu
auuience of both novices anu expeits, anu it seems as though Baiiison imagineu
a copy of the book in eveiy Biitish householu as a way to anchoi the specificity of
theii place within a bioauei naiiative of geological time anu tiansfoimation. In
ovei 4uu pages, the %#&'&(7 accounts foi eveiy county of Englanu anu Wales in its
topogiaphical uniqueness anu its ueepest physical iecesses. It coveis the changes
anu ie-aiiangements of the giounu fiom its uistant past to its aiiival in the piesent.
The lanuscape becomes the physical insciiption of ueep time, both the iesult of
anu geneiatoi of change. It is the unthinkable immensity of time maue legible anu
inhabitable. Foi Baiiison, "it is ceitain that oui eaith is of exceeuing antiquity," anu,
in fact, "we believe in its gieat age because the eviuence given by the iocks ieveals
S4
changes, foi whose accomplishment peiious of time woulu be iequiieu, which we
may attempt to estimate in figuies, but whose ieal significance the human minu
can scaicely appieciate."
1S
Even with such a caveat, Baiiison iemains convinceu
that ieauing, anu thus appieciating, the lanuscape shoulu not be iestiicteu to
specialists. In fact, while much of his ieseaich, he aumits, fieely builus upon anu
extenus the woik of the National ueological Suiveywhich was still in piogiess
acioss the countiy at the time of the publication
of %#&'&(7it is his unique vocation to gathei
the iesults of this woik anu make them available
to a non-specialist auuience.
Baiiison's conception of the lanuscape piesent-
eu in the %#&'&(7 is the impiession of a tempoial
anu spatial scalelessness. While Baiiison tenus
to assume a uistinction between the fossil anu
the giounu oi lanuscape that contains it, his the-
oiy of impiession simultaneously begins to unuo
such a uistinction. When he cites Chailes Lyell's
well-known uefinition of a fossil as "any bouy, oi
the tiaces of the existence of any bouy, whethei
animal oi vegetable, which has been buiieu in
the eaith by natuial causes," theie is an assump-
tion that a iock oi a mineial cannot, as such, be
such a bouy.
16
Bowevei, theie is eviuence in both
Lyell anu Baiiison that they unueistanu minei-
alization anu the foimation of iocks to be maue
of vegetable masses, oi the ueep compiessions
of gasses, liquius, anu solius unuei the suiface
of the eaith. The fossil is no longei an object
containeu in a iock; within this logic, it becomes
the entiiety of the eaith itselfthe fossil is nec-
essaiily that which we inhabit anu that which we
ieau. The lanuscape ciosses ovei to the oiuei of
the photogiaph, anu vice veisa; each an impiession, each a fossil. But wheie light
cieates the impiession that constitutes the foim of the photogiaph, the foim of the
lanuscape is co-piouuceu by the infinity of tempoial anu spatial scales impiesseu
into the cievices, holes, uplifts, anu piotiusions ovei which we pass anu climb, anu
thiough which we buiiow.
The aichives of the Biitish ueological Suivey contain a seiies of thiiteen photo-
giaphs, uateu 1 }anuaiy 1886, which Baiiison took at Sheiingham Beach, Noifolk.
This is the seiies that signals the emeigence of a new foim of geological photogia-
phy: it incluues the appeaiance of eveiyuay, banal objects as scale uevices. Piioi to
this seiies, human beings hau been ghostly inhabitants of geological photogiaphs,
theii bouies pioviuing a scale uevice. Bowevei, heie the close-ups of the cameia
Fig. u4
Fig. uS
William }eiome Baiiison, 6"#,)-("5=
E#5*"S ?5,5=&+@,5 )- :"5';, 1886.
Couitesy of the Biitish ueological Suivey
William }eiome Baiiison, E##20&- E#5*"S
?5,5=&+@,5, 1886. Couitesy of the
Biitish ueological Suivey
Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness | Auam Bobbette SS
captuie geologic impiessions at a scale too uetaileu foi the piesence of a human
figuie. Within geological photogiaphy this type of image uoes not become com-
monplace until some yeais latei, laigely uue to the uelayeu uptake of the piactice
by fielu geologists. Cameias weie often too cumbeisome to caiiy on expeuitions,
anu exposuie time too lengthy to be piactical. In the late nineteenth centuiy, geo-
logical photogiaphy laigely followeu the conventions of lanuscape painting, anu
was mostly piacticeu by colonial exploieis only paitially familiai oi inteiesteu in
the emeiging fielu of geology. By the eaily twentieth centuiy, howevei, this type of
photogiaph coulu be consiueieu a common place in geological photogiaphy anu a
minoi genie within photogiaphic histoiy; humans weie ieplaceu with a plethoia of
uiffeient objects in, on, oi aiounu iocks: small hanubags, hammeis, pocket watches,
knives, picks, etc. ueologists on the hunt foi iesouices, foi instance, woulu photo-
giaph a small sachet, likely holuing samples, oi money, sitting on the shaft wall.
0thei photos weie taken fiom a pit in the eaith's suiface, wheie a small pickaxe
leans on clumps of uiit. What is unceitain in these photogiaphs is theii subject:
is it the object oi the iocks. Raiely appeaiing as a meie backgiounu, the objects
aie given an equal compositional tieatment to the geology. Foi instance, a small
bag oi a watch sit on top of a pile of iocks, a hammei shaies the miuule giounu
with the iock it leans on. Nothing in the image signifies a hieiaichy of subjects.
This hieiaichy coulu only emeige thiough the invocation of the scale as paieiga, a
uevice subseivient (anu self-effacing) to guaianteeing the iealism of the image, just
as a scale bai on a map is only paitially pait implicateu in the image, without shai-
ing the status of the map itself.
17
While this tiauition asseits a stiong conviction,
a closei investigation of Baiiison's photos ieveals a stiong sense that the sacks,
hammeis, anu umbiellas in his photogiaphs aie lousy at effacement. They peisist
as piouuctive iemainueis.
Fiom the }anuaiy 1st seiies, two photogiaphs stanu out. They aie both of pecu-
liai, tauius-shapeu flint foimations calleu Paiamouuias. |Figs. u4 & uSj Quoting
Lyell again in the %#&'&(7, Baiiison uesciibes the Paiamouuia as "often hollow,
anu |theyj seem to have been foimeu by the accumulation of flint aiounu gigantic
uecaying sponges."
18
Bow the flint coulu have gaineu its foim is only impiecise-
ly uesciibeu. The photogiaphs show the smooth suifaces of the Paiamouuias
bulgeu anu ciacking. In one photo, a small hammei leans against a well-foimeu
Paiamouuia set within a fielu of ciackeu bits anu pieces of othei Paiamauouias.
It is cleai that it is on the thiesholu of a shoieline: on the left is an accumulation
of iounuei stones leauing towaius lanu, while to the iight the giounu is moie au-
vanceu in its eiosion anu moist fiom the tiue. The split suiface of the Paiamauouia
ieveals a uaikeneu, thick inteiioi. The foie-giounueu Tauius stanus out fiom the
otheis as a moie complete foimation in a fielu of pieces that blenu into the uistance
of the uaik, wet beach stones anu sanu. The thiesholu between beach anu ocean
that cieates the cential axis of the photo is a thiesholu between ielative iates of
eiosion. It suggests the giauual uefoimation of the iounueu stones into the muu
anu sanu that the ocean caiiies away, stiis up, anu ueposits. It is "in this way," he
says latei on, that "the whole coast is ieceuing." The sea, he notes, "by uashing
S6
against the base of the cliffs, using as missiles the fallen stones, iapiuly unueimines
them, when the uppei pait falls anu is swept away by the waves: the spiing slowing
along the junction of peivious beus (sanus) with impeivious ones (clays) loosens
the auhesion of the beus anu the uppei pait sliues uown on to the beach."
19
The
eiosion of the lanuscape fiom the coastby iain anu winuboth impiesses the
lanu into its shape while simultaneously exposing the layeis of geological stiata
which coulu iuentify the histoiy of its making. Natuially, the veiy same piocess that
gives shape also uefoims. In its uefoimation, the coastal lanuscape ieveals layeis of
sea shells, uncoveis ancient tools, anu exposes settlements of communities whose
oiganization anu cultuie Baiiison anu otheis woulu speculate on. It ieveals ancient
watei couises anu the plants anu animals that feu on them. Eiosion both impiesses
anu loosens, oi moie coiiectly, impiesses in its loosening. Foiegiounueu by this
ueep tempoiality of impiessioning is the paiamouuia: Is it too a fossil. Lyell sug-
gests that massive, ancient sponges gave them theii foim; fiom his peispective, anu
as uifficult as it is to imagine, they aie the negative of a mysteiious, missing animal.
Auuitionally, the photogiaph of the Paiamouuia is an impiession on a glass plate,
a highei oiuei of impiession than the sponge's impiession in the Paiamouuia, but
funuamentally ielateu. This is a photogiaph of fossils nesteu within fossils.
The hammei touching the iight siue of the Paiamouuia connects it to the giounu,
anu the giounu to it, while the hammei itself is the connection between its metal
Fig. u6 William }eiome Baiiison> BS &I 6"#,)-("5=S ?)--5*'# &I :"5';> #=H#@@#@ )- @,)I0, 1886. Couitesy of the
Biitish ueological Suivey
Episoues fiom a Bistoiy of Scalelessness | Auam Bobbette S7
heau anu woouen hanule. Theie is nothing in the photo to suggest the usefulness of
the hammei in the scene, no woou oi nails, no constiuction, only shatteieu pieces
of Paiamouuia. It coulu be that the backgiounu has been bioken as a compaiative
specimen to the foiegiounu. We can also unueistanu that the hammei, too, is a fos-
sil, poiseu besiue othei fossils, founu among the uebiis of the shoie. 0nuoubteuly,
it is placeu in an unceitain ielation with them, neithei bettei oi woise, noi moie
oi less auvanceu, just touching, biiuging two mateiialities in uiffeient states of the
same piocess of eiosion anu exposuie. As a fossil, the hammei is the impiession of
the machinic piocesses that foimeu both the woou anu metal heau, just as it is the
impiession of the peison (peihaps Baiiison) who placeu it in the pictuie. Rathei
than a scale which woulu allow us to tianslate the accuiate size of the objects in the
scene, the hammei is an object poiseu in ielation to the stoiy of impiessions anu
fossilization founu on the beach anu in the act of taking a photogiaph.
Anothei photogiaph fiom the same uay shows thiee uiffeient exposeu geological
layeis in a cioss section. |Fig. u6j The cioss section is one of the most piefeiieu
piojections foi stiatifieu layeis, accoiuing to the common way iock layeis become
exposeu to the suifaceeithei thiough geological foices such as uplift, oi engi-
neeieu exposuies such as ioau oi iail cutting. Roughly in the centie of this sec-
tional photogiaph is an upiight, closeu umbiella leaning against a small patch of
witheieu, sciaggly giass. The uiffeient layeis of iock aie noticeable both thiough
the uiffeient scales of theii aggiegates anu theii consistency. The top anu bottom
layeis aie the finei anu moie fiagile, while the cential layei contains uensei, anu
what appeai to be uiffeient, mateiials, slowly exposeu by the eiosion of the cliffs.
Like the hammei, the umbiella connects uiffeient conuitions within the geological
stiata while signaling the human. Also, like the hammei, nothing tells us that this
umbiella was not also founu by Baiiison. Noi is the umbiella simply stanuing in
foi scale; it becomes pait of the poitiait. It uoes not uisappeai like a lineai scale,
but insteau insists on becoming pait of the photogiaphic assemblage. Beie we can
uetect the logic of mateiial entanglements in the Anthiopocene: semi-autonomous
tiajectoiies, which, at paiticulai junctuies, inteifeie with each othei, anu thiough
theii affective inteifeience, co-piouuce events anu theii extenueu iealities. The
human aitifact of the umbiella, like the hammei, is captuieu by the logic of the
fossil, no longei set apait but insteau entangleu in the geological scene. The piocess
of fossilization, as a piocess of impiessioning, thus becomes a way of conceiving
ielations among the human object, the photogiaphic appaiatus, anu geology. The
umbiella that appeais without its human figuie, anu like the uaik, lineai banu in
the centie of the image, becomes anothei geological stiata.
Theie is in Baiiison's seiies a photogiaph which at fiist sight has no object oi
iuentifying featuie that coulu inuicate the piopei scale of the iocks. Thiee layeis
of stiata aie iuentifieu, although the image appeais scaleless. It is uifficult to tell if
one is looking at a laige lanuscape fiom above oi at something the size of a human
hanu. It is equally possible to imagine cities nestleu into the cievices of the iock, oi
a footpiint ciossing it. Yet, even if Baiiison hau placeu an object in the fiame of the
S8
image, it woulu still not iesolve the scale. Rathei, it woulu entangle anothei scale,
fuithei complicating the ielations among scales. It woulu not piouuce accuiacy, but
enfolu the object within the logic of the actualization of scaleless time anu scaleless
space piouuceu by Baiiison's geology anu photogiaphy. As such, the scalelessness
puisueu in Baiiison's woik is not uefineu by an absolute uissolution of bounuaiies
anu uiiection, but follows a uiffeient couise. It is an accumulation of fossilizeu
impiessions expanuing in space anu time.
Noles
0 Biuno Latoui, L#522#=H')-( 0"# 6&*)5'. /- 9-0,&@+*0)&- 0& /*0&,G3#04&,;G!"#&,7 (0xfoiu:
0xfoiu 0niveisity Piess, 2uuS).
H Lewis Caiioll, !"# K+-0)-( &I 0"# 6-5,;. /- /(&-7 )- <)("0 J)02 (Lonuon: Nethuen, 2uuu),
4S.
5 viiginia Woolf, }ocobss Room onJ Tbe Woves (New Yoik: Baivest Books, 1967), 9.
N Ibiu., 7-9.
? Paul valiy, "Pieces sui l'ait," Q#+A,#2> N&'S 99 (Paiis: uallimaiu, 196u), 1SS6. See also Paul
Ryan, "Paul valiy: visual Peiception anu an Aesthetics of Lanuscape Space," /+20,5')5-
}ournol of Irencb StuJies 4S, no. 1 (}anApi 2uu8): 4S-S8.
Y Paul veliy, 3&0#H&&;2, eu. Biian Stimpson, (Fiankfuit am Nain: Petei Lang, 2uuu). See in
paiticulai vols. X, XIX, XX, anu C.
O uilles Beleuze anu Flix uuattaii, / !"&+25-@ ?'50#5+2, tians. Biian Nassumi (Ninnesota:
0niveisity of Ninnesota Piess, 1987), 474-499.
Z Ibiu., 487.
K Lewis Pyenson anu Susan Sheets-Pyenson, Servonts of Noture: A Eistory of Scientijic
9-20)0+0)&-2> <-0#,8,)2#2> 5-@ 6#-2)H)')0)#2 (New Yoik: W.W. Noiton, 1999), 186.
0^ Bill }ay, "William }eiome Baiiison 184S-19u9: Biief Notes on 0ne of the Eailiest
Photogiaphic Bistoiians," Tbe Britisb }ournol of Pbotoqropby (9 }anuaiy 1987).
00 William }eiome Baiiison, / K)20&,7 &I ?"&0&(,58"7 B,)00#- 52 5 ?,5*0)*5' %+)@# 5-@
9-0,&@+*0)&- 0& )02 O50#20 W#A#'&8=#-02 (Lonuon: Tiubnei & Co., 1888), 7-12.
0H Ibiu., 1S-2u.
05 Ibiu., 21-27.
0N Ibiu., 17.
0? William }eiome Baiiison, %#&'&(7 &I 0"# :&+-0)#2 &I <-('5-@ 5-@ &I 3&,0" 5-@ 6&+0" B5'#2
(Lonuon: Kelly & Co., 1882), v.
0Y Ibiu., xiii.
0O }acques Beiiiua, !"# !,+0" )- ?5)-0)-(, tians. ueoff Bennington anu Ian NcLeou (Chicago:
0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 1987).
0Z William }eiome Baiiison, %#&'&(7 &I 0"# :&+-0)#2 &I <-('5-@ 5-@ &I 3&,0" 5-@ 6&+0" B5'#2
(Lonuon: Kelly & Co., 1882), 188.
0K Ibiu., 191.
:,RF#"#*/ &,4 :,$*"G"*$&$#.,/ !.,%*",#,- $+*
BC/*"D&$#.,/ &,4 S#,4#,-/ A".) 1$)./G+*"*T
:,D*/$#-&$#,-; U&,4/%&G*T8VG'."#,-; W,#D*"/*T
9"&%2#,- :,/$"F)*,$/; $+*#" 8VG*"#)*,$/;
P$F4#*/; *$%X
0
`H^0Ha
Fnily Cheng
Mixed Medio
6u
0iiginally constiucteu in 19uS, the Bominion 0bseivatoiy in 0ttawa was
Canaua's piimaiy iefeience foi time measuiement. By tiacking the move-
ments of the Sun ielative to the Eaith, a constiuction of time was ueteimineu
anu uictateu to the countiy. The obseivatoiy closeu in 1974 when its uuties
weie succeeueu by the moie piecise atomic clock. The shift fiom astionomi-
cal obseivations to the atomic clock meant a shift fiom an ontologically con-
tinuous expeiience to an analogical one. The obseivatoiy was abanuoneu
because its technological functions weie no longei neeueu. Bowevei, as
Siegfiieu uiueon anu Lewis Numfoiu have both noteu, with the uemanus
of puie functionality comes the iisk of only &8#,50)-( technology, iathei
than also expeiiencing it. The uistinction between puie functionality anu
the pleasuie of expeiience iecalls aichitectuie's enuuiing goal of balancing
utilitaiian anu heuonistic human tenuencies. Neanwhile, the uistinction
between a mouel of natuie anu natuie itself biings to minu the uiscipline's
ongoing attempt to builu ieality fiom iepiesentation. The pioposal foi the
obseivatoiy is a iefoimulation of the ielationship between expeiience anu
abstiaction; its instiuments opeiate by iegisteiing the physicality of natuie
anu uemonstiating this piocess as a scientific abstiaction. Thiough theii
opeiations, these instiuments peimit uiffeient inteipietations of the aichi-
tectuie of the obseivatoiy anu its consequences.
Noles
0 This title pays homage, thiough appiopiiation, to the aitist Leah Beefeiman.
Inquiiies anu Inteipietations | Emily Cheng 61
Wind Rose De-lbslrocluolor
The obseivatoiy is notoiious foi being in one of the winuiest aieas in 0ttawa.
Nonthly winu iose uiagiams foi the aiea aie tianslateu into a 12-stoiey
staiicase, each step aligneu with a caiuinal uiiection in plan. Fine leathei
lashings aie hung fiom the metal giating of the steps anu tianslate the winu
uiiectly onto the skin of the usei.
Mognelic Meridion Flucluolor
The Canauian Piime Neiiuian is maue tangible with a iow of magnetic
benches that can be pivoteu to momentaiily bieak the longituuinal line. The
benches oscillate between tiue noith anu magnetic noith.
nverled Telescopic Solor Mognifier & Trocker
The uisuseu obseivatoiy telescope is inveiteu to magnify the solai iays back
into the builuing to melt the installeu wax suifaces. The iesult is an accu-
mulation of effects that ienuei solai movements sensuous anu inhabitable.
Zone of nlernillenl Solurolion Regislrolor
The coppei uome of the foimei photo-equatoiial builuing is inveiteu to
funnel iain into a cellulose sponge that stietches uown into the watei ta-
ble. 0seis ciiculate thiough the sponge's cavities, which shiink anu expanu
in iesponse to the suiiounuing satuiation levels.
Micro-seisnic / Micro-lrenor Periscoping lnplifier
Nicio-seisms anu micio-tiemois, noimally impeiceptible to humans, aie
iegisteieu by geophones anu amplifieu thiough an eight-siueu peiiscopic
enclosuie with spiing-mounteu miiiois that visually vibiate the suiiounu-
ing builuings.
62
@&$$*"/ .A !&'%F'&$#.,
Fyol Weiznon in Conversolion wilh Heolher Dovis ond Flienne Turpin
1
9+* 8D#4*,%* .A $+* 1,$+".G.%*,*
The %+5,@)5- iecently iepoiteu that the 0S has set up a pieuatoi uione
base just outsiue of Niamey, Nigei, extenuing its suiveillance iegime while
pioviuing anothei base foi extia-juuicial killings anu inteinationalizeu
teiioi.
2
Neanwhile, 0S Secietaiy of State

}ohn Keiiy is tiying to ieinvigoiate
peace talks between Isiael anu Palestine amiust iumouis of a new intifaua
anu ieneweu iocket fiie fiom uaza. To confiont these anu similai iealities
without accepting theii teims as given, Eyal Weizman's woik as an aichitect,
piofessoi, theoiist, anu activist auuiesses the use of systems of suiveillance,
mapping, Nu0s, anu inteinational human iights law. Bis ongoing woik anu
collaboiations with aitists, aichitects, anu theoiists in Foiensic Aichitectuie
(FA), the Becolonizing Aichitectuie Ait Resiuency (BAAR), anu the Centie foi
Reseaich Aichitectuie (CRA), navigate cuiient political economic iealities
thiough a uiiect engagement with, anu elaboiation of, incommensuiable
positions. Weizman's concept of foiensic aichitectuie analyzes the contiauic-
toiy iole of ciitical thought within inteinational humanitaiian law, using the
tools of jouinalistic investigation anu conceptual theoiization that iemain,
peipetually, co-constitutive of his piactice. In both his wiiting anu ongoing
aichitectuie piojects, Weizman uemonstiates that the uivision between
amelioiation anu ievolution is false; insteau, his piactice shows that we must
leain to negotiate intense anu iauical contiauictions in oiuei to iestiuctuie
oui political ieality. Be insists on a political stiategy that names specific in-
uiviuuals foi theii culpability in the ueaths of otheis in ongoing colonial anu
fiontiei wais, while at the same time aiticulating the ways in which foice,
mateiials, anu nonhuman actois uiffuse anu exaceibate these uiffeiential
conuitions. Weizman anu his wiue netwoik of collaboiatois use countei-sui-
veillance methous anu the figuie-giounu ielation as the beginning of a new
topological aiticulation, linking ciacks in aichitectuie to geological fissuies,
within the fielu of immanent powei.
L*&$+*" 7&D#/ c 8$#*,,* 9F"G#, Peihaps a goou place to begin is with youi
agile ieauing of the sequence of uisasteis that constitute the itineiaiy of voltaiie's
:5-@)@# (17S9). Fiom oui position in the humanities, we know that the epoch of the
Euiopean Enlightenment was not univeisally celebiateu; in fact, voltaiie's iiuicule
of Liebniz's theological optimismwheiein the best of all possible woilus was
guaianteeu by a uivine calculus that peimitteu foims of uestiuctive evil in oiuei
to optimize the invisible anu mysteiious goou occuiiing elsewheieis a key to
unueistanuing the violence of this peiiou. Although less subject to iiuicule, but
64
ceitainly no less peinicious, is the contempoiaiy conuition wheiein the optimal
foims of uestiuction calleu foi by new stanuaius of inteinational humanitaiian
law shielu ciiminal peipetiatois whose piecise violence incieases alongsiue the
suffeiing of those oppiesseu by calculateu violence, coeicion, anu collective pun-
ishments. What leu you to ietuin to voltaiie's ciitique of Leibniz. Anu how uoes
this metaphysical uisposition peisist in what you call the "humanitaiian piesent".
8J&' 6*#_)&, It might be inteiesting to stait this conveisation with a little
thought expeiiment. Bow woulu we, if we coulu, inteivene in the "uebate" between
Leibniz, Rousseau, anu voltaiie, about the meaning of the 17SS Lisbon eaithquake
(which is alluueu to in the best-known pait of :5-@)@#) fiom the point of view of the
Anthiopocene. Leibniz's theouicy was of couise useu (he was alieauy ueau when
the eaithquake stiuck) to explain this uisastei as the iesult of a uivine calculus
that foievei geneiates an optimaloptimist "best of all possible woilus." voltaiie
mockeu him anu this concept, aiguing insteau that natuial phenomenawhich aie
nevei benigncoulu be bettei explaineu by iational science. Wiiting in a iathei
cheeky tone in ieaction to voltaiie's iesponse to his poem on Lisbon, the young
Rousseau came to the uefense of natuie, using the eaithquake to ieheaise his aigu-
ment against citieshe paiticulaily faulteu Lisbon's uensityas pait of his quest
foi a "ietuin to natuie." So, if we weie to inteivene iathei gently in the contioveisy,
we coulu stait by giving some suppoit to Rousseau: we know now that aftei the
eaithquake a tiual wave was cieateu that bioke thiough the embankments that foi-
tifieu, anu theiefoie maue less poious, the euges of the Rio Tejo. It is this aspect of
the eaithquake that biought uevastation to the uense uockyaius anu builuings that
hau piolifeiateu in uiiect piopoition to incieaseu colonial wais anu tiaue baseu in
the poit. When these wateiways anu builuings collapseu, fiie bioke out in seveial
uistiicts, multiplying the ueath toll. Bowevei, iathei than aggiavating the uiviue
between a coiiupt humanity anu a benevolent natuie, as Rousseau tiieu to uo,
we can see the Lisbon event as peihaps the fiist message fiom the Anthiopocene,
occuiiing, in fact, a quaitei centuiy befoie Paul Ciutzen's uate of oiigin.
S
In this
conception, human action anu what insuiance companies still call "acts of gou" aie
entangleu on a planetaiy-scale constiuction site.
But we coulu also inteivene in qualifieu suppoit foi Leibniz. Yes, oui woilu is also
uesciibeu anu thought to be contiolleu by an enuless calculus, but this calculation
is not unueitaken by uou alone; iathei, it is aiueu by an incieasingly complex bu-
ieauciacy of calculations that incluue sensois in the subsoil, teiiain, aii, anu sea, all
piocesseu by algoiithms anu theii attenuant mouels. This ieality might necessitate
a uiffeient ethico-political iesponse, as well as a uiffeient conception of univeisality
not built on leveling the uiffeience between cultuies anu people, but one that woulu
also incluue the ocean. Anu, just to follow the ciicuit of polite uiscussionswe aie
among the pantheon of the Enlightenment aftei allwe coulu say something in
suppoit of voltaiie. Bon't foiget that, as a iepost to Pangloss's Leibnizian mantia of
all the best in the best of all possible woilus, voltaiie concluueu :5-@)@# with "we
must cultivate oui gaiuen." Now the gaiuen is the size of the planet.
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 6S
So, to answei youi question moie seiiously now, what leu me to ietuin to
voltaiie, anu Lisbon, is the ielation between calculus anu uisastei. It is a ielation of
ciisis that we can see in so many fielus now, fiom a humanitaiianism that seeks to
calculate the least of all possible evils (as wai-making is ieuuceu to acting on calcu-
lations of immanent iisk) to financial speculation. In these fielus anu many otheis,
instiuments uesigneu to ieuuce iiskueiivatives, taigeteu killings, humanitaiian
aiuenu up amplifying it exponentially.
L7c89 Bow has youi thinking anu appioach to the neocolonial occupation of
Palestine by Isiael changeu ovei time. We aie paiticulaily inteiesteu in the move-
ment of youi thought fiom K&''&4 O5-@ (2uu7) anu its elaboiation of "political
plastic" to youi moie iecent uevelopment of foiensic aichitectuie in !"# O#520 &I
/'' ?&22)H'# <A)'2 (2u11)> J&,#-2)* /,*")0#*0+,# (2u12), anu M#-(#'#12 6;+'' (2u12),
wheie the subject as witness is being ieplaceu anu suipasseu by an emeigent fo-
iensic sensibility, an object-oiienteu juiiuical cultuie. Bow much of this movement
is influenceu by the changing situation itself.
86 I think the lattei woiks aie to a ceitain extent a set of methouological ieflec-
tions on K&''&4 O5-@. I hau to finu the language to unueistanuanu it took some
time anu effoitin what ways mateiiality anu teiiitoiiality paiticipate in shaping
conflict, iathei than simply being shapeu by it. K&''&4 O5-@ was alieauy stiuctuieu
aiounu vaiious mateiial things at uiffeient scales, so the logic of a kinu of foiensic
investigation was alieauy piesent theie. I guess I was peisonally attiacteu to the
investigative intensity in foiensics, less to the legal context in which its finuings aie
piesenteu, which aie oftentimes quite skeweu, especially in an inteinational legal
context, as I showeu in the latest books. As well, the shift fiom K&''&4 O5-@ to !"#
O#520 &I /'' ?&22)H'# <A)'2 also maiks a shift in my attention fiom the West Bank to
uaza. This has obviously been shapeu by events. In uaza, one can notice a system
of iule baseu on humanitaiian violence, a foim of contiol that opeiates thiough the
calculation anu mouulation of life-sustaining supplies, the application of stanuaius
of the humanitaiian minimum, anu the seeming conuuct of wai by human iights
(BR) anu inteinational humanitaiian law (IBL) piinciples. So some of my attention
shifteu fiom the mechanisms of teiiitoiial contiol to "humanitaiian" goveinment.
Although, of couise, mateiiality is a funuamental categoiy in the lattei book, albeit
in a uiffeient way, as I tiieu to show how it activates law anu its foiums thiough
foiensics.
In any case, the investigation that culminateu in my iecent woik staiteu with a
ceitain iefusal of spatial ieseaich methouologies, commonly helu at the time, ue-
iiveu mainly fiom ceitain ieauings of Benii Lefebvie. I thought they neeueu a moie
uynamic, elastic, topological, anu foice-fielu-oiienteu unueistanuing of space, as
well as an unueistanuing of the immanent powei of constant inteiaction between
foice anu foim. Acioss what I uesciibe as the "political plastic," space is continu-
ously in tiansfoimationpolitical foices slowing into foim. I tiieu to uesciibe wai
as a uynamic piocess of space-making. Fiontiei colonization is a sloweu-uown wai,
66
but still veiy elastic; the fiontiei is veiy uiffeient fiom a city like Paiis, which has
figuieu as 0"# imaginaiy foi a lot of spatial theoiy anu thus often misplaceu anu
applieu to the fiontiei. Paiis is a planneu city, a veiy haiu city, anu its haiuness has
haunteu the imagination of some spatial scholais stuuying veiy uiffeient iealities
touay. I thought we hau to get iiu of Paiis to libeiate Palestine. Anu then I kept
pushing towaiu the iuea of immanent mateiiality on uiffeient scales; not only on
the scale of the teiiitoiy, but on a micio-scale, thiough an analysis of uetails anu
substanceswatei, fielus, foiests, hills, valleyswhich all play a iole in shaping
conflicts, anu theiefoie have an effect on the foiensic imagination.
So, to iefei to an iuea you biought up in oui eailiei conveisation, the iuea of "elas-
ticity," oi what you calleu "plasticity"enuing at a moment of a bomb blastI
woulu say that I think that a blast is simply an acceleiation of ielations of foice anu
foim in the same way that wais in the city aie an actualization anu acceleiation of
the latent anu slowei piocesses of conflict anu negotiation that uefine uiban life
anu eveiy foim of uevelopment in the city. I think it is moie inteiesting to think of
the continuities between elasticities anu explosions than about the uiffeiences. I
was woiking veiy closely with analysts of bomb blast sites, anu you see milliseconu
by milliseconutheie is a uesciiption of this in the last chaptei of the O#22#, <A)'
bookwhat happens to a builuing when it is bombeu. It is like taking on 1S yeais
of giauual uisintegiation, which is what eveiy builuing is unueigoing fiom the
moment it is built, in S milliseconus.
L7c89 So what you have calleu "the pyiamius of uaza" aie just the speu-up foice
of the "natuial" collapse of a builuing.
4
86 The uestiuction of iefugee houses has geneiateu the pyiamius of uaza. Theie
aie many pyiamius thioughout the stiip, mainly in the camps anu neighbouihoous
that iing uaza City anu along the shoit boiuei with Egypt. They aie a new typology
that has emeigeu out of the encountei between a thiee-stoiey iesiuential builuing,
of the kinu that pioviues a home foi iefugees, anu an aimoieu Cateipillai B9 bull-
uozei. The shoit shovel of the bulluozei can uestioy only the columns closei to the
faaue of the builuing, but the single centie column is left intact, anu it makes the
peak of the pyiamiu. The fact that the centie column iemains is what makes this
new type of iuin; it is impoitant because one can actually entei the iuin itself
veiy caiefullyas some foiensic aichitects have uone. Theie aie iiiegulaiities that
iegistei uiffeiences in the piocess of constiuction, the uneven spieau of conciete,
oi the vaiious moues of uestiuction, such as the inability oi ieluctance of the bull-
uozei opeiatoi to go completely aiounu the builuing. A paiticulai iiiegulaiity coulu
be the iesult of a pievious fiiefight, foi example. The task is obviously to connect
the uiffeiences in the patteins of uestiuction of conciete to the geneial piocess of
waioi in this case, an attack on uazato connect the micio-uetails to a laigei,
systemic violence.
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 67
Beie is anothei example wheie an analysis of the composition of builuing mateiials
is ciucial: geological foimations exist both insiue anu outsiue builuings. They aie
obviously the giounu on which builuings stanu, but also appeai in constiuction ma-
teiials, as stones oi the giavel within conciete. A uensei concentiation of mineials
within a iock will often become the line of least iesistance, along which a ciack will
teai it, anu likewise the builuing, apait. So seismic ciacks aie inteiesting because
they connect the geological, the uiban, anu the aichitectuial. Ciacks aie a fantastic
uemonstiation of a shaieu mateiiality of the planet, moving fiom geology to ai-
chitectuie, anu stuuying ciacks, which is one of the tasks of foiensic aichitectuie,
uemonstiates the necessity to iiu oui thinking of the figuie-giounu ielationa
builuing is not ontologically oi epistemologically uiffeient fiom the iock oi giavel
in which it is anchoieu.
Foi example, Baia Behiman, a membei of the Centie foi Reseaich Aichitectuie,
lookeu at how piiate aichaeological excavationsfoi a biblical histoiy pioject
unueitaken uiiectly beneath the Palestinian neighbouihoou of Silwan in occupieu
}eiusalemgeneiateu ciacks that tiavelleu fiom beuiock foimations thiough the
voius of the unueigiounu aichaeological sites, to ioauwoik anu walls of builuings
above. The ciacks appeai anu uisappeai, tianslating foice into lines of least iesis-
tance. Resiuents biought photos of these ciacks to couit, but theii political anu
legal meaning, pait of the unueigiounu colonization of Palestine, was not aumitteu.
If Foiensic Aichitectuie iefeis to the piesentation of stiuctuial analysis within
contempoiaiy legal anu political foiums, the task of this collection is to extenu its
scope beyonu the context of piopeity anu insuiance uisputes to become an analyti-
cal fiame anu a new moue of piactice, beaiing upon uiffeient scales of investigation
in engaging the mateiial consequences of the most uigent political issues anu
contempoiaiy stiuggles foi justice.
L7c89 The mateiial analyses of Foiensic Aichitectuie, such as those you men-
tioneu, aie always pait of a multi-scalai, multi-centieu appioach. We believe that
such an itineiant methouology uiffeis fiom the uominant tiajectoiy of Science
anu Technology Stuuies (STS), by its explicit ielation to, oi explication of, political
iealities. 0f couise, we uo not mean to suggest heie that scholaiship in the fielu of
science stuuies is not political, but insteau that the woik of Foiensic Aichitectuie,
anu moie bioauly, the woik piouuceu at the CRA, seems much moie "inteivention-
ist," if we might use this teim. Boes the inteivention, oi inteifeience, in political ieal-
ities shape the piactice of Foiensic Aichitectuie. Anu, piesuming it uoes somehow
infoim these piactices, we aie inteiesteu in how such inteifeience helps to auvance
ceitain inteiuisciplinaiy stiategies.
86 Yes, we see ieseaich as a foim of political inteivention. It is ciucial foi us to be
actively involveu in the piocesses that we wiite (oi exhibit oi film) about. This is foi
two ieasons: fiist, because we engage in activist ieseaich anu take siues; seconu, be-
cause being in close pioximityin fact, being pait of the subject of oui ieseaichis
the only way foi us to unueitake the ieseaich. Political anu legal activism allows
68
one to gain unpaialleleu access to institutions anu thus enables epistemological
inquiiies as well. Foiensics was not the fiist, noi is it the only ieseaich we conuuct
at the Centie, although it has become the most piouuctive because it is piecisely
stiuctuieu by the act of taking siues, without compiomising the intensity anu
seiiousness of the ieseaich. It cieateu a piouuctive biiuge between ieseaich anu
inteivention, oi what we call fielu woik anu foium woik.
We have iecently staiteu to iefei to oui piactice as I&,#-2)2, which is a Latin woiu
that means "peitaining to the foium." This is a moie geneial teim than foiensic
aichitectuie: I&,#-2)2 is a new aesthetico-political conuition in which ieseaich anu
science aie employeu in an activist moue as a pait of a political stiuggle. We choose
oui cases to uemonstiate both new methous of inquiiy, anu how the piouuction
of new foims of eviuence can expanu the political imagination anu aiticulate new
claims foi justice in ielation to violent conflict anu climate change. But oui ieseaich
piactice also involves iaising ciitical questions about the iole of new technologies
of captuie anu iepiesentation in the cieation anu aiticulation of public tiuths.
So I&,#-2)2 uepaits fiom the methous of STS on account of the way in which
political activism acts as the engine anu the enablei of epistemological inquiiy.
In fact, we uo two things that aie both inteiuepenuent anu contiauictoiy. 0n
the one hanu, oui membeis engage by piacticing foiensic aichitectuie on uiffei-
ent scales anu locations, incluuing concentiation camps in foimei Yugoslavia,
uione waifaie sites in Pakistan, Yemen anu Palestine, migiant movements in
the Neuiteiianean, anu enviionmental uamage in Banglauesh, Biazil, Chile,
anu Ecuauoi, among othei examples. Each of these investigations was chosen
because of the uigency of the situation; howevei, each investigation also allows
us to uemonstiate how methouological innovations in the piouuction of new
types of eviuence can inteivene in the piocess. 0ui investigations, conuucteu
with gioups of political activists, piosecution teams, human iights oiganizations,
anu the 0niteu Nations, allow us to constiuct a ciitical epistemology that can
theoietically evaluate the veiy assumptions, piotocols, piocesses, anu politics of
knowleuge piouuction. In shoit, the ieseaich uses foiensics both to pose political
challenges anu examine the tools of contempoiaiy foiensic piactices.
The two moues of piactice at the coie of oui ieseaich methoupiouucing evi-
uence anu queiying its natuiecontinuously pose a seiies of challenges that both
stiengthen anu thieaten its component paits. As we uefenu oui finuings as the
tiuth of what has happeneu, oui opponents coulu suiely point to oui wiiting on
the elastic natuie of tiuth-claims, the auuacity of tiuth-speech, anu the complexity
of tiuth-making. Anu, when we aie in moie ciitical uiscussions, oui colleagues can
iightly point out that we weie often in uangei of becoming complicit with the veiy
institutions anu piocesses we have pieviously ciiticizeu. We see the tension between
these component paits as the conuition of oui woik. Rathei than iesolve these
contiauictions by pushing the penuulum one way oi the othei, we iecognize the
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 69
tension as piouuctive. This is not a pioblem that coulu evei aiiive at a satisfactoiy
solution, but a moue of pioblematization that intensifies the ieseaich piocess.
As ciitical scholais anu piactitioneis, we aiiiveu at this pioject aimeu to the teeth
with ciitique, but the only way foi us to conuuct meaningful ieseaich was in close
pioximityin ciitical pioximitywith the subjects of oui investigation anu with
the empiiical iigoui that coulu only be geneiateu thiough such pioximity. "Ciitical"
as a moue of piactice iequiies a high level of self-ieflexivity as we begin to inhabit
the teiiain of oui own inquiiies; but, foi us, ciitical also means vital, uigent, anu
uecisive.
Theie is anothei aspect. Because the CRA piogiam is nesteu in the context of
uolusmiths, which is an especially multiuisciplinaiy institution, it is also a peua-
gogical expeiiment that attempts to biing ciitical euucation togethei with activism
using science anu technology. So, anothei main uiffeience with STS is that the
oiiginal keinel of the multiuisciplinaiy fielu foi STS is anthiopology oi sociology
of science; the keinel of oui multiuisciplinaiy fielu is aichitectuie, anu aichitectuie
with an activist coie.
At the CRA, oui ieseaich consiueis the iole of spatial analysis anu iepiesentation.
0f couise, when uoing foiensic aichitectuie, the fiame of aichitectuie is useu to
iefei to a moie extensive set of ielations anu spatializations, incluuing builuings,
cities, oceans, anu teiiitoiies, because these fielus uesciibe the pathologies of oui
contempoiaiy situation. 0ui scale of opeiation expanus the fiame of analysis anu
inteivention fiom the housesuch as when we uo "builuing suiveyoi" woik on
houses in wai zonesto the planet, thiough the woik of some of oui membeis,
incluuing Paulo Tavaies, Nabil Ahmeu, uouofieuo Peieiia, anu Auiian Lahouu, who
see the eaith as both a constiuction site anu a iuin.
Speaking about the whole eaithanu I'm thinking heie of the exhibition woik
of Anselm Fiankethe staiting point foi oui investigations was much moie
mouest; it was inspiieu by the woik of builuing suiveyois, by theii caieful
anu systemic analysis of the stiuctuial anu infiastiuctuial conuitions of a
builuing.
S
The piactice of Foiensic Aichitectuie staits with the piesentation
of such suiveys in a legal foium. In ielation to both wai zones anu the
enviionment, suiveys cannot always maintain a haptic uimension, but also
iely on all soits of sensing anu measuiing technologies. The single suiveyoi
is ieplaceu by an au hoc netwoik of collaboiations between aichitects,
scientists, anu activists. The suiveyoi's snapshot, useu to uocument the localizeu
uamage that has occuiieu, is then supeiseueu by mathematical mouels to pieuict
the iisk of uamage that 4)'' "5A# occuiieu. Similaily, the foium may no longei
necessaiily be a paiticulai couithouse, but may insteau be compiiseu of a iathei
uiffuse netwoik of communications anu assemblies connecteu thiough the meuia.
Bespite these tiansfoimations, anu acioss the uiveise scales anu epistemic fielus
7u
that the pioject tiaveises, theie is still something of the ielation between the sui-
veyoi, stiuctuial analysis, anu the foium that iemains.
L7c89 In an inteiview with Robin Nackay, you saiu in ielation to the occupation
of Palestine by Isiael: "Eveiy foim that the occupation has taken since 1967 has
been piesenteu as an attempt to enu the occupation. Peihaps the only constant
thing about the occupation is that theie aie always attempts to enu it. |.j The
occupation is finally nothing but its constant enu. |.j Theiefoie we neeu to be
suspicious of anyone that iuns unuei the slogan 'enu the occupation'they must
have yet anothei spatial appaiatus in minu."
6
In Becolonizing Aichitectuie (BAAR),
a iesiuency pioject staiteu by Sanui Bilal, Alessanuio Petti, anu youiself in Beit
Sahoui, you take the appioach that the occupation, anu its inteiminable enu, shoulu
be ieconfiguieu as a question of "uecolonization." Can you say moie about what
you mean by uecolonization heie. Towaiu what kinu of a futuie uoes a piactice of
uecolonization move if theie is no enu to the occupation.
86 I think that one of the biggest pioblems in thinking about the futuie of Palestine,
a pioblem that somehow uefines one's "camp" within the Isiaeli oi Palestinian
anti-colonial left, is uefineu by what "state" you suppoit as a solution. So we get the
positions of one-statists veisus two-statists veisus no-statists, anu a lot of veiy
impoitant anu cieative uiscussions aie oiganizeu in ielation to that. Suiely, think-
ing politically, we aie one-statists, but in BAAR, the stuuio that Sanui, Alessanuio
anu I set up, we tiy to piopose a uiffeient ielation to the futuie, aiticulateu thiough
the piocess of uecolonization.
7
To uo aichitectuie in an aiea of such intense conflict is always to engage in a
less-than-iueal woilu. This has to uo not only with the violence that contaminates
eveiy aspect of life theie, but also with ueteimining the point fiom which specu-
lation can begin. Conflicts cieate a sense of postponement anu hence these futuie
piojections; we wait foi the post-conflict to begin imagining. But the Palestine
conflict is an enuless conflict, so we feel that the "D-state solutions" aie tiappeu
in a top-uown peispective. We uiu not stait the pioject fiom the utopia of an enu
state in oiuei to move backwaius to the piesent; insteau, we staiteu fiom "ieal
existing colonialism," fiom the tiash, builuings, infiastiuctuie, anu law that it cie-
ates. 0ui appioach has been to ieuse, iathei than ieject, the mateiial conuitions
of the piesent. So we want to mobilize aichitectuie as an optical uevice thiough
actually existing stiuctuiessuch as a militaiy base, a settlement, the Palestinian
pailiament builuing, a paiticulai Palestinian house in Battii, uiffeient houses in
}affa in what is calleu '48 Palestineto stuuy the conflict anu to act within it.
L7c89 Can you talk a little moie about the pioject wheie you pioposeu to ie-
puipose an evacuateu settlement foi public use by Palestinians. 0ne of the things
that We aie especially cuiious about is how you ueciue what kinus of public spaces
might be useful. In the iefugee camps, wheie most public space has been eliminat-
eu, how uo you iebuilu. What soit of community consultation uoes BAAR engage
in.
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 71
86 The pioject staiteu with the Palestinian Ninistiy of Planning in 2uuS, which
hau to auvise on the fate of the settlements that weie about to be evacuateu in uaza.
The Palestinian Ninistiy of Planning became the centie of intense meetings between
Palestinians anu a vaiiety of Nu0s, uiffeient 0N agencies, the Woilu Bank, foieign
goveinments, anu inteinational investois, all of whom outlineu theii pioposeu
uses foi the evacuateu settlements. I was calleu on to auvise. At the time we uiu not
know whethei they weie going to be evacuateu intact oi whethei they woulu be ue-
stioyeu. We thought, oi assumeu at least, that they woulu be left intact, anu because
of this assumption the ministiy wanteu expeits, oi quasi-expeitsaichitectsto
paitake in these uiscussions that weie otheiwise political anu uiplomatic. The main
pioblem we weie facing was that the lanu uivision in the West Bank anu uaza is
such that most of the lanu is piivate (foi many uiffeient ieasons, not just the system
of Isiaeli uomination); it is owneu by piivate families, anu people uo not sell lanu,
so to have the settlements evacuateu woulu give a piecaiious basis anu infiastiuc-
tuie foi a set of common aieas. So this was the iuea we weie woiking with. Sanui,
Ale, anu I weie woiking a lot with Nu0s. They function as a kinu of goveinment,
because the militaiy iule uoesn't want to ueal with the occupieu population, anu
the Palestinian goveinment is veiy absent anu incompetent, so a netwoik of Nu0s
somehow emeiges, anu it was ieally with those Nu0s that we weie ueciuing the
uses of lanu. Anu then theie is anothei aspect, I mean, what you plan is one thing
anu what happens on the giounu is often anothei. In the enu, the settlement was
uestioyeu, so we coulu not iepuipose the builuings. We uiu othei things insteau.
But theie was a lot of iesistance to this pioject, which was not ieally suipiising.
Nany Palestinians saiu Isiael shoulu "uismantle the houses anu take them away." 0i
they wanteu to "have a big bonfiie," which at BAAR we thought was gieat, because
access to the colonies oi militaiy outposts shoulu be expeiienceu uiffeiently by all
people who weie at this place at that time. This populai impulse foi uestiuction
sought to give a sense of ielief; aichitectuie hau to buin. Thiough this piocess of ie-
possession we weie expeiiencing a iauical conuition of aichitectuiethe moment
powei is unpluggeu, when the olu use is gone anu new uses aie not yet uefineu. It
is the limit conuition of aichitectuie. But whatevei may happen on the giounu, the
possibility of fuithei evacuation shoulu be consiueieu. We weie also woiiieu that
the infiastiuctuie woulu simply be ieuseu to iepiouuce colonial powei ielations:
colonial villas to be inhabiteu by new financial elites, etc. In this sense, histoiical
uecolonization nevei tiuly uiu away with the spatializeu powei of colonial uomina-
tion. So we acteu accoiuing to a uiffeient option that sought to piopose subveision
of the oiiginally intenueu use, iepuiposing it foi othei enus.
L7c89 The aitist Auam Baivey has uevelopeu what he calls "Stealth Weai": he
manipulates the uouble ability of fashion to both ieveal anu conceal, cieating cloth-
ing that shielus the weaiei fiom uione attacks by using a ieflective mateiial that
effectively seals in the heat of the bouy so that it cannot be uetecteu fiom the aii.
8

You wiite that all aichitectuie is a piocess of making anu unmaking, an iueological
iestiuctuiing of suifaces, yet so much of youi woik seems to be about making
72
things visible, biinging injustices to light. Is it sometimes moie uesiiable to cieate
a suiface of invisibility.
86 Yes, I unueistanu what you aie saying. I think that iathei than opeiating on
a single tiajectoiy of incieaseu visibility, mapping is always an inteivention in the
fielu of the visible. What is being foiegiounueu, what is being shown, anu what is
being "un-shown"these aie choices that we have to make with eveiy map. When
one thinks about the logic of sensing anu aesthetics, one can unueistanu the logic of
uisappeaiance as an aesthetics as well. Foi example, the iesolution of commeicially
available satellite imageiy of the kinu we see in newspapeis, such as suspecteu
nucleai sites in Iian oi uestioyeu villages in Baifui oi uaza, aie limiteu to a ieso-
lution of half a metie pei pixel, which means the size of a pixel is exactly the size,
oi the box, in which a human bouy fits. Within that logic of visibility, theie is also a
stiuctuieu, built-in lacuna: the loss of the figuie, oi the human.
When one looks at facial iecognition softwaie, one unueistanus that theie aie
pietty simple ways of cieating camouflage that is no longei a visual camouflage foi
the eye, but camouflage fiom algoiithms, which now uo a lot of the seeing. Theie
aie ways in which algoiithms can be uistuibeu anu confuseu with techniques that
a human eye might have pickeu up on, but that an algoiithm cannot uiscein. Foi
example, theie was a veiy stiange acciuent in Bubai in 2u1u wheie Isiaelis weie
tiying to kill a Bamas opeiative who was using camouflage fiom the eye anu fiom a
ceitain face-iecognition algoiithm. Bamas thought they weie camouflageu against
one algoiithm without iealizing that the algoiithm hau changeu! The Bubai police
useu uiffeient softwaie anu they weie exposeu. Theie aie all soits of countei-
foiensic piactices.
L7c89 These countei-foiensic piactices seem especially ielateu to the politics
of visibility. In William Bavei's iecent essay on sense anu the commons, he seems
to aigue against Rancieie's analysis of the uistiibution of the sensible, suggesting
that what is uigently neeueu is not a politics that ieveals what is hiuuenwhich is
how Rancieie's woik is often ieaubut a philosophy that allows us to see what we
alieauy see.
9
Bavei quotes Foucault to help explain that the iole of philosophy "is to
ienuei visible piecisely what is visible, that is, to make appeai that which is so neai,
that which is so immeuiate, so immeuiately bounu to ouiselves that we foi that veiy
ieason uo not peiceive it. Then if the iole of science is to make known that which
we uon't see, the iole of philosophy is to make us see what we see."
1u
It seems to us
that Foiensic Aichitectuie coulu be locateu piecisely at this inteisection, between
science anu philosophy; how uoes such a position ielate to the politics of visibility.
0f eviuence. 0f the Anthiopocene.
86 0ne aspect of the iuea of countei-foiensics is the inveision between the state
anu the police. Pieviously, ciiminals weie conceiveu as inuiviuuals oi gioups; the
state was the police. This also meant that, in most cases, the state hau a technological
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 7S
anu epistemological auvantage ovei ciiminals. In oui foim of foiensics, it is the
state that is typically the ciiminal, anu the inuiviuuals anu gioupshuman iights
oiganizations, enviionmental activists, Nu0s, etc.who act as the "police." But
this means that those peipetuating the violence also tenu to contiol the scene of
the ciime. They also have an optical auvantage. They can see places bettei, anu
can negate oi ueny by mobilizing state iesouices that aie uifficult to see. So, in
a similai way to how you phiaseu it, we hau to ieveal what is invisible but also
collect anu analyze what is alieauy in the public uomainvisible but not seen, oi
seen anu not well unueistoou, like photos in social meuia anu the low-iesolution
commeicial satellite images fiom uoogle Eaith. This means woiking aiounu the
eviuence, not only with it. So, I iuentify with the way that Bavei has fiameu the
question, although this might be moie complementaiy to the woik of Rancieie than
you suggest, since in his philosophy anu woik on aesthetics anu politics he has
piecisely calleu foi ieoiganizing the way we see what is theie but is not seen.
In FA, we unueitake a numbei of investigations that aie all about looking again
at what exists in the public uomain, oiganizing it, conceptualizing it, anu cioss-
iefeiencing it with othei souices. When a killing happens in Noith Waziiistan, theie
aie echoes in local Pakistani meuia. Little of this is pickeu up by Westein meuia. 0ne
of oui ieseaicheis, }acob Buins, has been tiawling thiough these news meuia sites
to finu spatial patteins. Bow many homes weie hit. Bow many people uieu in builu-
ings, in cais, in cities, etc.. This iequiies making connections anu cioss-iefeiencing
uiffeient pieces of infoimation fiom uiffeient meuia iegaiuing these killings. All this
infoimation is in the public uomain, but it is invisible because people only view
this infoimation in a cuisoiy mannei anu uo not sufficiently inteiiogate the
connections.
Foi example, anothei aspect of oui woik on uiones is to analysis mobile phone
viueos anu still footage. veiy little uocumentation has been smuggleu out of
Waziiistan, which is unuei a state of siege, anu wheie no one with a cameia is
alloweu in oi out. Whatevei uoes come out is haiu to tiace anu uifficult to locate in
both space anu time. We have conuucteu an analysis of a specific stiike in Niiansha,
eviuence of which was smuggleu out to 0S meuia thiough foui uiffeient people.
But the footage that was ieleaseu just showeu a bluiiy pile of iubble. We took the
clip fiame by fiame anu stuck them togethei to cieate a spatial panoiama fiom
this mobile phone sweep. 0nce we hau the contoui of the site, we analyzeu it anu
measuieu the shauow to finu the time of the uay, then seaicheu foi the foim of
the builuing within the entiie fabiic of the town; we uiscoveieu the place with a
high uegiee of piobability. A pait of the footage was of the ioom in which people
uieu when a iocket enteieu thiough the ceiling. We analyzeu the iubble anu locateu
the spieau of fiagmentation. We measuieu the pattein anu uensity of the fiagmen-
tation anu uiscoveieu gaps within them; we can assume that these gaps aie the
shauow of people that uieu in this ioom. Theie is so much uata that exists in the
public uomain, but we neeu to uevelop ways of seeing it, ways of conceptualizing
74
what we look foi, anu ways of mobilizing it. These ways of seeing iely, as you say,
both on a theoietical conception anu also on technological innovations. Togethei
they tuin noise into sounu.
L7c89 In !"# O#520 &I /'' ?&22)H'# <A)'2, you iuentifieu a shift fiom thinking
about genociue thiough piimaiy effects towaiu the seconuaiy effects outlineu in
a numbei of cases. We see this as a paiticulaily poweiful way to think about the
ielationships of complicity in waifaie anu of escaping some of the pioblems of
"acceptable" ueathsbecause they have been calculateu in auvancein acts of
wai. It also opens up the possibility of thinking about enviionmental catastiophe as
a type of inflicteu anu puiposeful genociue. Can you talk about this fiamewoik anu
how Foiensic Aichitectuie takes it up thiough the pioject on oceanic foiensics anu
the "left-to-uie boat".
86 You aie iefeiiing to the woik of Chailes Bellei anu Loienzo Pezzani, who
woikeu with Situ Stuuio on this pioject. Chailes anu Loienzo aie PhB stuuents at
the CRA anu ieseaich fellows on the Foiensic Aichitectuie pioject, anu Situ Stuuio
is an emeiging aichitectuial fiim in New Yoik. Togethei with FA, they have set up
an impoitant pioject of accountability in the Neuiteiianean.
11
The "left-to-uie boat"
that Chailes, Loienzo, anu Situ have been mapping anu wiiting about has become
an issue within IBL because, to a ceitain extent, it is the fiist time the tiace of a boat
on watei has been mappeu. Things moving in watei usually leave no tiace. The team
uiscoveieu uPS cooiuinates by tiacing phone calls anu then woikeu with an ocean-
ogiaphic institute to ie-cieate the uiift pattein of the Neuiteiianean. The migiants
on boaiu weie uiifting in one of the most clutteieu paits of the Neuiteiianean, in
the miuule of a siege with a lot of militaiy anu NAT0 vesselsanu nobouy intei-
veneu. So theii iuea was to ieveise the iegime of suiveillance: if Westein states
claim this is the most suiveyeu sea in the woilu, they also have the iesponsibility to
piotect those people who might uiown in it. Accoiuing to inteinational laws of the
high seas, if you heai an S0S call you must inteivene. So, theie is a seiies of legal
challenges now baseu on the veiy unique ability to tiace the movement of the boat
in the sea.
This ieseaich iepiesents an impoitant anu paiauigmatic moment in the foiensic
aichitectuie pioject that I iun with a gieat team of aitists, aichitects, anu filmmak-
eisincluuing Susan Schuppli anu Thomas Keenanin which vaiious fellows,
stuuents, anu Situ Stuuio aie ueveloping uiffeient abilities to visualize, map, anu
sense events, as well as auvance political anu legal claims, oi political claims in the
foim of legal claims.
As ciitical scholais anu piactitioneis we aiiiveu at this pioject aimeu with ciitique.
We felt confiuent in oui ability to uetect, unveil, anu analyze instances wheie powei
is camouflageu as benevolence. Not only in the fielus in which we investigateu wai
ciimes, but in the opeiation of the foiums that auministeieu this eviuence anu
aibitiateu on the basis of it. We have no illusions about the foiums: we know they
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 7S
inteinalize the powei fielu exteinal to them, anu that they aie skeweu towaius the
poweiful. We have no illusions about the politics of inteinational humanitaiian
law. We know that human iights foiensics can become an extension of westein
suiveillance piactices. We have seen the way in which the BR anu the legal piocess
can be abuseu by states to amplify violence. We assumeu, howevei, that the only
way to conuuct ciitical ieseaich in the woilu touay is in close pioximity to, anu
even complicity with, the subjects of oui investigation. Like the tiauitional Q8#,5)20
motto, we wanteu to act insiue anu against!
L7c89 Theie seems to be a tension in youi woik between wanting to mobilize
investigative jouinalism to uenounce inuiviuuals publicly, as in the case of the
uuatemalan genociue when you listeu the accuseu (}os Efiain Rios Nontt, Bctoi
Naiio Lopez Fuentes, 0scai Bumbeito Nejia victoies, anu }os Nauiicio Rouiiguez
Snchez), but also to aiticulate the uiffuseu netwoiks of iesponsibility, acioss
human anu nonhuman actois, thiough foiensic aichitectuie. When thinking about
whethei you aie going to take one tactic oi anothei, is it just a question of the pai-
ticulai foium in which you aie piesenting.
86 This issue has alieauy eiupteu in the context of my pievious woik on ciitical
theoiy in the militaiy. In 2uu8, one of the militaiy commanueis I was wiiting about
hiieu one of the laigest legal fiims in Isiael to thieaten me anu my publisheis
in Isiael foi libel. The accusations weie fiankly iiuiculous anu conceineu with
technical matteis.
12
I hau ieseaich to suppoit my allegations, but the ieal aim, I
think, was to scaie me anu my peeis fiom fuithei publishing ciitical mateiial that
involveu such uetaileu analyses of the militaiy that nameu names anu suggesteu
peisonal iesponsibility anu even liability. What this suit uiu was to ieminu us in the
anti-colonial Isiaeli left of the powei of this type of investigation. Inueeu, within
the contioveisy that ensueu, one of the things that was biought to the foiefiont
was oui tenuency to geneialize anu concentiate analysis on laige, uepeisonalizeu
systemsthe militaiy, the state, etc.iathei than concentiating oui attention on
the iole that ceitain chaiacteis might have within these systems. It is exactly this
inteiaction between laigei foices anu inuiviuual intention that is necessaiy to
examine. In oiuei to opeiate simultaneously, in one text, we neeueu to have two
machines, so to speak, a theoietical one anu a jouinalistic one, with the lattei feio-
ciously investigating ceitain issues anu then placing them within a laige theoietical
fiame of the foimei. But we uiu not have the legal infiastiuctuie, noi the money to
uefenu ouiselves (even against the most spuiious of libel claims), foi the jouinalis-
tic machine to woik completely.
So this connects to youi question about foiensics anu the ielation between the
inuiviuual anu laigei, shaping foices. Buman iights have what we call a figuie-
giounu pioblem. 0n the one hanu, human iights uiscouise opeiates veiy much
thiough a piocess of foiegiounuing inuiviuual victims anu peipetiatois. It is a con-
ception that is baseu on a single human figuie who is toituieu oi killeu, iepiesseu
by an authoiitaiian iegime. This is a piocess of figuiation, the extiaction of a figuie
76
fiom a political backgiounu. The inuiviuual is the subject of human iights analysis
anu hei oi his testimony is the way of getting into the logic of the event. Retiibution
is too often seen as the punishment of inuiviuual peipetiatois, iathei than as the
uismantling of all stiuctuial, shaping foices within which injustice is peipetiateu.
This is figuiation. An inuiviuual extiacteu fiom a political fielu anu paiticulai histo-
iy naiiateu as a ciimeas if it weie a "simple" ciiminal case.
Bowevei, wai ciimes investigations call foi a moie complex analysis than
those in the context of uomestic ciiminal law. Wai ciimes, like othei wai-
time events, aie piouuceu by a multiplicity of agents woven togethei by
netwoiks that fuithei uistiibute action anu iesponsibility, using technologies
that now incieasingly have semi-autonomous uecision-making capacities.
Foi example, militaiies aie themselves uiffuseu bouies that aie, in tuin,
goveineu by political, institutional, anu auministiative logics.
0n the othei hanu, some cuiient human iights techniques have shifteu
attention to the giounu. Satellite imageiy, as Lauia Kuigan beautifully shows
in hei new book, has become a ielatively iecent tool foi BR investigatois.
1S

In satellite imageiy, we no longei see figuies. What becomes visible in
these images is the backgiounu to human actionthe lanu, the lanuscape,
the built fabiic, the uestioyeu builuings, the buint fielus, uefoiestation,
floouing, etc. Insteau of the figuie, we have the giounu that now stanus foi the
conuition of the human. This challenges an impoitant piinciple within BR
woik, which is tiauitionally about the human (state of the inuiviuual) by
the human (testimony). uiven that viewing is now not only unueitaken by
piosthetic sensois, but inteipieteu by algoiithms, it is no longei stiictly a human
uomain. So, by inveiting figuie anu giounu in this gestalt, we have tuineu the
giounu into the object of stuuy. We have "figuieu" the giounu.
In oui analysis of 0peiation Sofiawhat is calleu "the last Inuian massacie"
uuiing the uuatemalan Civil wai in the eaily 198us, oui team (incluuing Situ Stuuio,
Paulo Tavaies, Baniel Pasqual, anu myself) has sought to extenu the unueistanuing
of genociue by shifting oui attention to the giounu conuition, using maps anu
iemote sensing of the iegion. We aie tiying to piouuce maps of the piocesses of
laige-scale uefoiestations, of ioau-builuing, anu concentiation-towns, of uestiuc-
tion of the villages of the native Ixil people, of fencing anu "piivatizing" theii moue
of cultivation in fielus that weie common piopeity, to account foi the changing of
plant species, especially maize, that leu to the massive uestiuction of this piotecteu
gioup anu theii way of life. We seek to account foi the ieoiganization of people anu
mateiial that has iesulteu in the uestiuction of the conuitions that woulu sustain
life. Inuiiect killing, which occuis moie slowly anu not by uiiect tiauma such as
bullet holes oi machete wounus, challenges tiauitional foiensic woik.
This is what we call jielJ cousolity, which is tieu to uebates aiounu the entangle-
ment of politics anu the enviionment. 0nlike the uiiect lineai causality of ciiminal
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 77
law, fielu causality uoes not seek to connect a chain of events. Insteau, causes aie
unueistoou as uiffuseu aggiegates that act simultaneously in all uiiections. They
aie shaping foices anu they affect the foimation of laigei teiiitoiies anu political
events. In othei woius, iathei than looking simply at moitality, we take an epiuemi-
ological appioach anu look at patteins.
Fiom the miu-nineteenth to the beginning of the twentieth centuiy, the most im-
poitant founuation of foiensic science was the unueistanuing that eveiy contact
leaves a tiace anu theiefoie if something touches something, one can actually
iecieate the moment of encountei. Auiian Lahouu, my successoi at the Centie
anu membei of oui ieseaich team, has continuously insisteu that we must look at
the ways in which contact anu tiace have become sepaiateu anu scatteieu, that is,
that an action might happen in a ceitain placean emission, foi examplebut its
consequences might be felt acioss oceans anu aii cuiients.
This goes beyonu the simple gestalt that concentiates on the human figuie. We have
lost sight of the giounu, the political anu enviionmental context; but while looking
at the giounu, we have lost the figuie, as in the lacunae in satellite suiveillance that
I mentioneu eailiei. The task is to aiticulate new ielationships between figuie anu
giounu, to finu ways of unueistanuing anu illustiating iapiu shifts in scale anu the
impoitance of events.
In the case of uuatemala, as in pievious woik on Palestine, this biings in all kinus of
uiffeient actoisaichitects, ioau builueis, agiicultuiists, faimeis, bankeiswho
aie all a pait of a much moie uiffuse iesponsibility that must be auuiesseu in a
fashion outsiue of the usual legal system. Inuiiect, aggiegate, oi fielu causality
seeks to unuo anothei impoitant uistinction between uiffeient kinus of values
we attach to ueath. Theie weie people that weie killeu anu people that uieu. To
uie, in this uiscouise, implies a seconuaiy, non-intentional ueath. Recently, moie
woik has been unueitaken by epiuemiologists in ielation to non-uiiect moitality in
wais. Theie was even an attempt by Luis Noieno-0campo, the fiist piosecutoi of
the Inteinational Ciiminal Couit (ICC), to incluue inuiiect moitality figuies in his
contioveisial chaiging of the piesiuent of Suuan, 0mai al-Bashii, with genociue in
Baifui.
L7c89 It is an incieuibly poignant aigument to say that genociue is not just the
baiiel of a gun, but that it involves, insteau, a netwoik of uiffuseu iesponsibility;
still, aien't theie only a few legal venues to enfoice these aiguments. It makes us
wonuei what othei avenues foi ieuiess theie coulu be.
86 I agiee. Noieno-0campo faceu huge ciiticism foi his uecision to uo that, as well
as accusations of "inflating numbeis" in the context of a veiy politicizeu campaign
against Suuan. Anu I paitially agiee, but I think that this is the fiontiei of conflict
investigation, anu the consequences of such uevelopments coulu be felt in uiffeient
foiums, as you say, not only in legal ones. Fielu causalities have a veiy uiffeient
78
implication than uiiect causes foi the way the foiums have been maue. Inueeu,
fielu causality coulu be the bastaiu's best uefense in couit. It woulu be what eveiy
peipetiatoi woulu like to claim in oiuei to avoiu conviction, anu is theiefoie not
enough as a single line oi aigumentation; we neeu to leain how to link singulaiity
to stiuctuial conuitions. Bowevei, it is veiy impoitant to insist on this because fielu
causality uesciibes a political uiagiam that must be uismantleu, anu not just by
couits. It uoes not necessaiily imply a juugment, but iathei a moie iauical action in
changing the political foice fielu.
L7c89 Bave the kinus of aiguments uevelopeu thiough foiensic aichitectuie
been useu outsiue of the context of iecent genociues anu IBL. This kinu of analy-
sis, foi example, coulu uo a lot of justice in the context of the ongoing genociue of
inuigenous people in Noith Ameiicahow goveinments anu inuustiy foice people
into settlements, the ongoing contamination of lanus, anu the hazaiuous exploita-
tion of iesouices thiough oil anu mining piactices, etc. Bas the pioject of FA been
auvanceu in these situations.
86 The senioi peison on oui pioject, Susan Schuppli, is a Canauian theoiist anu
aitist, anu she is looking at new claims biought up by inuigenous communities in
noithein Canaua anu the new foiums that have emeigeu to ueal with these issues.
She is also helping convene a gioup of N.A. membeis at oui Centie who aie woiking
with the Ameiican Nu0 !",## W#(,##2 B5,=#, on a case biought by the Native
village of Kivalina, Alaska against Exxon Nobil Coip. These aie, stiictly speaking,
outsiue of the legal fiames of human iights anu inteinational humanitaiian law,
but as othei membeis in oui ieseaich gioups have shown, anu as I biiefly alluueu
to above, enviionmental issues aie incieasingly iesembling states of conflict. Anu,
enviionmental law incieasingly iesembles the laws of wai.
L7c89 In !"# O#520 &I /'' ?&22)H'# <A)'2, you explain that pait of the justification
foi the use of uiones is that they aie "emotionless." As Ronalu Aikin, an Ameiican
scientist anu a leauei in the fielu of weaponizeu iobotics explaineu, iobots have no
joy in violence. It seems to me that pait of the ongoing justification foi extia-juuicial
killings by states iests not only on piocesses of iationalization, but also the uimin-
ishment of excess. Theie is, then, a fantasy about the elimination of the excesses of
wai. What has become uistasteful to ceitain foims of state powei in late capitalism
is not "evil" oi "violence," but excess, Aikin's "joy in violence." To a ceitain extent,
the mateiials you aie uealing with in foiensic aichitectuie, as in any enviionment,
aie also inheiently excessive, they spill ovei theii bounuaiies anu uefy easy clas-
sification. Bow uoes youi woik negotiate these two uiffeient ways of uealing with
excess.
86 Yes, in !"# O#520 &I /'' 8&22)H'# <A)'2, the aigument is that uealing with the
excesses of wai, iathei than its moie stiuctuial political causes, coulu be abuseu
by militaiies anu states. The calculateu conception of violence it puts foith can
justify almost any atiocity. In this way the logic of the "least of all possible evils"
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 79
is invokeu to justify the use of a lessei violence to pievent the excesses you men-
tioneu. This is the piinciple of piopoitionality, which is about the "too much"
of wai, without evei saying how much is too much. So, the aigument conjuies
a colu calculus, a kinu of economy of ethics wheie goou anu evil aie tiaueu like
commouities, anu speculateu on in the financial economy. But economies aie
uangeious anu volatile, as we have seen again iecently. So, piopoitionality always
has a ielation to the uispiopoitional, oi the excess you mentioneuviolence be-
yonu ieason, beyonu calculation, the wai of the mau, like the one Isiael ueclaieu
when it saiu that they weie going to apply uispiopoitional violence to Lebanon. In
othei woius, they weie going to bieak the law to maintain it. But uispiopoitional
violence is also the violence of the weak, those who cannot calculate, oi wish not
to, anu those who aie kept outsiue the economy of calculations. This violence is
uispiopoitional because it cannot be measuieu oi calculateu, anu because, ulti-
mately, when justice is not answeieu by the law, violence will continuously seek to
altogethei iestiuctuie the basis of law.
L7c89 Anselm Fianke, whom you mentioneu eailiei, is cuiating the foithcom-
ing Foiensic Aichitectuie exhibition as pait of the Baus uei Kultuien uei Welt's
(BKW) ongoing Anthiopocene-Pioject, an initiative involving coopeiation with
the Nax Planck uesellschaft, Beutsches Nuseum, the Rachel Caison Centei foi
Enviionment anu Society, anu the Institute foi Auvanceu Sustainability Stuuies.
We aie inteiesteu in how a venue like the BKW is anothei foium foi the public
consiueiation of the foiensic piactices that you have uevelopeu in aichitectuie.
While the woik of Foiensic Aichitectuie seems to fiequently engage the foium
of the law, whethei thiough IBL oi enviionmental law, the foium of the public
exhibition at the BKW seems to engage a uiffeient type of foium. Bo you see
these vaiious foiums as complementaiy. Bow uoes the public iesponse to
Foiensic Aichitectuie ielate to its politico-juiiuical potential. Anu, how uoes woik-
ing with a cuiatoi like Anselm Fianke tiansfoim ieseaich that woulu otheiwise be
uisseminateu in legal oi acauemic contexts.
86 Naybe theie is an analogy to make between the piesentation of spaces, lanu-
scapes, anu objects in a couitioom, oi in othei political foiums anu assembly spac-
es, anu a cuiatoiial piacticesuch as Anselm'swhich uses the exhibition space
as a laboiatoiy foi piesenting, thinking thiough, gatheiing, anu ie-aiianging foims
of knowleuge. 0f couise, eveiy foium in which political speech is aiticulateu has its
own soit of piotocol by which a ielationship between people anu thingsthat is,
politicsis oiganizeu, meuiateu, anu ieoiganizeu. Bowevei, it is also tiue that pie-
senting things in each of these foiums, whethei foiensic oi cuiatoiial, has something
impoitant in common: the piesentation ieaiianges what can be saiu anu heaiu in
each of them; anu, in both cases, such piesentations can even call foi making a new
foium.
The inteisection with Anselm's woik occuiieu much eailiei than the Anthiopocene
Pioject. In 2uuS, we staiteu woiking togethei on the exhibition "Teiiitoiies" as a
8u
way of ueveloping a ieseaich anu cuiatoiial piactice that tiieu to be political anu
inteiventionist anu useu the exhibition, anu its buuget, to suppoit ieseaich woik in
Palestine. The exhibition touieu, anu we manageu to use the infiastiuctuie of the
ait woilu to pioviue the ieseaich that was latei iecoiueu in K&''&4 O5-@.
Among othei things, the conception of the foiensic ieseaich was inspiieu by
Anselm's pioject on /-)=)2=, which he uevelopeu as a majoi pait of his PhB at the
CRA. What was impoitant in this pioject was how he askeu a seiies of questions
iegaiuing the ways in which claims foi the agency of objects weie pait of veiy
specific political situations. Rathei than a geneial claim, his was a call to analyze
the specificity of those situations.
The fiist public test of the foiensics pioject was the exhibition M#-(#'#12 6;+'' that
Anslem cuiateu with Tom Keenan, Nikolaus Biisch, anu myself. Latei, seveial of oui
membeis weie involveu in events like the Anthiopocene Pioject at BKW, wheie we
sought to inteivene by insisting on the missing politics, that is, on the way the ieality of
the Anthiopocene must be unueistoou thiough multiple conflicts that weie missing
fiom an analysis of the buieauciacies of science foiegiounueu in this pioject. Latei
on, seveial of oui membeis paiticipateu in !"# B"&'# <5,0" exhibition, which Anselm
cuiateu at the BKW, which also helpeu fiame oui attempts, within the gioup, of
taking the scale of foiensic investigation to that of the planet itself.
I think theie aie piobably seveial lessons to leain fiom the entanglement of exhi-
bition anu foiensic piactices; one of the most impoitant, howevei, woulu be in ie-
lation to ongoing uiscussions about the immateiiality of cuiating piactices. I think,
in fact, that a veiy piecise empiiical anu mateiial piesentation is the best moue
to instigate anu mobilize political situations because politics is itself a piocess of
mateiialization on uiffeient scales.

Noles
0 Aftei a seiies of auvanceu seminais at Buke 0niveisity in Febiuaiy 2u1S, Eyal gen-
eiously agieeu to sit uown with Beathei Bavis to uiscuss his iecent woik on foiensic
aichitectuie, inteinational human iights law, anu the ielation of ciitical thinking anu
aitistic piactice to political inteiventions. A paitial tiansciipt of this conveisation ap-
peaieu as "Piopoitionality, violence, anu the Economy of Calculations: Eyal Weizman in
Conveisation with Beathei Bavis," 6*58#(&50. /,*")0#*0+,# | O5-@2*58# | ?&')0)*5' <*&-&=7,
Issue uS - Excess, eu. Etienne Tuipin (SummeiFall 2u1S): 1Su-147. Eyal, Beathei, anu
Etienne latei uevelopeu the concepts anu conceins fuithei foi this publication.
H Ciaig Whitlock, "Bione Waifaie: Nigei Becomes Latest Fiontline in 0S Wai on Teiioi,"
!"# %+5,@)5-, 26 Naich 2u1S, http:www.guaiuian.co.ukwoilu2u1Smai26
nigei-afiica-uiones-us-teiioi.
5 }an Zalasiewicz, Naik Williams, Will Steffen, Paul Ciutzen "The New Woilu of the
Anthiopocene," <-A),&-=#-05' 6*)#-*# h !#*"-&'&(7 44, no. 7 (2u1u): 2228-22S1.
N Foi a uetaileu uesciiption, analysis, anu illustiations of the "pyiamius of uaza," see Eyal
Natteis of Calculation | A Conveisation with Eyal Weizman 81
Weizman, J&,#-2)* /,*")0#*0+,#. 3&0#2 I,&= J)#'@2 5-@ J&,+=2 (0stfiluein: Batje Cantz,
2u12), 4-S.
? Bieuiich Bieueiichsen anu Anselm Fianke, eus., !"# B"&'# <5,0" :5')I&,-)5 5-@ 0"#
W)2588#5,5-*# &I 0"# Q+02)@# (Beilin: Steinbeig Piess, 2u1S).
Y Eyal Weizman, "Political Plastic (Inteiview)," :&''582# vI (}anuaiy 2u1u): 279-8u.
O Foi a full list of BAAR piojects, as well as theoietical ieflections on those piojects, see
http:www.uecolonizing.pssite.
Z This pioject can be founu at http:ahpiojects.compiojectsstealth-weai.
K William Bavei, "A Sense of the Common," !"# 6&+0" /0'5-0)* g+5,0#,'7 111, no. S (Summei
2u12): 4S9-4S2.
0^ Nichel Foucault, "La philosophie analytique ue la politique," in W)02 #0 ciits, 19S4-1988,
vol. S, 1976-1979, eu. Baniel Befeit anu Fianois Ewalu (Paiis: uallimaiu, 1994), S4u-41.
00 "In the case of what is now iefeiieu to as the 'left-to-uie boat,' 72 migiants fleeing Tiipoli
by boat on the eaily moining of 27 Naich 2u11 ian out of fuel anu weie left to uiift foi
14 uays until they lanueu back on the Libyan coast. With no watei oi foou on-boaiu, only
nine of the migiants suiviveu. In seveial inteiviews, these suivivois iecounteu the vaii-
ous points of contact they hau with the exteinal woilu uuiing this oiueal. This incluueu
uesciibing the aiiciaft that flew ovei them, the uistiess calls they sent out via satellite
telephone anu theii visual sightings of a militaiy helicoptei which pioviueu a few packets
of biscuits anu bottles of watei, anu a militaiy ship which faileu to pioviue any assistance
whatsoevei." Foi theii complete analysis, see Foiensic 0ceanogiaphy, http:www.foien-
sic-aichitectuie.oiginvestigationsfoiensic-oceanogiaphy.
0H Foi a complete analysis of these events, see Baviu Cunningham, "Walking into Walls:
Acauemic Fieeuom, the Isiaeli Left anu the 0ccupation within," L5@)*5' ?")'&2&8"7
1Su (}uly-August 2uu8): 67-7u, http:www.iauicalphilosophy.comnews
walking-into-walls-acauemic-fieeuom-the-isiaeli-left-anu-the-occupation-within.
05 Lauia Kuigan, :'&2# R8 50 5 W)205-*#. M588)-(> !#*"-&'&(7> 5-@ ?&')0)*2 (Cambiiuge, Nass.:
Zone Books, 2u1S).
82
U&,4/%&G*/ .A P&, S"&,%#/%. [&JE
>'&$*/ A".) [&J U*V#%.,
Jone Wolff
Mixed Medio
!"# %&"#'()'* +(,-) *# .*&&*/-0 /"1-&2
The city's watershed is dehned twice, once by topography and once
by engineering. The steep west slope of the Sierra Nevada sends rain
and melting snow to San Francisco Bay. Water travels in streams and
rivers down the Central valley, through the California Delta, and past
the Carquinez Strait, always moving toward the ocean. Since the 1920s,
an aqueduct has carried some of that current on a different route. The
Tuolumne River is captured behind Hetch Hetchy Dam and gradually
released into pipes that run straight to San Francisco. Every spigot in the
city is connected to the mountains.
The aqueduct is good and bad. !t protects San Francisco from local
scarcity, and it provides clean water, uncontaminated by the farms and
factories that lie between the mountains and the coast. But what comes
out of the tap is used at the expense of the estuary. Before plumbing
stretched across the state, that water belonged to the hsh.
84
5 e
a
b
c
d
a. shoal: a place where the bay foor is close to the surface of the water.
b. seawall: a wall built to contain flled land and protect it from erosion.
c. dredge: a boat equipped with machinery to lift and transport sediment from the bay foor.
d. bedrock: solid rock that lies below the surface of the ground. The bedrock of the Coast Ranges was pushed into
low mountains by the movement of tectonic plates that underlie the Pacifc Ocean and North America.
How are islands made?
Yerba Buena !sland and Treasure !sland make a pair, but they are not twins.
Yerba Buena belongs to the geological formation of the Coast Ranges,
a consequence of the movement of tectonic plates that make up Earth's
outer layer. Thirty million years ago, the plate under the Pacihc Ocean
began to slide northward against the edge of the plate that supports
North America. Folded and crumpled by the friction, the North American
sea hoor was pushed up into a line of low mountains on the edge of the
continent. Ten thousand years ago, when the last ice age ended, Yerba
Buena was separated from its neighbors by rising water in San Francisco
Bay. The mountain became an island.
Treasure !sland is a younger construction, the product of dredges and
siphons. Until the 1930s it was Yerba Buena Shoals, a high patch of bay
hoor just north of Yerba Buena !sland. !t presented a signihcant navigation
hazard-some parts lay just a few feet below the water-and in 1936, the
federal government's Works Progress Administration undertook its trans3
formation into useful ground. Sand and sediment dredged from around
the bay were piled behind a seawall built of rubble blasted from the Yerba
Buena Tunnel. The new land was dedicated almost exactly a year after
the Bay Bridge had connected San Francisco to Oakland. Treasure !sland
is a closer relative of the bridge than of the old island: both projects were
undertaken to expand the territory of a watery metropolis.
8S Lanuscapes of San Fiancisco Bay: Plates fiom E57 O#D)*&- | }ane Wolff
a
c
b
a. vertical land: new surfaces constructed as the multiple foors of high-rise structures.
b. underground land: new surfaces excavated from fll and contained in the bases of towers.
c. foundation: the lowest part of a tall building, constructed to transfer its weight from the grounds unstable
surface to the solid rock that lies below soil, fll, gravel, and mud.
1 w
How do tall buildings make new land?
Once, new land at the edge of the bay was built horizontally. Piers extend3
ed streets into the mudhats of Yerba Buena Cove. Rubble and sand were
placed beside and between the piers to raise the surface of the hats. The
seawall was constructed to stop the hlled ground from eroding. Land was
made for access to the water because the city lived on maritime commerce.
Today, new land is made vertically. The stacked hoors of the Embarcadero
Center multiplied the surface of the ground dozens of times, and its
garages made inhabitable space underground. Built between 1967 and
1981, as ship trafhc was moving from San Francisco to Oakland, the
center's towers dehned a new world on the waterfront. Ofhce workers
replaced longshoremen, and access to the bay was less important than
easy connections to subways and freeways. Sometimes cities are remade
gradually, but the Embarcadero Center was part of a rapid process of ur3
ban renewal fueled by suspicion of the old, enabled by public policy that
swept away anything decrepit, and bankrolled by real estate speculation.
The compound and its neighbors, high-rise buildings linked by walkways
two stories above the street, crowded out the warehouses of the Produce
District.
!n this vertical city, the hlled land at the shore is uncertain ground. !t does
not have the structural strength to support tall buildings, and earthquakes
have the power to shake it into a liquid. The Embarcadero Center's towers
extend far below the surface of the waterfront. Their foundations reach
through sixteen stories' worth of rubble and mud to bedrock, and their
bases are designed as giant shock absorbers.
86
Like many iconic places, San Fiancisco Bay is loveu bettei than it is un-
ueistoou. Its powei as sceneiy has obscuieu its ecological complexity, its
natuial anu cultuial uynamics, anu its ongoing evolution as a metiopolitan
centiepiece. The piouucts of long, ieiteiative inteiactions among human
intentions, geogiaphic ciicumstances, anu enviionmental piocesses, its
lanuscapes aie ecological hybiius. They aie haiu to uesciibe, anu so they aie
haiu to appiehenu: language is the fiist tool foi peiception, anu we cannot
iecognize what we cannot name. An illustiateu fielu guiue to San Fiancisco's
shoieline, E57 O#D)*&- offeis a nuanceu, place-baseu vocabulaiy that makes
the hybiiu ciicumstances of San Fiancisco Bay appaientanu legibleto
the iange of auuiences with a stake in the lanuscape's futuie.
A collaboiation with the Exploiatoiium of San Fiancisco, this pioject emeigeu
fiom woik ovei the last five yeais with cuiatoi Susan Schwaitzenbeig to
uevelop exhibition content anu teaching mateiials foi a new museum
galleiy about the lanuscape anu ecology of San Fiancisco Bay. E57 O#D)*&-
uses illustiateu flash caius to examine anu uefine elements of the lanuscape
visible fiom the galleiy anu along San Fiancisco's Embaicaueio. It builus on
the piinciples of the Exploiatoiium's founuei, physicist Fiank 0ppenheimei,
who believeu that a citizeniy infoimeu about science compiiseu the best
uefence against the catastiophe of nucleai waifaie. Touay, as we face the
specties of immeuiate anu long-teim ecological uisastei, enviionmental
liteiacy is an essential skill. Events like Supeistoim Sanuy anu Buiiicane
Katiina uemonstiate this neeu. The havoc that the stoims cieateu was
the pieuictable outcome of iecipiocal influences between uynamic en-
viionmentsthe Buuson Rivei estuaiy anu the Nississippi Beltaanu
engineeiing inteiventions people maue in oiuei to live theie. No suipiise
to lanuscape scholais anu ecologists, the catastiophes came as shocks to the
geneial public. Few people hau the ability to ieau the lanuscape, to tianslate
its physical ciicumstances into iepiesentational teims that coulu explain
what hau happeneu oi suggest how to move foiwaiu moie sustainably.
0sing methous anu tools fiom lanuscape scholaiship, uesign, anu science
euucation, E57 O#D)*&- aims to encouiage obseivation anu enquiiy about
the natuial woilu anu its ielation to cultuie. By uefining anu questioning a
seiies of sights anu situations along San Fiancisco's shoieline, the lexicon
aiticulates ielationships between visible, tangible aitefacts anu the complex
(anu often invisible) piocesses that shape the bay anu its euges. It asks how
the physical lanuscape has been tiansfoimeu by piactices of inhabitation
anu because of iueas about meaning anu value. It locates obseivations of
local conuitions in the context of the iegion, anu it ieminus ieaueis that the
piesent always contains tiaces of the past anu clues to the futuie. The pioj-
ect uses a specific place to iaise geneial questions: E57 O#D)*&- consiueis
San Fiancisco Bay as a subject, but it iaises issues that exist in eveiy hybiiu
lanuscape.
1"%+#$*%$F"*\/ U&G#4&"#F)
by lny Colonio Kulper
B, $+* U#D*/ .A M*.'.-#%&' PG*%#)*,/
/2 )-0#'')(#-*# 5-@ '5-(+5(#> 0"&+("0 5-@ 0"# 2)(-2 &I 0"&+("0> 5,# +-)0#@ H7
2#*,#0 5-@ )-@)22&'+H'# ')-;2> 2& )- ');# =5--#,> 5-@ 5'=&20 4)0"&+0 &+, H#)-(
*&-2*)&+2 &I )0> 0"# #D0#,-5' 4&,'@ 5-@ &+, )@#52 5-@ I##')-(2 =#'0 )-0& #5*"
&0"#,S
Alexanuei von Bumbolt, :&2=&2 (1849)
: \ilol Moller. lrchileclure`s Moleriol Life
Wiitten ovei ten yeais befoie its publication in
1981, Aluo Rossi's A Scientijic Autobioqropby
constitutes a peculiai point of uepaituie foi
an essay in a collection uevoteu to aichitec-
tuie in the Anthiopocene. 0n the fiist page of
the text, Rossi wiites:
Ceitainly a veiy impoitant point of
iefeience is Nax Planck's Scientijic
/+0&H)&(,58"7. In this book, Planck ie-
tuins to the uiscoveiy of mouein physics,
iecaptuiing the impiession maue on
him by the enunciation of the piinciple
of the conseivation of eneigy; he always
iecalleu this piinciple in connection with
the schoolmastei Nuellei's stoiy about
a mason who with gieat effoit heaveu a
block of stone up on the ioof of a house.
The mason was stiuck by the fact that
expenueu eneigy uoes not get lost; it
iemains stoieu foi many yeais, nevei
uiminisheu, latent in the block of stone,
until one uay it happens that the block
sliues off the ioof anu falls on the heau of
a passeiby, killing him.
1
Though Rossi's anecuote constitutes an inauspicious beginning foi an autobiogia-
phy, his capacity to uiaw autobiogiaphical, physical, anu builuing piactices com-
pellingly into each othei's oibit succinctly establishes the claims of this essay. In
the following aichitectuial investigation of ten geological specimens, the collecteu
examples will suppoit the following aiguments. Fiist, a vitalist theme histoiically
emeiges at the inteisection of aichitectuial, scientific, anu philosophical uiscouise.
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< B<8
"The Paithenon, Athens," figuie 17 fiom
Aluo Rossi's A Scientijic Autobioqropby,
1981
Fig. u1
88
Seconu, as a iesult of these vitalist tenuencies, the situation of aichitectuiethat
which histoiically was conceptualizeu as "site," anu its mateiial constitution
ceaseu to be iepiesenteu as a static oi benign entity. Thiiu, the influence of vital-
ism also intiouuceu the teim "life" as the chionological measuie of agency, both
human anu inhuman, oiganic anu inoiganic, facilitating the compaiison of human
anu geological agencies that is chaiacteiistic of the Anthiopocene. Fouith, this
metiic"life"emeiges fiom the oveilap between the intioveision of biological
uiscouise (seaiching foi the smallest unit manifesting life), anu the innei inves-
tigations of autobiogiaphical woik (examining how a given chaiactei has come
into being, how an inuiviuual life acquiies meaning). In biology anu autobiogiaphy,
"life" is both the unit of measuie anu the eviuence of immanence. Anu fifth, the
ten geological specimens in aichitectuie's lapiuaiium constiuct a founuation foi an
unueistanuing of life as the measuie, anu immanence as the opeiative conuition, of
aichitectuie in the Anthiopocene.
Retuining now to the fiist specimen, Rossi cites two piimaiy influences foi
his autobiogiaphy: Planck's Scientijic Autobioqropby (publisheu in ueiman as
B)22#-2*"5I0')*"# 6#'H20H)&(,58")#> in 1948, anu in English in 1949), in which the
physicist naiiates the events leauing up to his foimulation of the piinciple of the
conseivation of eneigy; anu Stenuhal's !"# O)I# &I K#-,7 E,+'5,@ (wiitten between
18SS anu 18S6, anu publisheu posthumously in 189u), a thinly veileu fictitious
account of the authoi's unhappy chiluhoou.
2
Stenuhal's woik inteiesteu Rossi foi
its stiange mixtuie of autobiogiaphy anu aichitectuial plansStenuhal electeu to
illustiate this account of his life, not with peispectival vignettes, but iathei with
planimetiic fiagments.
S
0f Stenuhal, Rossi wiites:
It was peihaps thiough Stenuhal's uiawings anu this stiange mixtuie of
autobiogiaphy anu builuing plans that I acquiieu my fiist knowleuge of ai-
chitectuie; they weie the fiist seeus of a notion which ultimately enus up in
this book. I was stiuck by the uiawings of plans which seemeu to be a giaphic
vaiiation of the hanuwiitten manusciipt, anu piincipally foi two ieasons:
fiist, because hanuwiiting is a complex technique that lies between wiiting
anu uiawing |.j anu seconu, because these plans uisiegaiueu oi ignoieu
foimal anu uimensional aspects. In some of my iecent piojects, oi iueas foi
piojects, I tiy to stop the event just befoie it occuis, as if the aichitect coulu
foieseeanu in a ceitain sense uoes foieseethe unfoluing of life in the
house.
4
In this sense, the autobiogiaphical account anu the aichitectuial plan aie paial-
lel opeiations foi Rossi in that both aie activateu by a vital eneigy, manifesting
itself eithei as an event oi a foimal configuiation. Beie, it may be woith noting
that Stenuhal is a -&= @# 8'+=# foi Naiie-Benii Beyle, selecteu in hommage to
}ohann }oachim Winckelmann, who was boin in Stenual, ueimany. Winckelmann
is known foi biinging natuial histoiical taxonomy to ait histoiical uiscouise, anu
in this sense his categoiization of cultuial aitifacts into peiious anu styles coulu be
similaily chaiacteiizeu as a moment of fixity within a fluiu histoiical continuity.
S
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 89
What is the common giounu between cultuial aitifacts anu the categoiies that
house them, between uispaiate pseuuonyms anu the authoi who cieates them,
between the aichitect anu the spatial configuiations he imagines, anu between
the autobiogiaphei anu the naiiative he iecounts. In each of these instances,
the common giounu iesiues in the conceptualization of "life" as 0"# ciitical unit
of chionological measuie. In his essay "0f Ciystals, Cells, anu Stiata: Natuial
Bistoiy anu Bebates on the Foim of a New Aichitectuie in the Nineteenth Centuiy,"
aichitectuial histoiian Baiiy Beiguoll obseives that the thiee uefining texts of
nineteenth-centuiy aichitectuial theoiyRuskin's 60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (18S1-18SS),
viollet-le-Buc's W)*0)&--5),# ,5)2&--F @# '15,*")0#*0+,# I,5-i5)2# (18S4-1868), anu
uottfiieu Sempei's W#, 60)' (vol. 1, 1861, vol. 2, 186S)aie all "shot thiough with
geological iefeiences that seek to biing the centuiy's fascination with the stuuy of
the histoiy of civilization into line with the new insights into the expanueu time-
line of the histoiy of the eaith itself."
6
Beiguoll's chaiacteiization of this uesiie foi
the synchionization of human time anu geologic time is suppoiteu by Naitin }. S.
Ruuwick's ieminuei that geology anu biology aie teims both coineu at the stait of
the nineteenth centuiy, anu that theii emeigence occasioneu a ieoiientation of the
map of knowleuge.
7
Ruuwick wiites: "The ielations between the vaiious natuial
sciences, anu between them anu the social sciences anu humanities |.j aie not in-
tiinsic to the natuial anu human woilus: all oui maps of knowleuge aie themselves
human constiuctions, embeuueu in the contingencies anu specificities of histoiy."
8

Ruuwick's fiaming of histoiical contingency as that which unites the sciences anu
the humanities pioffeis a unit of measuie foi the attempteu synchionizations of
nineteenth-centuiy aichitectuial theoiya life.
In his 199S essay "Immanence: A Life.," uilles Beleuze uiaws the uistinction be-
tween a life, anu an immanent life: "A life is eveiywheie, in all the moments that a
given living subject goes thiough anu that aie measuieu by given liveu objects: an
immanent life caiiying with it the events oi singulaiities that aie meiely actualizeu
in subjects anu objects."
9
Somewheie in Beleuze's foimulation of immanent life
luiks Rossi's uesiie to "stop the event just befoie it occuis"both chaiacteiiza-
tions alluue to potential, piioi to its iealization. In }ane Bennett's inteipietation
of Beleuze, hei attention focuses on the philosophei's use of the inuefinite aiticle
"a," anu his iefeience to "a life," because, "|aj life inhabits that uncanny nontime
existing between the vaiious moments of biological anu moiphological time."
1u
Like
Beiguoll, Bennett points to the ieckoning of human anu geological time, but unlike
Beiguoll, she establishes "a life" as the potential inteiface between the two. Bennett
continues: "A life thus names a iestless activeness, a uestiuctive-cieative foice-pies-
ence that uoes not coinciue fully with any specific bouy. A life teais the fabiic of the
actual without evei coming fully 'out' in a peison, place, oi a thing. A life points
to what / !"&+25-@ ?'50#5+2 uesciibes as 'mattei-movement' oi 'mattei-eneigy,'
a 'mattei in vaiiation that enteis assemblages anu leaves them.'"
11
Alteinatively,
uioigio Agamben's inteipietation of Beleuzean immanence concentiates not on
the inuefinite aiticle pieceuing life, but iathei on the semantic connotations of
Beleuze's punctuation, specifically the colon anu the ellipsis in his title. Agamben
9u
aigues: "If we take up Auoino's metaphoi of the colon as a gieen light in the tiaffic
of language, |.j we can say that between immanence anu a life theie is a kinu of
ciossing with neithei uistance noi iuentification, something like a passage without
spatial movement."
12
Foi Agamben then, the colon intimates a uepaituie fiom im-
manence as a state of being towaius something like "immanation" (Beleuze's teim):
activateu possibility that is not yet actualizeu, catalyzeu potentiality that is not yet
iealizeuin othei woius, viitualization. With iespect to the ellipsis uots following
"a life" in Beleuze's title, Agamben ieasons: "Beie the incompletion that is tiaui-
tionally thought to chaiacteiize ellipsis uots uoes not iefei to a final, yet lacking,
meaning |.j |Rjathei, it inuicates an inuefinition of a specific kinu, which biings
the inuefinite meaning of the aiticle 'a' to its limit."
1S
Accoiuing to Agamben, taking
the colon anu ellipsis togethei, "a life." is "puie potentiality that pieseives without
acting."
14
Thus, to concluue the inteipietation of this fiist geological specimen, if
the vital foice that inhabits Nax Planck's example of the schoolmastei Nuellei's
stone is conseiveu eneigy, anu the vital foice that Rossi iuentifies in Stenuhal's
plan fiagments iesiues in its capacity to stop an event befoie it has occuiieu, then
Rossi's geological specimen fiames this vitalist immanent life as puie potentiality.
:: 0eologicol Life. Sone Mylhologicol Norrolives
The seconu specimen exploies the notion of geological life thiough foui mytholog-
ical (oi at least mythical) naiiatives that consiuei the inteitwining of the eaith's
histoiy with human histoiy. The mythological account is a useful vehicle foi exploi-
ing the iuea of geological life, laigely because it is pie-scientific, so its tenuency is
to naiiate thiough engagement, iathei than to explain fiom a uistance. The subject
of Louis-Einst Baiiias' sculptuie is the Egyptian gouuess Isis, iuentifiable by the
gieen scaiab peicheu upon the cloth beneath hei bieasts. Isis was a seminal figuie
foi the Romantics, anu Fiieuiich Schillei wiote about hei in the poem "The veileu
Image at Sas," publisheu in 179S anu tianslateu into English by Sii Euwaiu Bulwei
Lytton in 1866. In the poem a young man tiavels to Egypt anu is tolu that behinu
the veil of Isis lays the tiuth, but he is cautioneu not to lift it. Why this aumonition
against lifting the veil. }ean-Paul Saitie wiites: "What is seen is possesseu; to see is
to Jejlower. If we examine the compaiisons noimally useu to expiess the ielation
between the knowei anu the known, we see that many of them aie iepiesenteu
as being a kinu of A)&'50)&- H7 2)("0."
1S
Foi Saitie, visual examination is ciitical to
the scientific paiauigm, anu the Romantic caution against lifting the veil is uiiectly
linkeu to the uesiie to pieseive the paiticipatoiy, connective, anu immeisive ui-
mensions of knowing affiliateu with the mythological paiauigm. Similaily, Kaisten
Baiiies wiites:
The look tenus to uegiaue the seen by tiansfoiming it into an object. 0bjects
have theii founuation in the subject. To wish to know oi see something as
object is to wish to appiopiiate anu piocess it. The uesiie to see the tiuth is a
uesiie to be its mastei anu thus mastei of all. The young man in the poem is
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 91
unwilling to accept the fact that man, although tianscenuing known objects,
is in tuin tianscenueu by an unknown ieality anu is not the authoi of his
being. By knowing all, he wants to become his own founuation anu to put
himself as puie knowing subject in the place of uou.
16
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< 96B
Feiuinanu Cheval, ?5'5)2 9@F5' (1879-1912), Louis-Einest Baiiias, 350+,# R-A#)')-( K#,2#'I
E#I&,# 6*)#-*# (1899), }ohn Colliei, ?,)#20#22 &I W#'8") (1891), Sii Euwaiu Coley Buine-}ones,
6)278"+2 (c. 187u)
Fig. u2
92
The Romantic obsession with the veil of Isis, then, is a cautionaiy tale about the
human uesiie foi omnipotence, a uesiie that in Baiiias' sculptuie is combineu with
the scientific gaze. Anu yet, this iepiesentation of Isis seems to willingly anu with-
out coeicion lift hei veil, as if natuie is eagei to ieveal hei seciets to the inquiiing
scientist. What the naiiative of Isis uemonstiates is the piecaiiousness of mytho-
poeic piopinquity in the mouein auvent of the uistanceu scientific gaze.
}ohn Colliei's uepiction of the ?,)#20#22 50 W#'8") iepiesents the oiacle peicheu on
a tall stool, hoveiing above a chasm in the eaith that appeais to be emitting steam
oi gas. In his uiscussion of the Belphic oiacle, Steven Connoi obseives that the
association of females with the eaith is commonplace in many cultuies. Be wiites:
"The female eaith is thought of as valuable enclosuies oi inteiioiities. In paiticulai,
vases which holu giain, oil, oi wine, anu ovens that tiansfoim giain into bieau.
This emphasis upon valuable inteiioiity maue openings in the eaith extiemely
significant. Such openings, in the foim of chasms anu caves, weie at once the con-
fiimation anu tiansgiession of the eaith's powei to holu anu stoie items of value."
17

The oiacle's powei is ueiiveu fiom hei pioximity to the eaith, both physically anu
metaphoiically, anu fiom this pioximity comes hei ability to speak foi the eaith, to
inteipiet its emissions. Page uuBois alluues to the tiauition of the oiacle being a
post-menopausal woman, a figuie who "must iemain puie potential, nevei having
theii inteiioi filleu up by sex oi piegnancy, so that othei piocesses of thesauiization
can occui."
18
Poiseu upon a goluen-footeu stool that stiauules a fissuie in the eaith's
suiface anu ensconceu in the emitteu vapouis, Colliei's oiacle is a metaphysical
tiope, tianslating anu ienueiing immanent the unleasheu geneiative potential of
the eaith.
Anothei mythological naiiative that takes up this theme is Albeit Camus' !"# M70"
&I 6)278"+2 (publisheu in Fiench in 1942, anu English in 19SS). Captuieu in Euwaiu
Buine-}ones' painting (c.187u), Sisyphus is conuemneu, by the gous, to the futile
physical laboui of continually pushing a bouluei up a hill. 0pon ieaching the apex,
his oneious task accomplisheu, he is then fateu to witness the bouluei's ietieat,
secuie in the knowleuge that his laboui was entiiely in vain. Camus wiites:
It is uuiing that ietuin, that pause, that Sisyphus inteiests me. A face that
toils so close to stones is alieauy stone itself! See that man going back uown
with a heavy yet measuieu step towaiu the toiment of which he will nevei
know the enu. That houi like a bieathing-space which ietuins as suiely as his
suffeiing, that is the houi of consciousness. At each of these moments when
he leaves the heights anu giauually sinks towaiu the laiis of the gous, he is
supeiioi to his fate. Be is stiongei than his iock.
19
In his analysis, Camus isolates this hiatus fiom laboui, this moment of conscious-
ness, as an instance of affinity between the anthiopological anu the geological,
anu moment of iuentity, oi even empathy, between man anu stone. The two aie at
once the same anu yet uiffeientSisyphus is alieauy stone, yet he is stiongei than
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 9S
iockanu a vital exchange has occuiieu between the life of the bouluei anu the life
of the man whose fate is insepaiable fiom this geological buiuen.
Finally, a mythical (if not mythological) exemplai of geological life iesiues in the
uiban legenu of the Fiench postman, Feiuinanu Cheval. In Apiil 1879, Cheval
tiippeu on a stone along his typical ioute, anu was so taken by it, that foi the next
SS yeais he collecteu specimens uuiing his mail iounus, anu with them constiucteu
the ?5'5)2 9@F5'. 0nce again, the iespective fates of man anu iocks aie inextiica-
bly inteitwineu. Embiaceu by the suiiealists, anu paiticulaily by Anui Bieton,
Cheval's masteipiece came to epitomize the ambitions of automatisma seamless
connection between ieality anu uieam. If, in Camus' hanus, the myth of Sisyphus
encouiages the ieauei to contemplate some soit of vitalist exchange between man
anu iock, Cheval's ?5'5)2 9@F5' conjuies anothei manifestation of these geneiative
foices as they ignite the postman's mateiial imagination in the implementation of
a geological uieam woilu.
::: 0enerolive, Toxononicol, ond Molhenolicol nnonence
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< 9LI88
Eugene-Emmanuel viollet-le-Buc, Bisintegiation of Ciystalline Rock, M&-0 E'5-* (1876)
Eugene-Emmanuel viollet-le-Buc, Phenomena of Regelation, M&-0 E'5-* (1876)
Fig. uS
94
In 1876, Fiench aichitect, theoiist anu iesto-
iation specialist Eugene-Emmanuel viollet-
le-Buc wiote a lengthy tome on Nont Blanc,
on its geological anu geouesical foimations
anu tiansfoimations, as well as on the cuiient
anu past state of its glacieis.
2u
The fiist image
of viollet-le-Buc's text is neithei scenic noi
pictoiial; iathei, it is a uiagiam uepicting the
piocess of geological upheaval in its befoie
anu aftei states. This is significant in that
viollet-le-Buc elects fiist to uemonstiate na-
tuie's behavioui befoie iepiesenting natuie's
appeaiance to his ieaueis. In his uesciiption
of immanence, Beleuze wiites: "Absolute
immanence is in itself: it is not )- something,
0& something; it uoes not uepenu on an object
oi belong to a subject."
21
In his uepiction of
this geological phenomenon, viollet-le-Buc
is iepiesenting a piocess, the piocess of up-
heaval, anu in this sense his uiagiam of foices
has no subjectit is all veib. viollet-le-Buc's
othei texts equally ieveal this piopensity foi
the iepiesentation of immanent natuies. Bis
187S K)20&,7 &I K+=5- K5H)050)&- examines the peiennial piactices of uomestica-
tion, while O#5,-)-( 0& W,54 (1879) anu !"# K)20&,7 &I 5 K&+2# (187S) aie thinly
uisguiseu E)'@+-(2,&=5-2 in which the piocess of cultivation is emphasizeu ovei
the cultivation of an inuiviuual.
22
In "Bisintegiation of the Ciystalline Rocks," viollet-le-Buc uepicts the moipholog-
ical "life" of Nont Blanc. Inteiestingly, howevei, none of the foui images uepicteu
in this mathematical iegiession is an actual iepiesentation of Nont Blanc. viollet-
le-Buc ienueis this uiawing as if the piocess of ciystalline uisintegiation hau a life
of its own, inuepenuent of Nont Blanc oi the specificity of any othei geological
foimation. Similaily, his illustiation of the phenomenon of iegelation is ievealing.
Beie, viollet-le-Buc attempts to taxonomically uepict mattei that is unueigoing a
change of state. Anticipating Benii Beigson's vitalist asseition that "foim is only
a snapshot view of a tiansition," viollet-le-Buc piouuces stop-motion imageiy at
both micio anu macio scales, making the piocess of glacial foimation immeuiately
intelligible.
2S
In thus uepicting geological foimation (the piocess of upheaval),
geological eiosion (ciystalline uisintegiation), anu glacial changes of state (iege-
lation anu compiession), viollet-le-Buc's iepiesentations of Nont Blanc epitomize
Beleuzean "immanence": a piocess that is always yet "in the making."
24
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< SBWI
Fig. u4 uottfiieu Sempei, "Temple of
Panhellenic Zeus at Aezani," fiom
607'# )- 0"# !#*"-)*5' 5-@ !#*0&-)*
/,02 (186u-6S)
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 9S
:d Technicol ond Teclonic nnonence
By contiast, in uottfiieu Sempei's hanus, the subject of geology is always alieauy
categoiizeu thiough the mateiial specificity of stones of a paiticulai soit, anu
thiough the tectonic lens of steieotomy. In his seminal text, 607'# )- 0"# !#*"-)*5'
5-@ !#*0&-)* /,02 &,> ?,5*0)*5' /#20"#0)*2 (186u-6S), stone is conceptualizeu as a
builuing mateiial insepaiable fiom the techniques thiough which it is piepaieu
foi constiuction. When Antoine Picon auuiesses aichitectuial constiuction, he ue-
sciibes it as being "on the veige of speaking," but in Sempei's case, the techniques
of steieotomy aie both 5 8,)&,) anu piesciiptive, anu in this sense, the stone alieauy
knows what it is going to say. Paiauoxically, Sempei uiscusses the techniques of
steieotomy befoie he evei consiueis the mateiiality of stone, exaceibating this
omission by positing the question: "But uiu steieotomy, in fact, have no oiiginal
uomain to it."
2S
What follows this question is a histoiical uiscussion of the heaith,
inuicating that Sempei is opeiating unuei the assumption that the ontology of ste-
ieotomic technique can be tiaceu back to the cential element of a piimitive builuing
foim.
Following a similai logic, Sempei then uiscusses the founuation wall:
The lifeless ciystalline-mineial quality that chaiacteiizes the founuation
wall makes it a foimal manifestation of stone constiuction; its natuie coiie-
sponus completely to what is placeu on top of it. The two combine to foim
a self-containeu whole, what one might call a iepiesentative of a *,7205'')-#
+-)A#,2#. Stone tuins euiythmically inwaiu on all siues anu uenies any ex-
teinal existence. We cannot contemplate it except as a iegulai anu complete
foim.
26
With iespect to the geological specimens unuei consiueiation, Sempei's piioi-
itization of steieotomy anu its attenuant mathematization of stone epitomizes
technical anu tectonic immanence. The chaiacteiization of a founuation wall as a
"lifeless," "self-containeu whole," that "uenies any exteinal existence," aiticulates
a moment in which technique eclipses mateiial possibility, in which the "how" of
steieotomy's mathematical capacity to fashion stone supplants the "what" of tia-
uitional mateiial iconogiaphy. In Sempei's heimetic woilu of constiuction, in his
"ciystalline univeise," any vitalist aspiiations foi the geneiative capacity of stone
aie channelleu into the mathematical piopiieties of steieotomy; the stoniness of
stone capitulates to the human techniques thiough which it is fashioneu towaius
technical anu tectonic enus. The life of Sempei's stone is mathematically pieue-
teimineu as it succumbs to the exigencies of constiuction piactices. Foi Sempei,
geological knowleuge is thus confineu to the epistemological hoiizon of stone as
builuing mateiial, anu this hoiizon is squaiely locateu between column base anu
fiieze in the mathematical anu tectonic expiession of steieotomy.
96
d leslhelic nnonence
The fiist chaptei of }ohn Ruskin's !"# 60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (18S1-SS) is entitleu "Quaiiy,"
a iubiic that uefinitively establisheu the inextiicability of human anu geological
histoiy, given that the chaptei is piimaiily conceineu with the political anu ieli-
gious histoiy of venice. The fiist image of Ruskin's book, a "Wall veil Becoiation,"
illustiates the stoiy of an ambassauoi who aiiiveu in venice in the fifteenth centuiy
anu immeuiately iecognizeu a change in its aichitectuie. Beie, Ruskin aigues that
uieek aichitectuie was "clumsily copieu" by the Romans. Following on the heels
of this anecuote, Ruskin aumits his uesiie to establish a law foi aichitectuie, like
the one that exists in painting, which woulu allow foi a uistinction to be uiawn be-
tween goou aichitectuie anu bau. Be wiites: "I felt also assuieu that this law must
be univeisal if it weie conclusive; that it must enable us to ieject all foolish anu base
woik, anu to accept all noble anu wise woik, without iefeience to style oi national
feeling. |.j I set myself, theiefoie, to establish such a law."
27
Ruskin iationalizes his
seaich foi such a law by ievealing his aspiiation to establish the veiy founuations
of aichitectuial ciiticism.
uiven that Ruskin woulu like these founuations to be uisceining anu capable of
eschewing the clumsy copy with which his text begins, his language then takes up
the tiopes of geological foimation: "Anu if I shoulu succeeu, as I hope, in making
the Stones of venice touchstones, anu uetecting, by the moulueiing of hei maible,
poison moie subtle than evei was betiayeu by the ienuing of hei ciystal"his ue-
sciiption concluues with the piomise to access a moie vital tiuth.
28
Beie, Ruskin's
language of geological uecay (moulueiing), geological examination (touchstones
aie assaying tools useu to iuentify piecious metals), anu geological foimation (the
piocess of ciystallization) lays the founuations foi an aesthetic law that will not fal-
tei in the face of substanuaiu stylistic copies. Though the opeiations of geological
foimation anu human cultuial piouuction may paiallel one anothei, aesthetic juug-
ment shoulu emulate natuie's geneiative piocesses in oiuei to fulfill its univeisal
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< S:d8
Fig. uS }ohn Ruskin, B5'' N#)' W#*&,50)&-, fiom !"# 60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (18S1-SS), }ohn Ruskin, ?##,2, fiom !"#
60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (18S1-SS), }ohn Ruskin, ?'5-2 &I ?##,2, fiom !"# 60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (18S1-SS)}oseph
Nichael uanuy, /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@# (18S8)
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 97
aspiiations. 0ltimately, the moializing tone of Ruskin's nascent aichitectuial ciiti-
cism emanates fiom this uesiie foi aesthetic law to mimetically ieplicate natuial
law, ensuiing histoiical continuity anu safeguaiuing against stylistic anomaly.
d: 0rigins. The nceplion of nnonence
/,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@#' (18S8), specimen six, is }oseph Nichael uanuy's
pictoiial naiiative on the entanglements of human anu geologic time. In the
foiegiounu, a gioup of piimates (an obvious allusion to human evolution) ciafts a
piimitive hut thiough the benuing anu lashing of tiee bianches. In fiont of the hut, a
piimate with a simian heau anu human bouy peiches, "unawaie of the basaltic fiag-
ment on which he is seateu, the faceteu anu monumental iuins of this Classicizing
geology spilling all aiounu him."
29
Beie, the piimate evolving into a human befoie
oui eyes occupies a "Classicizing geology"a stone poiseu somewheie between
its geological foimation anu its cultuial aiticulation as column. Behinu this hut
looms Fingal's Cavea geological touiist attiaction in Scotlanuconveying the
message, "the futuie histoiy of aichitectuie was alieauy wiitten in the lanuscape,
meiely waiting foi human civilization to catch up."
Su
The foimal affinities between
the manmaue sheltei anu the geologically wiought cave attest to this.
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< P:e
}oseph Nichael uanuy, fiom /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@# (18S8) Fig. u6
98
uanuy's wateicoloui, the only suiviving image of his :&=85,50)A# /,*")0#*0+,#
seiies at the Royal Acauemy in Lonuon, was exhaustively uesciibeu in the exhibi-
tion catalogue. It is something of a geological *58,)**)&, a collection of the woilu's
most iemaikable geological foimations assembleu as if they occupieu a single site.
Etymologically linkeu to the woiu "capiicious," the *58,)**)& emeigeu as a iepie-
sentational genie in the seventeenth centuiy, at a moment when the cosmological
paiauigm was giauually being eclipseu by mouein histoiical anu scientific paia-
uigms, with theii attenuant notion of inuiviuual human agency. Beie, the whimsy of
the geogiaphical impiecision of uanuy's collectionthe image incluues the natuial
aich fiom Neicuiy Bay in New Zealanu anu the iock foimations of Cappauocia
in Anatoliameets the accuiacy of the mouein scientific gaze anu the tempoial
agency of the new histoiical woiluview. uanuy wiote: "Nen who tiaveise this eaith
anu examine the animal, mineial, anu vegetable kinguoms finu a succession of
mouels foi his aitificial fabiicks. |.j The philosophy of aichitectuie is a sketchbook
fiom natuie."
S1
Though the *58,)**)& genie was commonplace in uanuy's time, the
paiauox iaiseu by the iuea of a geological *58,)**)& is compelling because it posits
the opeiations of geological foimation H#04##- site-specificity anu human agency.
Peihaps uanuy's piimaiy contiibution to the genie iesiues in his acknowleugment
that the assembleu collection neeu not be capiicious; in fact, as an aggiegate it has
the capacity to uesciibe a life, as was the case in his homage to }ohn Soane. In 1818,
uanuy piouuceu a painting entitleu / 6#'#*0)&- &I E+)'@)-(2> ?+H')* 5-@ ?,)A50#>
FrecteJ from tbe Besiqns of }obn Soone, commemoiating Soane's contiibutions
as an aichitect anu antiquaiian. If in this case uanuy is uesciibing an immanent
Fig. u7 }oseph Nichael uanuy, / 6#'#*0)&- &I ?5,02 &I E+)'@)-(2> ?+H')* 5-@ ?,)A50#> <,#*0#@ I,&= 0"# W#2)(-2 &I
}obn Soone (1818)
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 99
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< P8d8<
histoiy, the life he alluues to in /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@#' is a geological life. In
iefeience to such evocations of "life," Beleuze wiites: "The life of such inuiviuuality
faues away in favoui of the singulai life immanent to a man who no longei has a
name, though he can be mistaken foi no othei."
S2
Theie is little wonuei that uanuy
is possesseu of a geopoetic imagination that allows him to speculate upon such a
geological life. "Nattei-movement" stilleu in the piocess of constiuction oi halteu
in the attiition of iuination hau long been the ostensible subject of his iepiesen-
tations, as eviuenceu by his seminal image A vision of Sir }obn Soones Besiqn for
0"# E5-; &I <-('5-@ 52 5 L+)- (18Su). With painstaking attention to uetail, uanuy
iepiesenteu immanent lifethe life of a builuing, the life of an aichitect, the life of
a geological specimenseamlessly eliuing natuial cieation anu human piouuction,
anu ultimately paving the way foi an aichitectuie of the Anthiopocene.
d:: Resource
Containeu within the iueological iumina-
tions of Kail Naix anu Fiieuiich Engels' !"#
:&==+-)20 M5-)I#20& (1848), is this tiibute to
the piouuctive knowleuge of the bouigeoisie:
The bouigeoisie, uuiing its iule of scaice
one hunuieu yeais, has cieateu moie
massive anu moie colossal piouuctive
foices than have all pieceuing genei-
ations togethei. Subjection of natuie's
foices to man, machineiy, application of
chemistiy to inuustiy anu agiicultuie,
steam navigation, iailways, electiic
telegiaphs, cleaiing of whole continents
foi cultivation, canalization oi iiveis,
whole populations conjuieu out of the
giounuwhat eailiei centuiy hau even a
piesentiment that such piouuctive foices
slumbeieu in the lap of social laboui.
SS

What Naix anu Engels aie witnessing, in this
anu othei passages, is the commouification
of the natuial woilu into iesouices (to be
useu, anu useu up), as well as the ieification
of its vital foices into laboui anu eneigy. What
tianspiieu uuiing this centuiy of bouigeoisie
iule that occasioneu such a massive ieconceptualization of the natuial woilu.
Between 17S1 anu 1777, Benis Biueiot anu }ean le Ronu u'Alembeit publisheu the
S2 volumes of the <-*7*'&8F@)#, a compiehensive anu exhaustive uocumentation of
mouein knowleuge.
Biueiot anu B'Alembeit, M)-#,5' O&5@2
&, N#)-2 5-@ 0"#), E#5,)-(2, fiom
'1j-*7'&8#@)#, vol. 6 (1768)
Fig. u8
1uu
Pait of the pioject of the encylopeuists was to classify geological anu mineialogical
iesouices, anu to uocument the vaiious technologies ueployeu foi extiacting them
fiom the eaith. As a iesult of eighteenth-centuiy aicheological anu antiquaiian
activities, the eaith acquiieu a new peiceptual uepth, facilitating the conceptual-
ization of the natuial as immanent histoiy, anu of the eaith's mateiials as iesouices
that coulu be extiacteu just like aicheological aitifacts. Natuial uispositions weie
ieconfiguieu into piouuctive knowleuge, as
in geological specimen seven, an illustiation
uemonstiating the viitue of constiucting
galleiies anu tunnels accoiuing to the incli-
nation of the veins being mineu. Typically, in
these encyclopeuia images, a sectional view
of an unueiwoilu of iesouice extiaction
suppoits the unfoluing peispective of a pio-
uuctive lanuscape, in which the iesouices aie
utilizeu towaius highly uiffeientiateu enus
of cultuial fabiication. In this sense, these
types of images constitute a thickening of the
epistemological hoiizon, as they cultivate new
teiiitoiies foi the imposition of piouuctive
knowleuge. Eventually, the technologies of ex-
tiaction begin to eclipse the commouification
of the eaith's iesouices in such a way that the
instiumentalization of the piocess anu the
piouuctive knowleuge it pioffeis become the
ostensible subject of these images. The geo-
logical life uepicteu by the encyclopeuists is a
life of iesouice extiaction, eneigy piouuction,
anu commouity consumption, epitomizing
Nietzsche's "monstei of eneigy" in the esca-
lating supply anu uemanu of the emeiging
capitalist economy.
S4

d::: Foundolions
In the context of venice, founuations consist of woouen piles maue fiom the tiunks
of aluei tiees, submeigeu in the wateis of the Auiiatic, sitting upon a soft layei
of sanu oi muu, then upon a haiuei layei of compiesseu clay. uiovanni Battista
Piianesi, boin in Nogliano veneto on venetian terro jirmo, labouieu unuei both a
venetian pieoccupation with founuations anu an antiquaiian cuiiosity about the
giounu upon which he stoou. Bis pieoccupation with founuations, both liteial anu
figuiative, is also attiibutable to the afteimath of the Quaiiel of the Ancients anu
Noueins, a late seventeenth-centuiy liteiaiy anu aitistic uebate ovei the oiigins
anu founuations of mouein Euiopean cultuie. It is as ciitical to histoiically situate
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< 8:ML9
Fig. u9 uiovanni Battista Piianesi,
J&+-@50)&-2 &I 0"# !"#50#, &I
M5,*#''+2, fiom /-0)*")0k L&=5-#
(17S6)
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 1u1
Piianesi's woik in its afteimath as it is to sit-
uate it geogiaphically. Piianesi's uesiie to ex-
cavate a legitimate anu appiopiiate histoiical
past to substantiate his contempoiaiy cultuie;
his ambition to make the unseen geological
substiate, laying beneath the hoiizon, into
a visible anu intelligible tiauitional footing;
anu his attempt to exaggeiate aicheological
legacies; all point to an explicit aspiiation to
constiuct cultuial founuations in a moment
of epistemological unceitainty. In 17S6, he
piouuceu a volume on the aichitectuie of
Roman antiquity, /-0)*")0l L&=5-#, which
waiiants some compaiison with Nichel
Seiies' text L&=#. !"# E&&; &I J&+-@50)&-2.
Seiies wiites: "/@ +,H# *&-@)05S Founuation
is a conuition. The conuition is unionthat which is situateu oi put togethei,
stoieu away, helu in ieseive, lockeu up in a safe place, anu thus hiuuen fiom the
gaze, beyonu unueistanuing."
SS
If, foi Seiies, founuations aie hiuuen fiom the gaze
beyonu unueistanuing, the hoiizon of epistemological intelligibility has expanueu
into subteiianean teiiitoiies foi Piianesi.
In hei seminal text E&@7 :,)0)*)2=. 9=5()-( 0"# R-2##- )- <-')("0#-=#-0 /,0 5-@
M#@)*)-#, Baibaia Naiia Staffoiu uesciibes the coiiosive piocess of Piianesi's etch-
ings as a paiallel opeiation to an aicheological imagination that sees unuei anu
thiough, visually uismantling the suiface of things. She wiites: "Piianesi's iauical
expeiimentation with etching, a coiiosive chemical piocess foi biting a coppei-
plate, peimitteu him to peifoim peiceptual iescue woik. Be aitistically uneaitheu
the mutilateu coipse of Italian antiquity."
S6
Aspects of Piianesi's "peiceptual
iescue woik" can be seen in his "Founuations of the Theatei of Naicellus," (geo-
logical specimen numbei eight) in which the scalai exaggeiation of the monument
manifests ceitain cultuial founuational anxieties. Luiking beneath the steiilizing
tenuencies of the Enlightenment 05H+'5 ,525 anu the new epistemologies it woulu
suppoit, Piianesi liteially uneaiths a histoiy both expeiientially uistant anu im-
manently piesent. The intelligibility of human histoiy paiallels the intelligibility of
natuial histoiythe founuations foi both aie accessible anu unueistanuable. As
Staffoiu eloquently states, "Theie was an intimate connection, then, between the
etching piocess anu the exploiation of hiuuen physical oi mateiial topogiaphies.
Impoitant, too, was the entiie panoply of piobing instiuments, chemicals, heat anu
smoke, ievealing anu concealing giounus."
S7
In a quite uiffeient iepiesentation of founuations fiom the same text, Piianesi
stumbleu upon a pile of iocks on the site of the ancient Nausoleum of Cecilia
Natella, anu became cuiious about the peculiai notches caiefully cut into the
uiscaiueu stones. These maikings alloweu Piianesi to ieconstiuct the monument
Piianesi, "Nausoleum of Cecilia Natella,"
fiom /-0)*")0k L&=5-# (17S6)
Fig. 1u
1u2
anu speculatively iepiesent the complex block-anu-tackle system he imagineu was
ueployeu in its constiuction. This uepiction of founuations is consistent with the
enlightenment ethos in which piogiess began to slowly eclipse pioviuence, anu
technology took up the eschatological agenua of making a bettei woilua man-
maue anu immanent cieation. Foi his pait, Seiies uesciibes the founuations of
Rome not as a static system of suppoit, but iathei as a fluiu anu fecunu cultuial
substiate: "The founuation is the theoiy oi piactice of movement. 0f fusion anu
melange. 0f the multiplicity of time. Inueeu, all founuation is, in the oiiginal sense,
cuiient. The uike was built between natuie anu cultuie. Along it one coulu easily
ietuin."
S8
Foi Piianesi, the intelligibility of the founuation stones of ancient Rome
manifest such a fusion oi mlangea cuiient that ienueis histoiy immanent anu
foiegiounus the elastic imagination of the aichitect.
:e Fornolions
0n a visit to Nessina
in 16S8, }esuit scholai
Athanasius Kiichei wit-
nesseu vesuvius as it began
to ieveibeiate anu smol-
uei. 0veicome by cuiiosity,
he hikeu to the iim of the
active volcano, anu this is
what he latei wiote about
the expeiience: "When
finally I ieacheu the ciatei,
it was teiiible to beholu.
The whole aiea was lit up
by the fiies, anu the glow-
ing sulphui anu bitumen
piouuceu an intoleiable
vapoui. It was just like hell,
only lacking the uemons
to complete the pictuie!"
S9

Bespite this foimative ex-
peiience, Kiichei's geolog-
ical imaginings, puisueu
in his 1664 text M+-@+2
6+H0#,,5-#+2, ueciueuly tilteu moie in the uiiection of natuie's geneiative capacity
than its uestiuctive tenuency. In this text, he auvanceu a heimetic anu inteiioiizeu
woiluview of geologic foimation: "Kiichei iepeateu an ancient animistic theoiy
impoitant to both Biitish anu Fiench mateiialists that founu suppoit among
ieputable eighteenth-centuiy natuial philosopheis; namely, 0"50 5'' #5,0"'7 H&@)#2
(,&4 5-@ @#A#'&8 I,&= 4)0")-."
4u
Kiichei's inteiest in the vital foices of geologic
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< <:<8
Fig. 11 Athanasius Kiichei, !"# <,+80)&- &I M&+-0 <0-5> Vm`n>
fiom M+-@+2 6+H0#,,5-#+2 (1664)
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 1uS
foimation shifteu in scale fiom those foices that animateu anu shapeu the eaith's
suiface, to those that contiibuteu to "physiogiaphic metamoiphoses"the natuial
appeaiance of images anu pictogiams on stones.
41
In this scalai shift fiom the geologic foices animating the subteiianean woilu to the
vital stimuli that piouuce physiogiaphic expiessions, Kiichei aiticulates the opei-
ations of immanent life. 0f these pictoiial stones, Baibaia Naiia Staffoiu wiites:
Thus the patteineu moth oi flowei, like the fossil sciipt, oi even man himself,
exists nowheie else but in the paiticulai anu conciete containei, envelope, oi
caiapace of its mattei. Besign is not a sepaiable oi iemovable impiint oi im-
piesa stampeu on the suiface. It uoes not iest on the plane but peimeates the
meuium anu giows along with it. Besign is a succinct pictuie oi ieal symbol
of the actual uevelopment of that meuium.
42
In this sense, foi Kiichei, geological configuiation is an act of uesign, anu moie
bioauly, within the uevelopment of any meuium iesiues this immanent foimational
impulse. By explicating the piocess of foimation in this way, he stiongly anticipates
subsequent appiopiiations of the geneiative capacities of the natuial woilu.
e Tronsnulolions
Peihaps nowheie is the thiist foi the knowleuge of cieation moie appaient than in
the alchemical puisuit of the Philosophei's Stone, a legenuaiy substance allegeuly
capable of tuining inexpensive metals into golu, anu believeu to be an elixii of life
useful foi iejuvenation anu possibly achieving immoitality. Foi a long time, it was
the most sought-aftei goal in Westein alchemy. Possession of the Philosophei's
M8BUBM:!1U P>8!:@8< 98<
Basil valentine, The Twelve Keys (1678), Einst Rutheifoiu in his Laboiatoiy Fig. 12
1u4
Stone, in the foim of a yellow, ieu, oi giey powuei, was ultimately not about the pos-
sibility of accumulateu wealth, but iathei the powei to tiansfoim. Piecious metals
weie meiely the outcome of the tiansmutation. The vital foicethe life within the
stone that facilitateu the tiansfoimationwas eithei contiolleu foi puiposes of
tiansmutation, oi simply possesseu as a foim of iejuvenation oi immoitality. The
outcome of the expeiimental pioceuuie was fai less impoitant than the instiumen-
tal capacity to uiiect anu contiol the vital foice hainesseu within the Philosophei's
Stone.
Woiking togethei in a laboiatoiy at Ncuill 0niveisity in 1898, chemists Einest
Rutheifoiu anu Fieueiick Souuy uiscoveieu that iauium emits iauioactive paiti-
cles, ueveloping the concept of half-life - a peiiou of time ovei which half of the
substance is emitteu anu lost.
4S
It uiu not take long foi the scientists to make the
connection between this mateiial tiansfoimation of Rauium, with that of theii al-
chemical pieuecessois. Souuy, who appaiently stuuieu alchemy as a hobby, hau the
temeiity to uesciibe the tiansfoimation they weie witnessing as tiansmutation.
Rutheifoiu iesponueu: "Foi Nike's sake, Souuy, uon't call it tiansmutation. They'll
have oui heaus off as alchemists."
44
This tenth anu final geological specimen in
aichitectuie's lapiuaiium, then, biings us full ciicle. In this case, the life uepicteu,
oi peihaps moie accuiately, the half-life, confoims to Beleuze's uesciiption of life
as "mattei in vaiiation that enteis assemblages anu leaves them."
4S

Conclusion
This foiay thiough ten specimens in aichitectuie's lapiuaiium has attempteu to
auvance the following five-point aigument. Fiist, a vitalist theme emeiges histoi-
ically at the inteisection of aichitectuial, scientific, anu philosophical uiscouise.
Seconu, as a iesult of these vitalist tenuencies, the situation of aichitectuie typically
engageu thiough the categoiy of "site" ceaseu to be iepiesenteu as a static, mute,
oi inuiffeient conuition. Thiiu, vitalism intiouuces the teim "life" as a chionolog-
ical measuie of existence, facilitating the elision of human anu geological agency
chaiacteiistic of the Anthiopocene. Fouith, in biology anu autobiogiaphy, "life" is
both the unit of measuie anu eviuence of immanence. The metiic of life emeiges
fiom the oveilap of intioveiteu biological uiscouise, seaiching foi the smallest unit
manifesting life, anu the innei investigations of autobiogiaphical woik, examining
how a given chaiactei came into being anu how an inuiviuual life acquiies meaning.
Fifth, these ten geological specimens constiuct a founuation foi the unueistanuing
of "life" as the measuie, anu immanence as the opeiative conuition of aichitectuie
in the Anthiopocene eia.
Within aichitectuie's lapiuaiium, "life" is exploieu as an inciemental measuie
of immanencethe life of a iesouice, the life of a mateiial, the life of a builuing
anu the iespective lives of its inhabitants, the life of the aichitectuial conceits of
"siting" anu "mateiial imagination," anu the histoiiogiaphical life of a uisciplinaiy
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 1uS
engagement with stoneall contiibute to the constitution of geological life in the
Anthiopocene. Each of the ten geological specimens iepiesents such an immanent
life, anu the exploiation of each attempteu to expose the paiticulai vehicles of
immanence that attempt to explicate life's vital geneiative foices thiough the lens
of the scientific paiauigm, often tianslating foimeily metaphysical concepts into
immanent iueas.
In the case of Aluo Rossi's Scientijic Autobioqropby, geological specimen one, the
plan anu the autobiogiaphy aie both examineu as vehicles of immanence, thiough
the lens of paiallel lives. 0tilizing Nax Planck's conseivation of eneigy, Rossi uiaws
his scientific autobiogiaphy into uialogue with that of the ienowneu physicist, as
well as Stenuhal's H)'@+-(2,&=5-, !"# O)I# &I K#-,) E,+'5,@. Foi Rossi, Planck anu
Stenuhal influenceu his aichitectuie thiough the iuea of the conseivation of eneigy
anu the notion that plans aie integial to autobiogiaphical naiiatives. In uiawing
this compaiison, Rossi moves the possibility of immanent life acioss thiee iegisteis:
mattei's capacity to conseive eneigy, the aichi-
tectuial plan's capacity to captuie an event be-
foie it unfolus, anu the autobiogiaphy's capac-
ity to naiiate without uefinitively concluuing.
The mythological figuies of Isis, the Belphic
0iacle, Sisyphus, anu Feiuinanu Cheval, geo-
logical specimen two, consiuei the iecoveiy
of myth's cyclical naiiatives in a histoiical
moment in which science's lineai naiiatives
uominate. The ie-telling of these naiiatives
thiough the lens of the scientific paiauigm
explicates numeious vehicles of immanence.
In the case of Isis, the veil that once meuiateu
between the Romantics anu natuie's seciets
has been iemoveu by the piying analysis of
the scientific gaze. As foi the Belphic 0iacle,
hei ability to speak foi the eaith, tianslating
the uesiies of the gous, is ienueieu immanent
in a piocess of thesauiization that taxonom-
ically iepiesents uiffeience. In Camus' hanus, Sisyphus becomes a figuie thiough
which anthiopological iuentity anu geological iuentity aie eliueu in a single, if not
singulai, immanent life. While in the uiban myth of Feiuinanu Cheval, the suiieal-
ists iuentify a mateiial imagination capable of opeiating between the ieal anu the
oneiiic.
viollet-le-Buc's images of Nont Blanc, geological specimen thiee, ueploy the se-
iial iepiesentational stiategies of moiphology to captuie the immanent life of a
mountain. In his hanus, mathematics becomes a ciitical tool of abstiaction, which
leaus to speculation about geological uecay anu foimation. The use of taxonomy
to iepiesent mateiial phase changes is anothei vehicle of immanence ueployeu
Athanasius Kiichei, uetail fiom ?)*0&,)5'
60&-#2 4)0" K+=5- J5*#2 (1664)
Fig. 1S
1u6
by viollet-le-Buc, biinging the fixity of the categoiies of human knowleuge into
uialogue with the fluiu foimation of mattei.
uottfiieu Sempei's uiscussion of the techniques of steieotomy in 607'# )- 0"#
!#*"-)*5' 5-@ !#*0&-)* /,02 (186u-6S), geological specimen foui, examines the
mathematical opeiations that impose foim on mattei as a vehicle of immanence.
Sempei giounus the epistemology of the techniques of steieotomy upon the on-
tology of the heaith anu founuation walls, theoiizing a "ciystalline univeise" in
which the 5 8,)&,) mathematics of geological foimation gives iise to aichitectuial
tectonics.
}ohn Ruskin's 60&-#2 &I N#-)*#, geological specimen five, achieves immanence in
the attempt to foimulate a univeisal aesthetic law capable of uistinguishing goou
aichitectuie fiom "clumsy" copies. Ruskin's law incoipoiates the tiopes of geo-
logical uecay (moulueiing), mineialogical assaying (touchstones), anu geological
foimation (ciystallization) as uevelopmental mouels ensuiing the legitimacy anu
authenticity of the aesthetic outcomes.
}oseph Nichael uanuy's /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@#' (18S8), geological specimen
six, ueploys hybiiu logics as a vehicle of immanence, opeiating between the activi-
ties of humans anu piimates, anu between the foimal logics of geology anu aichitec-
tuie. uanuy's *58,)**)& is a collection of natuial wonueis that positions geological
"life" between the site-specificity of the inuiviuual foimations anu the agency of the
human imagination capable of gatheiing them togethei. Within this *58,)**)& we
witness the seamless meiging of natuial cieation anu human piouuction.
In geological specimen seven, M)-#,5' O&5@2 &, N#)-2 5-@ 0"#), E#5,)-(2, fiom
Biueiot anu u'Alembeit's <-*7*'&8F@)#, geological life is ienueieu immanent
thiough the commouification of the eaith in teims of its iesouices anu the human
laboui iequiieu to extiact them. The pioject of the <-*7*'&8F@)# is fully entangleu
with the instiumentalization of cultuie anu the piouuctive knowleuge that it oc-
casions. Within the <-*7*'&8F@)#, immanence is achieveu thiough the exhaustive
cataloguing of uispaiate techniques of cultuial piouuction anu theii capacity to
establish new epistemological hoiizons.
In Piianesi's examination of the founuations of ancient Roman cultuie, geological
specimen eight, immanence is locateu between the almost mythological exaggeia-
tion of the "Founuations of the Theatei of Naicellus" anu the scientific explanation
of the constiuction of the "Nausoleum of Cecilia Natella." Thiough the paiallel sub-
tiactive piactices of aicheology anu etching, life (the life of a builuing, the life of a
iuin) is maue immanent in Piianesi's woik, thiough its analogy with the piocesses
of uiscoveiy anu iepiesentation.
Athanasius Kiichei's M+-@+2 6+H0#,,5-#+2 (1664), geological specimen nine,
piesents an inteiioiizeu view of geological foimation in which all uevelopment
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 1u7
emanates fiom within. In Kiichei's oeuvie, geneiative cieation is mappeu fiom the
scale of geological foimation to the scale of physiogiaphic metamoiphosis, leauing
to the conclusion that geological configuiation is an act of uesign. Beie, the vehicle
of immanence iesiues in the belief that within the uevelopment of eveiy meuium, a
foimational impulse can be maue intelligible.
Finally, in the tiansition fiom alchemical tiansmutation to nucleai physics,
geological specimen ten, the vehicle of immanence is scientific explication. The
Philosophei's Stone was a tiope that aligneu the possibility of human tiansfoima-
tion anu change with the possibility foi physical change in the mateiial woiluit
iegisteieu a conuition of intiinsic uevelopment against a conuition of extiinsic
uevelopment, utilizing the obseivation of one to theoiize changes in the othei. The
ueployment of this same teim in the context of nucleai physics piouuceu a vehicle
of immanence that was evei moie inteiioiizeu, anu evei moie iauicalizeu in teims
of its implications.
In aichitectuie's lapiuaiium, the immanent life of geology is maue manifest; the
complicity of mineialogical ciystallization anu human mathematization is ex-
piesseu; the intelligibility of natuial foimation anu human fabiication is aiticulat-
eu. Within this collection of geological specimens, the inteimingling of the eaith's
geneiative foices anu human piouuctive ambitions become one, anticipating the
aichitectuie of the Anthiopocene.
Noles
0 Aluo Rossi, A Scientijic Autobioqropby, tians. Lawience venuti (Cambiiuge, Nass.: The
NIT Piess, 1981), 1.
H Stenuhal actually wiote two autobiogiaphical accounts, anu both weie publisheu
posthumously. !"# O)I# &I K#-,7 E,+'5,@ was publisheu as a fiction, wheieas 6&+A#-),2
@1F(&0)2=# c!"# M#=&),2 &I 5- <(&)20d> publisheu in 1892, was fiameu as a moie stanuaiu
autobiogiaphical account. But theie is agieement amongst scholais that !"# O)I# &I K#-,7
E,+'5,@, though positeu as a fiction, is the moie autobiogiaphically accuiate of the two.
Foi the puiposes of this aigument, the metiic of "life," even Stenuhal's own life, opeiates
seamlessly between fictional anu iealistic accounts.
5 Eiich Aueibach peisuasively aigues that Stenuhal's wiiting is not influenceu by the
peivasiveness of histoiicism; though he places the events of his life in peispective anu
is awaie of the constant changes aiounu him, this uoes not iesult in an evolutionaiy
unueistanuing. Aueibach wiites: "|Bje sees the inuiviuual man fai less as the piouuct of
his histoiical situation anu as taking pait in it, than as an atom within it; a man seems to
have been thiown almost by chance into the milieu in which he lives; it is a iesistance with
which he can ueal moie oi less successfully, not ieally a cultuie-meuium with which he is
oiganically connecteu." Eiich Aueibach, M)=#2)2. !"# L#8,#2#-050)&- &I L#5')07 )- B#20#,-
O)0#,50+,# (Piinceton, N}: Piinceton 0niveisity Piess, 1968), 46S-46S.
N Rossi, A Scientijic Autobioqropby, 6.
? Beyle wiote unuei at least one hunuieu uiffeient pseuuonyms, anu in this fact iesiues
the ielationship between a fluiu life anu the static name that stabilizes it foi a moment in
time.
1u8
Y Baiiy Beiguoll, "0f Ciystals, Cells, anu Stiata: Natuial Bistoiy anu Bebates on the Foim of
a New Aichitectuie in the Nineteenth Centuiy," /,*")0#*0+,5' K)20&,7 Su (2uu7): 6.
O Naitin }. S. Ruuwick, E+,20)-( 0"# O)=)02 &I !)=#. !"# L#*&-20,+*0)&- &I %#&")20&,7 )- 0"#
/(# &I L#A&'+0)&- (Chicago: The 0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 2uuS), 9.
Z Ibiu.
K uilles Beleuze, ?+,# 9==5-#-*#. <22572 &- 5 O)I#, tians. Anne Boyman (New Yoik: Zone
Books, 2uu1), 29.
0^ }ane Bennett, N)H,5-0 M500#,. / ?&')0)*5' <*&'&(7 &I !")-(2 (Buiham: Buke 0niveisity
Piess, 2u1u), SS.
00 Ibiu., S4.
0H uioigio Agamben, ?&0#-0)5')0)#2. :&''#*0#@ <22572 )- ?")'&2&8"7, eu. anu tians. Baniel
Bellei-Roazen (Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu 0niveisity Piess, 1999), 22S. Agamben goes on to stip-
ulate that "the colon iepiesents a uislocation of immanence in itself, a chaiacteiization
suggesting that this ciossing oi passing is not ielational, but iathei autonomous.
05 Ibiu., 224.
0N Ibiu.> 2S4.
0? }ean-Paul Saitie, E#)-( 5-@ 3&0")-(-#22, tians. Bazel E. Baines (New Yoik: Simon &
Schustei, 19S6), 7S8.
0Y 16 Kaisten Baiiies, !"# M#5-)-( &I M&@#,- /,0 (Evanston: Noithwestein 0niveisity
Piess, 1968), Su.
0O Steven Connoi, W+=H20,+*;. / :+'0+,5' K)20&,7 &I N#-0,)'&P+)2= (0xfoiu: 0xfoiu 0niveisity
Piess, 2uuu), S2.
0Z Page uuBois, 6&4)-( 0"# E&@7. ?27*"&5-5'72)2 5-@ /-*)#-0 L#8,#2#-050)&-2 &I B&=#-
(Chicago: 0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 1988), 1u7-1u8. Elsewheie, uuBois uesciibes
thesauiization in this way: "It locates the female as a potential foi piouucing goous
oi piotecting them. She becomes the locus of insciiption, the folueu papyius that sig-
nifies the potential foi ueception." See: Page uuBois, "The Platonic Appiopiiation of
Repiouuction," in J#=)-)20 9-0#,8,#050)&-2 &I ?'50&> eu. Nancy Tuana (0niveisity Paik, PA:
The Pennsylvania State 0niveisity Piess, 1994), 1S9.
0K Albeit Camus, !"# M70" &I 6)278"+2 5-@ Q0"#, <22572, tians. }ustin 0'Biien (New Yoik:
vintage Inteinational, 198S), 121.
H^ See Eugene Emmanuel viollet-le-Buc, M&-0 E'5-*. / !,#50)2# &- 902 %#&@#2)*5' 5-@
%#&'&()*5' :&-20)0+0)&-T 902 !,5-2I&,=50)&-2T 5-@ 0"# /-*)#-0 5-@ L#*#-0 6050# &I 902
%'5*)#,2, tians. B. Bucknall (Lonuon: Sampson Low, Naiston, Seaile, & Rivington, 1877).
0iiginally publisheu in Fiench in 1876.
H0 Beleuze, ?+,# 9==5-#-*#> 26.
HH K)20&),# @# '1"5H)050)&- "+=5)-#> @#8+)2 '#2 0#=82 8,F")20&,)P+#2 U+2P+1k -&2 U&+,2 (187S),
publisheu in English in 1876; K)20&),# @1+- @#22)-50#+,. *&==#-0 &- 588,#-@ k @#22)-#,
(1879); anu K)20&),# @1+-# =5)2&- (187S).
H5 Benii Beigson, :,#50)A# <A&'+0)&-, tians. Aithui Nitchell (Lanham, Nu.: 0niveisity Piess
of Ameiica, 198S), Su2. (Fiist publisheu in Fiench in 19u7, anu in English in 1911.)
HN }ohn Rajchman, intiouuction to ?+,# 9==5-#-*#. <22572 &- / O)I#, by uilles Beleuze (New
Yoik: Zone Books, 2uu1), 1S. Rajchman wiites: "Foi immanence is puie only when it is
not immanent 0& a piioi subject oi object, minu oi mattei, only when, neithei innate noi
acquiieu, it is always yet 'in the making;' anu 'a life' is a potential oi viitual subsisting in
just such a puiely immanent plane."
Aichitectuie's Lapiuaiium | Amy Catania Kulpei 1u9
H? uottfiieu Sempei, 607'# )- 0"# !#*"-)*5' 5-@ !#*0&-)* /,02 &,> ?,5*0)*5' /#20"#0)*2, tians.
Baiiy Fiancis Nallgiave anu Nichael Robinson, uetty Texts anu Bocuments Seiies (Los
Angeles: The uetty Reseaich Centei, 2uu4), 726.
HY Sempei, 607'# )- 0"# !#*"-)*5' 5-@ !#*0&-)* /,02, 728.
HO }ohn Ruskin, !"# 60&-#2 &I N#-)*# (Lonuon: ueoige Allen, 1896), S2.
HZ Ibiu., 48.
HK Biian Lukachei, }osepb 6onJy: An Arcbitecturol visionory in 6eorqion FnqlonJ (Lonuon:
Thames anu Buuson, 2uu6), 189.
5^ Ibiu.
50 Ibiu.
5H Beleuze, ?+,# 9==5-#-*#, 29.
55 Kail Naix anu Fieueiick Engels, !"# :&==+-)20 M5-)I#20& (Lonuon: veiso, 1998), 4u.
5N In !"# B)'' 0& ?&4#,, Nietzsche uesciibes the monstei of eneigy as follows: "Anu uo you
know what 'the woilu' is to me. Shall I show it to you in my miiioi. This woilu: a monstei
of eneigy, without beginning, without enu; a fiim, iion magnituue of foice that uoes not
giow biggei oi smallei, that uoes not expenu itself but only tiansfoims itself; as a whole,
of unalteiable size, a householu without expenses oi losses, but likewise without inciease
oi income; encloseu by 'nothingness' as by a bounuaiy; not something bluiiy oi wasteu,
not something enulessly extenueu, but set in a uefinite space as a uefinite foice, anu not
a space that might be 'empty' heie oi theie, but iathei as foice thioughout, as a play
of foices anu waves of foices, at the same time one anu many, incieasing heie anu at
the same time uecieasing theie; a sea of foices flowing anu iushing togethei, eteinally
changing, eteinally floouing back, with tiemenuous yeais of iecuiience, with an ebb anu
a floou of its foims; out of the simplest foims stiiving towaiu the most complex, out of
the stillest, most iigiu, coluest foims stiiving towaiu the hottest, most tuibulent, most
self-contiauictoiy, anu then again ietuining home to the simple out of this abunuance,
out of the play of contiauictions back to the joy of concoiu, still affiiming itself in this
unifoimity of its couises anu its yeais, blessing itself as that which must ietuin eteinally,
as a becoming that knows no satiety, no uisgust, no weaiiness: this, my W)&-72)5- woilu of
the eteinally self-cieating, the eteinally self-uestioying, this mysteiy woilu of the twofolu
voluptuous uelight, my 'beyonu goou anu evil,' without goal, unless the joy of the ciicle is
itself a goal; without will, unless a iing feels goou will towaiu itselfuo you want a -5=#
foi this woilu. A 2&'+0)&- foi all of its iiuules. A ')("0 foi you, too, you best-concealeu,
stiongest, most intiepiu, most miunightly men.!")2 4&,'@ )2 0"# 4)'' 0& 8&4#,5-@
-&0")-( H#2)@#2! Anu you youiselves aie also this will to poweianu nothing besiues!"
Fiieuiich Nietzsche, !"# B)'' 0& ?&4#,, tians. Waltei Kaufman anu R. }. Bollinguale (New
Yoik: vintage Books, 1967), S49-SSu.
5? Nichel Seiies, L&=#. !"# E&&; &I J&+-@50)&-2, tians. Felicia NcCaiien (Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu
0niveisity Piess, 1991), 2S9.
5Y Baibaia Naiia Staffoiu, E&@7 :,)0)*)2=. 9=5()-( 0"# R-2##- )- <-')("0#-=#-0 /,0 5-@
M#@)*)-# (Cambiiuge: NIT Piess, 1991), S8.
5O Staffoiu, E&@7 :,)0)*)2=> 7u.
5Z Seiies, L&=#> 27S.
5K Paula Finulen, Possessinq Noture: Huseums, Collectinq, onJ Scientijic Culture in Forly
M&@#,- 905'7 (Beikeley: 0niveisity of Califoinia Piess, 1994), 186.
N^ Baibaia Naiia Staffoiu, "Chaiacteis in Stones, Naiks on Papei: Enlightenment Biscouise
on Natuial anu Aitificial Taches," Art }ournol 44, no. S (Autumn 1984): 2SS.
11u
N0 Ibiu.
NH Ibiu., 2SS.
N5 Baviu 0iiell, !,+0" &, E#5+07. 6*)#-*# 5-@ 0"# g+#20 I&, Q,@#, (New Baven: Yale 0niveisity
Piess, 2u12), 72.
NN Ibiu.
N? Bennett, N)H,5-0 M500#,, S4.
8""&$#% :)&-#,&"#*/
by Jone Hullon
9+#,2#,- U&,4/%&G* &/ 8D#4*,%*
In 1882, the Rev. B. Boneyman wiote about a peculiai geological featuie: "The
Rocking Stone of Spiyfielu has long been iegaiueu as an object of inteiest. |.j I was
astonisheu at its imposing appeaiance. Baving ieacheu its top by a lauuei, which
is placeu against it foi the convenience of visitois, I enjoyeu a stiange iock in this
wonueiful ciaule. Ny conuuctoi anu companion, Simon B. Nacuonalu, F.u.S., seeing
me seateu at the top, went to the enu of a levei, also placeu in position, anu com-
menceu opeiations. The mass began to move, the motion incieaseu anu the iocking
commenceu, anu was continueu until I was satisfieu."
1
A similaily pleasuiable
expeiience of iocking the Rocking Stone at Kiuston Lake in Spiyfielu, Nova Scotia,
was uesciibeu 6u yeais pievious in an aiticle in !"# %'52(&4 M#*"5-)*2 M5(5C)-#.
Aftei "iocking anu inspecting this wonueiful stone foi some time," the authoi
iecoiueu some obseivations. Pivoting on a flat stone, the Rocking Stone coulu be
moveu by simply mounting it anu shifting one's weight fiom siue to siue. With a
shoit levei, the massive bouy coulu be moveu about 12 inches in an east-noitheast
to west-southwest uiiection "by a chilu of 12 yeais."
2
Noting that theie weie no
neaiby iocks that the Rocking Stone coulu have bioken fiom, the authoi concluueu
that the anomaly "cleaily eviuences the skill anu powei of an Almighty hanu!" By
Boneyman's time, a tall, woouen lauuei anu a levei weie on hanu to help iockeis
mount the stone anu instigate movement. |Fig. u1j Picnickeis laiu out theii spieaus
on the flat top anu enjoyeu the gentle motion piouuceu by theii veiy piesence. But
Kiuston Lake Rocking Stone, Kiustone Lake, Nova Scotia. uaiunei Collection of Photogiaphs,
Baivaiu College Libiaiy
Fig. u1
112
yeais of iecieational iocking eventually woie uown the base of the stone, anu it
stoppeu moving. In the 189us, one gioup of gaiiison soluieis allegeuly iockeu so
haiu that the stone became lougeu in place. In the 199us, as pait of a clean-up effoit
of the suiiounuing lanu, membeis of the local heiitage society iemoveu impeuing
mateiials fiom beneath the stone, fieeing it to iock fieely once moie.
S
Even without human foice, the bouluei was known to move; a stiong gust of winu
coulu tiiggei its vibiation.
4
But long befoie, the Rocking Stone hau moveu, oi hau
been moveu, even moie significantly. In fact, it hau been pickeu up, tianspoiteu,
anu uepositeu by ietieating glacieis about 2u,uuu-26,uuu yeais ago at the enu of
the Last ulacial Naximum, oi Wisconsin ulaciation Peiiou, when vast ice sheets
extenueu acioss Noith Ameiica, Noithein Euiope, Noithwestein Asia anu much of
the Anues.
S
Boneyman, who was familiai with the local geology anu the piinciples
of glacial tianspoit that weie well-known by 1882, took a hammei to the iock to
investigate its mineial composition anu positeu that the bouluei hau piobably been
moveu by some nine oi ten miles.
Terroin Frrolique
Lanuscapes conspicuously
stiewn with boulueis
of foieign oiigin in the
southein }uia Nountain
iegion weie uesciibeu by
ueiman-Swiss geologist
}ean ue Chaipentiei as 0#,G
,5)-2 #,,50)P+#2S
6
The teim
was latei useu to uesciibe
not the lanuscape, but
the inuiviuual thingan
#,,50)*. Chaipentiei him-
self liveu not fai fiom one
such iockthe ?)#,,# @#2
M5,=#00#2a ten-metie-
tall gianite bouluei in the
Swiss Rhne valley. |Fig. u2j Baseu on its unique gianitic composition, the iock
appeaieu to have come fiom Su kilometies up the valley.
7
The supposeu jouiney
of such a behemoth confounueu expectations anu seiveu as the basis of inquiiy,
anu latei as eviuence, foi Chaipentiei's contiibutions to the uevelopment of glacial
theoiy. This aligns with the tiajectoiy of uiscoveiy uesciibeu by Thomas Kuhn,
who, in Tbe Structure of Scientijic Revolutions, wiites that "uiscoveiy commences
with the awaieness of anomaly, i.e. with the iecognition that natuie has somehow
violateu the paiauigm-inuuceu expectations that govein noimal science."
8
While
Chaipentiei investigateu, public fascination with the bouluei piolifeiateu; a touiist
Fig. u2 Pieiie ues Naimettes, fiom }ean Be Chaipentiei, <225) 6+, O#2 %'5*)#,2
#0 6+, '# !#,,5)- <,,50)P+# @+ E522)- @+ L"&-# (Lausanne: Impiimeiie
et Libiaiiie ue Naic Bucloux, 1841).
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 11S
pavilion was eiecteu on
top, a veision of which
iemains touay.
9
|Fig. uSj
When the iock went up
foi sale to an extiaction
company in 19uS, a na-
tion-wiue campaign was
launcheu to save it. The
ultimately successful case
foi pieseivation was baseu
entiiely on the iock's
ciucial iole in the uevelop-
ment of glacial theoiy.
1u
Scientific anu lay obseiva-
tions of eiiatic boulueis
have seiveu as ciitical, uis-
tiibuteu eviuence foi the uevelopment of the theoiy of glaciation; by implication,
iueas of geologic time anu the location of humans within it aie also entangleu in
such a theoiy. Eiiatics attiacteu a wealth of cuiiosity thiough theii alien lithology
anu theii unexpecteu patteins of uistiibution, both of which weie ciucial aspects of
the eviuence neeueu to ieconstiuct an Ice Age. Still, long aftei they playeu a iole in
establishing mouein geohistoiy, inuiviuual boulueis peisist as cultuial aitefacts foi
piovoking anu insciibing iueas about time. Ceitain eiiatics maintain a uual status
as physical fiagments of ueep time anu contempoiaiy cultuial objects that ielay
moie iecent histoiies. They aie cuiious thingsin size, shape, anu position. They
aie visible anu climbable ielics of glacial piocesses too vast to otheiwise expeii-
ence. They aie pione to being useu as maikeis of human events anu spaces, yet aie
also maikeis of ueep time, having tiavelleu long uistances in neaily unimaginable
enviionments. It is thiough this conflation of vastly uiffeient timescales that eiiat-
ics biiuge a seemingly unbiiugeable uiviue between geological time anu human
action.
Flowing ice acts as a massive mateiial conveyoi, plucking anu tianspoiting fiag-
ments of iock as it auvances. ulacial melt watei enteis fiactuies in the eaith's sui-
face, fieezing, expanuing, anu loosening angulai fiagments, oi blocks, of beuiock.
Rathei than being tumbleu like iivei stones, blocks aie uiaggeu by the weight of the
glaciei, honing angulai suifaces. Bounu tightly by the ice, they scoui the suifaces
that they pass ovei, anu abiaue ueep paiallel giooves in the uiiection of the ice flow.
In Noith Ameiica, melt watei fiom the toe of the shiinking Lauientiue Ice Sheet
caiveu the Nissouii anu 0hio Rivei systems, iauically mouifying the uiainage pat-
teins of the whole continent. The iebounu of lanu ieleaseu fiom the weight of ice,
the action of melt watei on uiffeient types of iock, anu the ueposition of conveyeu
uebiis foimeu the moiaines, uiumlins, eskeis, anu kettle ponus that chaiacteiize
glacial suificial geology. The majoiity of this iock mateiial is uepositeu neai wheie
Postcaiu, Pieiie ues Naimettes, (19uS)
R. Beyiauut, Publishei, St. Nauiice, collection of vincent Fianzen
Fig. uS
114
it is pickeu up; a small fiaction of it, usually composeu of haiuei mineials, tiavels
fuithei anu enus up uepositeu elsewheie, often on beuiock with a totally uiffeient
mineialogical composition.
11
When not embeuueu in local till, laige boulueis will
appeai cuiiously on the suiface of the lanu.
The Losl Revolulion
In the fiist half of the nineteenth centuiy, effoits to ieconstiuct geologic time oscil-
lateu between two pieuominant hypotheses: one accoiuing to which the eaith hau
existeu foi a veiy shoit time, estimateu at 4uuu B.C. by }ames 0sshei; anu anothei
that suggesteu the eaith hau an unlimiteu timescale of iepeateu cycles of geologic
change.
12
ueoiges Cuviei, then a piofessoi at Paiis's Nuseum of Natuial Bistoiy,
pioposeu in his L#2#5,*"#2 &- J&22)' E&-#2 (1812) a miuule-giounu anu mouein
position, namely that the eaith hau a vast, non-iepeateu histoiy, the gieat majoiity
of which hau occuiieu befoie humans existeu. Cuviei uesciibeu successive peiious
of calm, inteiiupteu by peiious of violent change, which he calleu "ievolutions" anu
analogizeu to the iecent political ievolution in Fiance.
1S
The chaiactei of the "Last
Revolution" was the most uigent to unueistanu, as it uistinguisheu between the
piesent (human) woilu anu a vaguely uefineu past.
14
Among the most puzzling featuies of the Last Revolution weie giowing accounts
of fai-uisplaceu eiiatic blocks anu unueilying beuiock sciatcheu with uiiectional
maikings. Nassive boulueis hau been founu on ueiman plains oiiginating in
Scanuinavia, in Bianuenbuig fiom acioss the Baltic Sea, anu in St. Peteisbuig
fiom somewheie neai Finlanu.
1S
As eaily as 1787, Boiace-Bnuict ue Saussuie
uesciibeu "inuicatois," boulueis with such paiticulai lithology that they coulu be
tiaceu to the aiea fiom wheie they hau likely oiiginateu.
16
Stiaight lines coulu
then be uiawn on a map between the site of an eiiatic anu its piobable oiigin. A
wiuely ciiculateu explanation was founu in William Bucklanu's L#')*2 &I 0"# W#'+(#
(182S), which cieuiteu the changes to a mega-tsunami oi catastiophic floou (which
coulu be iuentifieu as Noah's Floou) uating back no moie than S,uuu yeais.
17
That
scatteieu boulueis, uiifts, anu 0-shapeu valleys weie eviuence of a global uiluvial
event iesonateu stiongly in the populai imagination. Thomas Cole's painting !"#
6+H2)@)-( &I 0"# B50#,2 &I 0"# W#'+(# (1829) uepicts a scene aftei the iains of the
gieat floou have ceaseu, with a human skull in the foiegiounu anu eiiatic boulueis
peicheu on high peaks signalling the uestiuctive powei of the wateis.
18
The eveiyuay obseivations of eiiatic boulueis anu glacial piocesses by people
living neai them pioveu valuable foi the natuialists seeking answeis. Alpine
shepheius iemaikeu to eaily geologist visitois that laige, angulai boulueis anu
abiaueu suifaces below existing glacieis weie eviuence that they hau once been
much laigei. Fielu obseivations fiom one unnameu wooucuttei fiom Neiiingen
anu a shepheiu nameu }ean-Pieiie Peiiauuin ultimately alloweu Chaipentiei to
speculate that glacieis, not floous, hau tianspoiteu the boulueis:
19
"The shepheius
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 11S
of the Alps have always hau a bettei knowleuge of the phenomena of the glaciei
than most scientific men."
2u
Similaily, the Swiss natuialist Louis Agassiz cieuiteu
Alpine shepheius, who hau obseiveu the lanuscape ovei time, with being the fiist
to measuie the movement of glacieis anu theii iate of change.
21
Eventually, the ex-
planation that attiibuteu eiiatic teiiain anu sciatcheu beuiock to ice floes pievaileu
ovei the uilivual hypothesis. Builuing on the woik of otheis, Chaipentiei suggesteu
that a giant glaciei hau once extenueu thioughout the Alps. Agassiz's <0+@#2 2+,
'#2 ('5*)#,2 (184u) expanueu on Chaipentiei's woik, aiguing that a single vast ice
sheet hau in fact coveieu much of the continent. These hypotheses weie seminal
in the uevelopment anu communication of a wiuely accepteu theoiy of glaciation.
"I haiuly know anything moie instiuctive to a stuuent of geology," Agassiz suggest-
eu in 186u, uuiing a lectuie in Cambiiuge, Nassachusetts, "than to watch the small
physical phenomena which we see all about us, anu by oui imagination, conceive
of them as opeiating on a gianu scale."
22
ueologists anu aitists useu the familiai
lanuscape of glacial uebiis, eiiatic blocks, anu sciatcheu beuiock in New Englanu to
communicate to the public new theoiies of the geological past. Lanuscape aitists of
the Buuson Rivei School socializeu anu conveiseu with geologists uuiing the sec-
onu half of the nineteenth centuiy, as Ameiican lanuscape painting shifteu its focus
fiom the symbolic anu allegoiical to the stuuy of natuial phenomena with a moie
scientific lens. William Baseltine's painting L&*;2 50 35"5-0 (1864) iefeiences the
uiiectional glacial maikings on the Nassachusetts shoieline, wheie both he anu
Agassiz spent time. The painting also uepicts the same lanuscape wheie Agassiz's
populai Sunuay geology walks woulu take place, which Baseltine often attenueu.
2S

Scientific inteiest in eiiatics tiaileu off by the late nineteenth centuiy, yet with theii
inuubitable physicality anu weighty piesence they maintain a uual status as objects
of scientific eviuence. In !")-(2 0"50 !5';, Loiiaine Baston wiites that such objects,
which both "talk" thiough the meaning that they piouuce anu aie peisistent as
"things" in the woilu, "unsettle views about the natuie of both."
24
The appaient
paiauoxes that suiiounu knowleuge of eiiatic boulueis make them objects of sus-
taineu consiueiation. They aie soliu, insistent maikeis in space, yet they inuicate a
iemote oiigin, anu theiefoie tiavel between these two iegisteis of knowing. Theii
movements aie a iesult of both subsequent geologic foices anu human foices, foi
instance in the ielocation of a celebiateu bouluei foi its "conseivation." Theii tian-
sient ieputation uestabilizes notions about the natuial enviionment as static anu
also challenges assumptions about inuigeneity anu iights to lanu. Boieen Nassey
notes that in a campaign to piomote immigiation iights in Bambuig, ueimany, a
laige, beloveu bouluei was iuentifieu as "oui oluest immigiant," aftei being gla-
cially tianspoiteu fiom mouein-uay Sweuen.
2S
The campaign challengeu iesiuents'
political claims to lanu thiough theii "intiinsic inuigeneity" by calling into question
the stability of the veiy lanu upon which theii claims weie maue.
Eiiatics iefei to oveilapping moments in scales of time: theii oiiginal foimation,
theii glacial ueposition, anu uiffeient events in human histoiysometimes they
116
aie even liteially caiveu with a uate oi name. 0nlike the ?)#,,# @#2 M5,=#00#2, the
inuiviuual eiiatic cases that follow weie not singleu out as uemonstiative eviuence
foi the theoiy of glaciation in the nineteenth centuiy, although theii iecoiueu histo-
iies oveilap with the emeigence anu wiuespieau uissemination of the theoiy. They
ieflect insteau a iange of effoits to giapple with oi manipulate iueas about uiffeient
geological time scales.
Rollslone Boulder, Filchburg, Mossochusells
}ust as the ?)#,,# @#2 M5,=#00#2 was almost solu anu tuineu into uimensional
stone in 19uS, the Rollstone Bouluei, peicheu on Rollstone Bill in Fitchbuig,
Nassachusetts, was also vulneiable to imminent uestiuction. The vibiations of an
expanuing hilltop quaiiy thieateneu to uestabilize the 11u-ton poiphyiitic gianite
bouluei, whose stiuctuial integiity hau alieauy been a longstanuing anu active
cause foi concein by aiea iesiuents. Fiom uowntown Fitchbuig, the bouluei's
silhouette was visible on the hill's iiugeline, making it an evei-piesent if somewhat
uistant maikei among the town's natuial scenogiaphy.
26
It was a well-known
chaiactei that hau "suiviveu the ice age," "helu eaily pilgiims on |itsj shoulueis,"
"conveiseu with Nohawk Inuian tiibes, anu obseiveu the cieation of Fitchbuig anu
its suiiounuing communities," at least accoiuing to 9 /= !"# E&+'@#,> a poem by
Robeit Bouchei.
27
The bouluei's feluspai anu iion sulphiue vaiies fiom the gianite that it hau lanueu
on, but matcheu the composition of that founu about 1uu miles noith, in cential
New Bampshiie. Bespite unueistanuing that the bouluei hau once been a pait of
something much biggei, iesiuents hau been pieoccupieu with keeping the iock
whole, lest it bieak apait anu lose the familiai shape by which they hau come to
know it. To stait, someone hau filleu the suiface ciacks with cement. At anothei
point, an expeuition of geologists instigateu the wiapping of the iock's miuiiff
with a soliu iion belt, "to pievent fuithei uisintegiation." The concein foi the
iock's wholeness passeu between geneiations; in a 19u2 iepoit, a membei of the
Fitchbuig Bistoiical Society expiesseu giatituue "to the peison oi peisons whose
kinuness anu geneiosity" hau taken such caie to keep the iock intact.
28
Nultiple
postcaius anu photogiaphs show the bouluei in vaiious states of iepaii anu uis-
iepaii, suiiounueu by geologists, mounteu with chiluien, oi being "helu up" by a
comeuic visitoi hamming it up foi the cameia. |Fig. u4j
In the eaily 19Sus, when the iock stoou in the way of a ueiiick that the quaiiy
wanteu to install, it was uiaggeu 2uu feet along the hill by a mechanical appaiatus.
When quaiiying opeiations expanueu on Rollstone Bill in the late 192us, a special
committee to save the iock was assembleu.
29
Newspapei clippings fiom 19Su show
the bouluei's suiface maikeu with a netwoik of white lines in piepaiation foi being
uynamiteu anu ielocateu uowntown. 0vei the couise of 1S weeks, 27S uynamit-
eu fiagments weie tianspoiteu to Fitchbuig's 0ppei Common anu ieassembleu
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 117
using the white lines as
guiues "to assume again its
oiiginal famous contouis."
To this uay the bouluei
iemains theie auoineu
with a plaque that uetails
its past. The E&20&- W5)'7
%'&H# uiu not fail to iepoit
on the iock's iesting place
as a confluence of both
glacial anu human foices:
"Baving been moveu only
twice since it was foisaken
by a colu anu inhospitable
glaciei, the Rollstone
Bouluei has taken up its
last aboue neaiei than evei
to the fiienuly anu aumii-
ing citizens of Fitchbuig,
whose foitunes, although coveiing the meiest instant in the histoiy of the giant
monument, aie uoubtless the most inteiesting of which it has watcheu."
Su
Bobson Boulders, Doglown, Mossochusells
0n a visit to the lanuscape suiiounuing Bogtown, Nassachusetts, in 18S8, Beniy
Baviu Thoieau uesciibeu "the most peculiai sceneiy of the Cape. |.j We coulu see
no house, but hills stiewn with boulueis, as though they hau iaineu uown, on eveiy
siue."
S1
The aiea, latei known as Bogtown, was the Commons between significant
villages in the miu-seventeenth centuiy; eventually people settleu theie amongst
the uensely boulueieu 0#,,5)- #,,50)P+#S Smallei glacial iocks weie useu to builu
walls anu houses, but laigei boulueis weie steaufast anu speckleu the lanuscape.
The town piospeieu until the miu-eighteenth centuiy, eventually ieaching a
population of 8u families; it was only as iesiuents migiateu to the coast to take
auvantage of abunuant fish stocks that the population saw a uecline. As the popula-
tion uwinuleu, builuings uecayeu, tiees colonizeu the cleaiings, anu uogs ian fiee,
giving the town its cuiient name.
S2
Among the uescenuants of Bogtown's fiist English settleis, Rogei W. Babson, boin
in 187S, maintaineu a connection with the mostly abanuoneu town. Be built a sum-
mei cottage in the aiea anu maue telling its histoiy a lifelong pioject. The Boston
millionaiie businessman, piesiuential canuiuate foi the Piohibition Paity, authoi,
anu founuei of thiee colleges hau famously pieuicteu the 1929 stock maiket ciash.
Be founu paiticulai inteiest in stuuying the economic iise anu uecline of his famil-
ial lanu. "Connecteu with the stoiy of Bogtown is a gieat economic lesson as well
Postcaiu, Rollstone Bouluei, Fitchbuig, Nassachusetts
Petei Ciistofono collection
Fig. u4
118
as a stoiy of iomance," he
wiote.
SS
Bis autobiogiaphy,
/*0)&-2 5-@ L#5*0)&-2> in-
volveu an especially uiiect
appiopiiation of Newton's
eponymous theoiy, which
he applieu to Bogtown as
an example of the causal
ielationship between
moiality anu piospeii-
ty:
S4
"Bogtown teaches
me cleaily that piogiess
comes only slowly anu
fiom ueveloping within
the inuiviuual self-contiol,
high iueals anu othei fun-
uamental immunities."
SS

Babson saw the lanuscape,
then associateu with
uecline anu the subject
of ghost stoiies, as an
oppoitunity to iecoiu anu
communicate his lessons.
Baving locateu anu
mappeu all of the iem-
nant stone cellais fiom
pie-existing houses in the
village, Babson maikeu
them by hiiing stone woik-
eis to caive numbeis into
neaiby laige eiiatic boulueis. Be latei hiieu quaiiy woikeis to caive slogans into
the boulueis, following a ciicuit thiough the woous suiiounuing his piopeity. |Fig.
uSj Among the slogans, always insciibeu with capital letteis to emphasize theii
impeiative natuie, aie the following: SAvE, IBEAS, ST0BY, INTEuRITY, L0YALTY,
NEvER TRY NEvER WIN, PR0SPERITY F0LL0WS SERvICE, KEEP 00T 0F BEBT,
0SE Y00R BEAB, INTELLIuENCE, KINBNESS, C00RAuE, W0RK, INITIATIvE,
INB0STRY, TR0TB, BE CLEAN, uET A }0B, BE 0N TINE, BE TR0E, BELP N0TBER,
SPIRIT0AL P0WER, IF W0RK ST0PS vAL0ES BECAY. At a time when billboaiu
auveitisements weie beginning to spiout up eveiywheie, to which Babson was
auamantly opposeu anu calleu "uebauching outuooi postei talk," he constiucteu
a constellation of iock mottoes. Be calleu the pioject his "Life's Book," anu wiote
that, "my family says that I am uefacing the boulueis anu uisgiacing my family with
these insciiptions, but the woik gives me a lot of satisfaction, fiesh aii, exeicise,
anu sunshine. I am ieally tiying to wiite a simple book with woius caiveu in stone
Fig. uS Babson Boulueis Nap
Fig. u6 Babson Bouluei, Couiage, Bogtown, Nassachusetts
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 119
insteau of piinteu on papei."
S6
|Fig. u6j
The eiiatic boulueis of Bogtown weie convenient meuia foi Babson's uistiibuteu
lessons. They insisteu on peisonal moial iesponsibility at the exact moment of
systemic economic collapse in the 0niteu States. The boulueis scaleu appiopiiately
foi such messages weie those too laige to be cleaieu oi useu foi othei constiuction
puiposes; as such, they weie pie-colonial anu hau witnesseu the complete eco-
nomic cycle of the village. Babson enlisteu theii iefeience to the past geneiations'
economic uecline as a way of piovoking bettei moial action in the futuie.
Medicine or Proyer Rock, pswich, Soulh Dokolo
While Babson maikeu boulueis to incite moial behavioui, the "Neuicine
oi Piayei Rock" in Ipswich, South Bakota, outsiue of the Naicus P. Beebe
Nemoiial Libiaiy, is maikeu as a static monument to a natuializeu inuige-
nous past, while pationizing its significance. The embosseu sign stanuing
next to the iock ieaus: "Founu neai Nobiiuge, the impiession was teuiously
inciseu by some olu Inuian intent on builuing himself up as a meuicine man.
0nce foimeu it was a symbol of gieat powei anu was veneiateu by the Inuian
who believeu it was the woik of the 'Wakan' oi uieat Spiiit. - Eiecteu 1962,
Ipswich Commeicial Club." The iock was iemoveu fiom its location southeast of
Nobiiuge, anu taken 68 miles to the main walkway of the public libiaiy. 0n one siue
of the iock is an impiession of two hanus, spieau apait as if the bouy they belongeu
to was leaning heavily into the suiface. A plaque bolteu to the stieet-facing siue of
the iock commemoiates the libiaiynot the iocknameu in memoiy of Beebe,
the fiist piesiuent of the bank of Ipswich. |Fig. u7j
0thei boulueis with similaily inciseu hanupiints aie on uisplay at the Naishall City
Piayei Rock Nuseum in Biitton, SB. Not only uoes theii ielocation iaise seiious
questions about iights anu iepatiiation, uisplay effoits sometimes assume the
neeu to physically pieseive the iock in its "founu state" by encasement oi weathei
pioofing. Linea Sunustiom wiites that this instinct is ouus with noithein Plains
conceptions of iock ait, which is not unueistoou as a static meuia: "Insteau, it
changes constantly (oi one's peiception of it changes), so that one sees something
uiffeient each time the iock ait is examineu."
S7
It is expecteu to weathei, ueteiioiate,
anu eventually fall apait. Sunustiom uistinguishes this oveizealous pieseivation
fiom the impoitance of piotection fiom ueseciation anu vanualism.

The iock is featuieu as one of Ipswich's main touiist attiactions. It is in the foie-
giounu of a local muial that uepicts the elements cential to the town's histoiy,
incluuing the founuing of the Yellowstone Tiial anu the extension of iail lines to the
town. Apait fiom tipis in the uistant coinei of the muial, all tiaces of the Lakota oi
Bakota populations have been eiaseu. At the libiaiy, not only uoes the installation
eiase the iock's significance by using it meiely as a means to point to the builuing, it
12u
assumes that the iock is no
longei of significance to the
populations fiom which it
came, anu foi whom it is
an impoitant element in
cieation myths. In a stuuy
of iock ait significant to
Native Ameiican gioups in
South Bakota, Sunustiom
wiites that such iocks
aie, in ceitain cases, still
sacieu to single oi multiple
gioups; accoiuingly, the
Ipswich libiaiy site anu
othei civic lanuscapes in
South Bakota aie "not veiy
appiopiiate locations foi
tiauitional ieligious activ-
ities."
S8
The tianspoitation
anu iepiesentation of the Piayei Rock have manipulateu anu inveiteu time such
that the inuigenous people confionteu by both eaily colonial expansion anu con-
tempoiaiy violence aie eiaseu anu ielegateu to a natuializeu pie-histoiy.
Plynoulh Rock, Plynoulh, Mossochusells
The Yellowstone Tiail, whose ambitious founuei came fiom Ipswich, South Bakota,
imagineu it as "A uoou Roau fiom Plymouth Rock to Puget Sounu." As in this slogan,
Plymouth Rock typically signifies much moie than the iock itself. visitois touay aie
often suipiiseu by its mouest size anu complete encapsulation in a cageu enclosuie.
At the time of the aiiival of Biitish Sepaiatists in Plymouth Baiboui, the Plymouth
Rock, which =57 have been useu to piop up a uisembaikment plank, weigheu 2uu
tons.
S9
As Alexanuei ue Tocqueville wiote, "A few pooi souls tiou foi an instant on
this iock, anu it has become famous, it is piizeu by a gieat nation; fiagments aie
veneiateu, anu tiny pieces uistiibuteu fai anu wiue."
4u
0vei the couise of 4uu yeais,
the iock has been split so it coulu be uisplayeu at alteinate locations, fiactioneu anu
solu, moitaieu, tiimmeu, anu in 192u, wateipioofeu. Fiagments of the iock iesiue
in Los uatos, Califoinia, Biooklyn, the Nevaua State Nuseum, the Smithsonian in
Washington B.C., anu exist as papeiweights, tie clips, anu cufflinks.
41
The piece that iemains in Plymouth is a five-by-six-foot iounueu fiagment, encloseu
in a shiine within a gianite anu iion poitico. |Fig. u8j The gianite bouluei's oiigin
has been often tiaceu close to Boston. }ohn NcPhee notes how claims that the iock
may have tiavelleu fiom the aiea associateu with Biitish Canaua causeu enough
anxiety to elicit fuithei official stuuy.
42
The iock's symbolism is highly mutable anu
Fig. u7 Neuicine oi Piayei Rock, Ipswich, South Bakota
Photo couitesy of }. Stephen Conn
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 121
tiansfeiable, being iecalleu as a symbol of stoicism by Baniel Webstei, of fieeuom
fiom oppiession by abolitionists, anu signifying the piotection of immigiants.
4S
At
the fiist meeting of the 0iganization of Afio-Ameiican 0nity, Nalcolm X also took on
the oiigin myth of the iock, quoting Cole Poitei: "We uiun't lanu on Plymouth Rock.
The iock lanueu on us."
44
The fiist National Bay
of Nouining was helu
in 197u oveilooking the
fiftieth annual costumeu,
ie-enactment of the "Bay of
Thanksgiving" at Plymouth
Rock. Wampanoag leau-
ei Wamsutta, whose
speech hau been inviteu
anu then censoieu by
the Commonwealth of
Nassachusetts, ueliveieu
it on neaiby Cole's Bill
wheie a bouluei monu-
ment foi the National Bay
of Nouining has been in-
stalleu. |Fig. u9j Nahtowin
Nunio anu Noonanum }ames of The 0niteu Ameiican Inuians of New Englanu,
oiganizeis of the Bay of Nouining, iefute the official histoiy:
We object to the "Pilgiim Piogiess" paiaue anu to what goes on in Plymouth
because they aie making millions of touiist uollais eveiy yeai fiom the false
pilgiim mythology. That money is being maue off the backs of oui slaugh-
teieu inuigenous ancestois. |.j Anu no, they uiu not even lanu at that sacieu
shiine calleu Plymouth Rock, a monument to iacism anu oppiession which
we aie piouu to say we buiieu in 199S.
4S

In Chailes Lyell's ?,)-*)8'#2 &I %#&'&(7> unuei the heauing, "Piejuuices aiising fiom
oui peculiai position as inhabitants of the lanu," the authoi acknowleuges the uiffi-
culty of inhabiting "almost exclusively a theatie of uecay, anu not of iepiouuction."
In his woius:
Be who has obseiveu the quaiiying of stone fiom a iock, anu has seen it
shippeu foi some uistant poit, anu then enueavouis to conceive what kinu of
euifice will be iaiseu by the mateiials is in the same pieuicament as a geolo-
gist, who, while he is confineu to the lanu, sees the uecomposition of iocks,
anu the tianspoitation of mattei by iiveis to the sea, anu then enueavouis to
pictuie himself the new stiata which Natuie is builuing beneath the wateis.
46
Postcaiu, Nassasoit Statue, Poitico ovei Plymouth Rock, The
Nayflowei. 19Su-4S. The Tichnoi Boitheis Collection,
Boston Public Libiaiy
Fig. u8
122
That we witness just fiag-
ments of physical mattei
at single moments of time,
yet seek to unueistanu
the woilu of uynamic
mateiials ovei ueep time,
is a peipetual conunuium
when visualizing anu
unueistanuing geological
piocesses. While confineu
to the lanu anu a paiticulai
time, eiiatic boulueis have
helpeu iesolve some of the
paiauoxes of geology by
allowing scientists to piece
togethei a cohesive theoiy
about the eaith's uistant
past, as well as unueistanu, ponuei, anu ie-wiite time at multiple scales. Beyonu
theii iole as scientific eviuence, theii glacial histoiy, peivasive uistiibution, anu cu-
iious shapes anu sizes have maue them enigmatic chaiacteis. These chaiacteiistics
incluue the ability to move oi iock, theieby echoing theii eailiei glacial motion, as
with the Kiuston Lake Rocking Stone; to become affectionate local chaiacteis anu
piouuce human uesiies to maintain them as "whole" figuies, as with the Rollstone
Bouluei; to be meuia foi the tiansmission of iueas about moie iecent cycles of
human histoiy, as with the Babson Boulueis; to be useu to encapsulate, make
static, anu efface a pooily unueistoou inuigenous histoiy, as with the Neuicine oi
Piayei Rock; anu finally as a tool foi myth-making anu myth-contesting, as with
the Plymouth Rock. While each of these boulueis has been useu in specific anu
instiumental ways by humans, it is theii concuiient iefeiences to multiple scales
of time, to multiple agents of changeboth human anu non-human, both scientific
anu populaithat makes them potent figuies.
Not long aftei the theoiy of glaciation hau become wiuely accepteu, ueoige Peikins
Naish's 1868 publication Pbysicol 6eoqropby os HoJijieJ by Eumon Action intio-
uuceu the iuea of human action as a foice of change at the scale of the lanuscape: "As
we have seen, man has ieacteu upon oiganizeu anu inoiganic natuie, anu theieby
mouifieu, if not ueteimineu, the mateiial stiuctuie of his eaithly home."
47
The sci-
entific anu lay inteiest in eiiatic boulueis is nestleu between Naish's obseivation
that humans hau agency in the tiansfoimation of the woilu aiounu them, anu the
newly theoiizeu pioposition that glacial piocesses hau tiansfoimeu the woilu at
scales pieviously unimaginable. Thiough these two entiy points, eiiatics manage
to link the seemingly iiiesolvable chasm between human anu geological action.
Fig. u9 National Bay of Nouining plaque, Plymouth, Nassachusetts
Photo couitesy of ueialu Azenaio
Eiiatic Imaginaiies | }ane Button 12S
lcknowledgnenls
Nany thanks to Senta Buiton foi hei assistance anu insights, as well as to }oyce
Rosenthal anu Shantel Blakely foi theii comments on the text. This pioject stemmeu
fiom ieseaich foi an exhibition that I cuiateu in 2uu9, the theme foi which was
oiiginally pioposeu by Chailes Waluheim, whom I'u like to thank intiouucing me
to the topic.
Noles
0 Rev. B. Boneyman, "Nova Scotia ueology (Supeificial)", ?,&*##@)-(2 &I 0"# 3&A5 6*&0)5-
9-20)0+0# &I 6*)#-*#, vol. S, Pait 4 (Balifax, 1882), S29.
H "Besciiption of the Rocking Stone, in Nova Scotia," !"# %'52(&4 M#*"5-)*2 M5(5C)-#T 5-@
/--5'2 &I ?")'&2&8"7> 1 (1824): S49.
5 Elizabeth Eve, "Rockingstone Roau," in K5')I5D 60,##0 35=#2. /- 9''+20,50#@ %+)@#, eu.
Shelagh Nackenzie anu Scott Robson (Foimac Publishing Company: Balifax, 2uu4), 1S7.
N Ibiu., 1S6.
? Petei 0. Claik et al., "The Last ulacial Naximum," 6*)#-*# S2S, no. S941 (August 2uu9):
71u-714.
Y }ean ue Chaipentiei, <225) 2+, '#2 ('5*)#,2 #0 2+, '# 0#,,5)- #,,50)P+# @+ H522)- @+ L"&-#
(Lausanne: Impiimeiie et Libiaiiie ue Naic Bucloux, 1841).
O Naitin }. S. Ruuwick, B&,'@2 E#I&,# /@5=. !"# L#*&-20,+*0)&- &I %#&")20&,7 )- 0"# /(# &I
L#I&,= (Chicago: 0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 2uu8), S1u.
Z As pointeu out in Timothy Nitchell, "Fieueiic Chuich's 'The Icebeigs': Eiiatic Boulueis
anu Time's Slow Changes," 6=)0"2&-)5- 60+@)#2 )- /=#,)*5- /,0 S, no. 4 (1989): 12.
K Ruuwick, B&,'@2 E#I&,# /@5=, S11.
0^ E. Reynaiu, "Piotecting Stones: Conseivation of Eiiatic Blocks in Switzeilanu," in
W)=#-2)&- 60&-#, eu. R. Piikiyl (Lonuon: Tayloi & Fiancis, 2uu4), S.
00 Richaiu Fostei Flint, %'5*)5' %#&'&(7 5-@ 0"# ?'#)20&*#-# <8&*" (New Yoik: }. Wiley & Sons,
1947), 7S.
0H Ruuwick, B&,'@2 E#I&,# /@5=, 12.
05 Ibiu., 1S.
0N Ibiu., 19u.
0? Ibiu., Su2.
0Y Flint, %'5*)5' %#&'&(7 /-@ !"# ?'#)20&*#-# <8&*", 117.
0O Ruuwick, B&,'@2 E#I&,# /@5=, 8S.
0Z Rebecca Beuell, "Thomas Cole anu the Fashionable Science," K+-0)-(0&- O)H,5,7 g+5,0#,'7
S9, no. 2 & S (1996): S6S.
0K Naitin Ruuwick, "Essay Review of Stuuies on ulacieis, pieceueu by the Biscouise of
Neuchatel by Louis Agassiz, tianslateu anu euiteu by Albeit v. Caiozzi," in !"# 3#4 6*)#-*#
&I %#&'&(7. 60+@)#2 )- 0"# <5,0" 6*)#-*#2 )- 0"# /(# &I L#A&'+0)&- (Ashgate: vaiioium, 2uu4),
142.
H^ Ralph W. Bextei, "Bistoiical Aspects of Agassiz's Lectuies on ulacial ueology (186u-61),"
<5,0" 6*)#-*#2 K)20&,7 8, no. 1 (1989): 77.
H0 Ibiu., 78.
124
HH Ibiu., 7S.
H5 Rebecca Beuell, !"# /-50&=7 &I 350+,#. %#&'&(7 h /=#,)*5- O5-@2*58# ?5)-0)-(> VfopG
Vfnp (Piinceton, N.}.: Piinceton 0niveisity Piess, 2uu1).
HN Loiiaine Baston, eu., !")-(2 !"50 !5'; (New Yoik: Zone Books, 2uu8), 1S
H? Boieen Nassey, "Lanuscape as a Piovocation: Reflections on Noving Nountains," }ournol
&I M50#,)5' :+'0+,# 11, no. SS (2uu6): SS-48.
HY William Anuiew Emeison, J)0*"H+,(> M5225*"+2#002> ?520 5-@ ?,#2#-0 (Fitchbuig, Nass.:
Blanchaiu & Biown, 1887), 18.
HO Robeit Bouchei, "I Am the Bouluei."
HZ Fitchbuig Bistoiical Society, ?,&*##@)-(2 &I 0"# J)0*"H+,( K)20&,)*5' 6&*)#07 5-@ ?58#,2
L#'50)-( 0& 0"# K)20&,7 &I 0"# !&4- L#5@ H7 6&=# &I 0"# M#=H#,2> N&' ` (Fitchbuig, Nass.:
Sentinel Piinting Company, 19u2), 1S1.
HK "Ruggeu Rollstone Bouluei Noveu with uieat Effoit Now Wants Plaque Back," J)0*"H+,(
6#-0)-#', 2u Becembei 19S8, http:home.ipiimus.com.aumetzkeiollstonebouluei.
html.
5^ "Fitchbuig's Bistoiic Bowluei Noveu with Caie to Site in Paik," W5)'7 E&20&- %'&H#> 2S
Becembei 19Su..
50 Biaufoiu Toiiey, !"# B,)0)-(2 &I K#-,7 W5A)@ !"&,#5+, Xl, }uly 2 18S8-Iebruory, 18S9,
(Boston: Boughton Nifflin anu Company, 19u6), 179.
5H Fieu Woous, "Keep 0ut of Bebt Belp Nothei," E&20&- %'&H#, 19 August 197S.
55 Elizabeth Naitin, "Beconstiucting Naiginality: Exploiing the Founuations of Bogtown
Common, Nassachusetts" (PhB uiss., City 0niveisity of New Yoik, 2u11), 141.
5N Rogei W. Babson, /*0)&-2 5-@ L#5*0)&-2. /- /+0&H)&(,58"7 &I L&(#, E5H2&- (New Yoik:
Baipei & Biotheis, 19SS), SS7.
5? Woous, "Keep 0ut of Bebt Belp Nothei."
5Y Ibiu.
5O Linea Sunustiom, "Rock Ait anu Native Ameiicans: A view fiom South Bakota," ?'5)-2
/-0",&8&'&()20 44 (1999): 74.
5Z Ibiu., 71.
5K }ohn NcPhee, "0ui Fai Flung Coiiesponuents: Tiavels of the Rock," !"# 3#4 ]&,;#,> 26
Febiuaiy 199u, 1u8.
N^ Saigent Bush, "Ameiican's 0iigin Nyth: Remembeiing Plymouth Rock," /=#,)*5- O)0#,5,7
K)20&,7 12, no. 4 (Wintei 2uuu): 74S.
N0 NcPhee, "0ui Fai Flung Coiiesponuents," 1Su.
NH Ibiu., 1u9.
N5 Chiistiana Noigan uiefe, ieview of M#=&,712 350)&-. !"# ?'5*# &I ?'7=&+0" L&*;> by }ohn
Seelye, }ournol of Populor Culture S8, no. 1 (Aug. 2uu4): 212-214.
NN Thanks to Amy Kulpei foi pointing this out.
N? Noonanum }ames anu Nahtowin Nunio, "Thanksgiving: A National Bay of Nouining foi
Inuians," 0niteu Ameiican Inuians of New Englanu, http:www.uaine.oiguom.htm.
NY Chailes Lyell, ?,)-*)8'#2 &I %#&'&(7 &,> 0"# M&@#,- :"5-(#2 &I 0"# <5,0" 5-@ )02 9-"5H)05-02
(Lonuon: }ohn Nuiiay, 18S4), 81.
NO ueoige Peikins Naish, Pbysicol 6eoqropby os HoJijieJ by Eumon Action (New Yoik:
Chailes Sciibnei, 1864), 8.
P3#))#,- #, :$ `H^0Ha
Chesler Rennie
Mixed Medio
!"## %&
''"## (&
)"## %&
''"## %&
!"## (&
)"## (&
The pioject 64)==)-( )- 90 is a site-specific exploiation of the tiansition of
a foimei open-pit iion mine anu cuiient aggiegate piouuction site into a
hyuio-electiic pumpeu stoiage facility. The site was oiiginally uevelopeu as
an iion mine by Bethlehem Steel but was uecommissioneu aftei Su yeais of
piouuction because of the incuision of watei fiom the suiiounuing kaist
lanuscape. In the time since its uecommissioning, the pit has giauually filleu
with watei, tiembling aspen anu golueniou have colonizeu the oveibuiuen,
126
anu the iemainueis of equipment have iusteu into iuin. Soon the pit anu
oveibuiuen will be connecteu thiough the electiical giiu to an entiie piov-
ince of uistiibuteu electiical objects that will move the watei into the uppei
ieseivoii anu back into the pit eveiy uay. This pioject cieates two swimming
pools within the pit which pioviue visitois with amplifieu mateiial anu
physical access to the infiastiuctuie of consumption which helpeu piouuce
the site.
Swimming in It | Chestei Rennie 127
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9#)* @&$$*"/
Flizobelh 0rosz in Conversolion wilh Heolher Dovis ond Flienne Turpin
B, 9*)G."&'#$J #, $+* 1,$+".G.%*,*
Aichitectuie is often, anu foi ieauily appaient ieasons, consiueieu thiough
spatial peispectives, but its inteisection with the Anthiopocenewhat
the Anthiopocene @#=5-@2is nothing less than a ieconsiueiation of ai-
chitectuie's tempoial qualities. In an eia wheie we see intense changes in
weathei, species, anu geology at an unpieceuenteu iate, the question of time
is incieasingly impinging on us. Inueeu, the ways that aichitectuie shifts,
changes, tiansfoims, uegiaues, bieaks uown, anu evolves heialu paiticulai
kinus of futuies thiough its vaiious teiiitoiializations anu movements ovei
time.
Elizabeth uiosz has been engaging with piecisely these questions of uuia-
tion, life, tiansfoimation, evolution, anu time foi at least the past uecaue.
In hei own book on aichitectuie, /,*")0#*0+,# I,&= 0"# Q+02)@#. <22572 &-
N),0+5' 5-@ L#5' 685*# (2uu1), she suggests that aichitectuie's outsiue, that
which affoius a peispective, is piecisely the question of time. Time is that
which both subtenus anu expanus oi uilates space, anu its consiueiation can
push spatial piactices such as aichitectuie in uiffeient uiiections, towaius
uiffeient ways of living oi inhabiting. uiosz tackles the subject of aichitec-
tuie again in hei 2uu8 book :"5&2> !#,,)0&,7> /,0. W#'#+C# 5-@ 0"# J,5=)-( &I
0"# <5,0", but with a uiffeient emphasis. Beie, aichitectuie is placeu as the
"fiist ait," in Beleuze's sense, as the maiking of a teiiitoiy that tempoiaiily
anu piovisionally allows chaos to slow enough foi new intensities to be felt
anu to emeige.
1
This fiaming of the eaith signifies the oiigins of aichitectuie,
which pioviues the basis upon which othei aits manifest themselves. It is,
like all the othei aits, not exclusively human, but is a piopeity of life itself
its enuless piolifeiation in anu thiough uiffeience.
Time, as the conuition foi the emeigence of uiffeience, is cential to uiosz's
thought. As she says in hei most iecent book, E#*&=)-( R-@&-#, "I woulu
piefei to unueistanu life anu mattei in teims of theii tempoial anu uuia-
tional entwinements. Nattei anu life become, anu become unuone. They
tiansfoim anu aie tiansfoimeu."
2
It is this capacity foi tiansfoimation, foi
self-oveicoming that, she insists, is the "conuition foi the emeigence of ait,
foi the eiuption of collective life, anu foi the cieation of new foims of politics,
new moues of living."
S
It is piecisely thiough the piivileging of evolutionaiy
time that life can be unueistoou thiough its excessiveness, thiough its
continual tiansfoimation, offeiing a moue of self-oveicoming. Anu it is an
oveicoming of philosophy, of the humanities, by way of thinking the human
)- )02 8'5*#as simply one species among many which emeigeu, flouiisheu,
1Su
anu will eventually go extinctthat uiosz asks us to consiuei. By looking
at the human thiough the lens of ueep time, uiosz offeis a new appioach
to philosophy, as well as to aichitectuie. Bei claiity anu unflinching vision,
which avoius both iomantic anu nihilistic pitfalls, continues to piofounuly
maik contempoiaiy philosophy. It was with consiueiable pleasuie that we
poseu to hei these questions on how to think thiough aichitectuie unuei
contempoiaiy geologic conuitions.

L*&$+*" 7&D#/ c 8$#*,,* 9F"G#, In the essay "Technical Nentality," uilbeit
Simonuon auvances a schema wheieby piocesses of inuiviuuation occui on the
level of objects themselves. In his woius, "if one imagines an object that, insteau of
being closeu, offeis paits that aie conceiveu as being as close to inuestiuctible as
possible, anu otheis by contiast in which theie woulu be concentiateu a veiy high
capacity to aujust to each usage, oi weai, oi possible bieakage in case of shock, of
malfunctioning, then one obtains an open object that can be completeu, impioveu,
maintaineu in the state of peipetual actuality."
4
In many ways, this objective of
being maintaineu in a state of peipetual actuality, in a continual piocess of inui-
viuuation, seems to be one of the goals of aichitectuie, oi aichitectuial piojects
bioauly speaking. At the same time, we live in an eia wheie the obsolescence of
builuings is incieasingly expeuiteu, even as theii accumulation, seuimentation, anu
tiansfoimation into lanufills becomes a contiibutoi to what we have come to know
as the Anthiopocene. In oui contempoiaiy moment, what is the evolutionaiy foice
of aichitectuie.
8'#_&C*$+ M"./_ Aichitectuie is both an evolutionaiy invention, one not maue by
man but one that peihaps maue man's emeigence possible (the human iequiies
aichitectuie, piotection, teiiitoiy in its loosest sense, a non-possessable milieu, to
become man anu peihaps even to move beyonu man). Anu it is itself always open
to evolutionaiy foices, foices of uestiuction even moie than of constiuction oi
ieconstiuction, always being ie-contextualizeu, tiansfoimeu both within anu in its
aichitectuial anu natuial contexts. A builuing has a finite life, even if it extenus be-
yonu its cuiiently living occupants; it tenus to become iubble without active intei-
vention. What Simonuon suggests about the technical object is that its paits may be
ieplaceable, but to the extent that an object can evolve, change its uesign, become
something else, it must still ietain some kinu of foim, a plan, a finality, a functional-
ity. The object, whethei a technical object oi a natuial oi cultuial object, is no less
piey to evolutionaiy foices than any othei iuentity oi foim of cohesion. But as a
technical object (like a builuing), many of its paits can be "upgiaueu," "ienovateu"
without funuamentally tiansfoiming it; oi equally, it is capable of being thoioughly
tiansfoimeu, a new builuing on an olu founuation, a new builuing behinu an olu
faaue, in a moie oi less continuous movement. Evolution, as opposeu to invention,
always pioceeus thiough continuity, just as invention involves the suuuen cohesion
oi a new way of opeiating of many paits that may pieexist the inventeu object.
Time Natteis | A Conveisation with Elizabeth uiosz 1S1
L7c89 In /,*")0#*0+,# I,&= 0"# Q+02)@#, you wiite: "Aichitectuie ielies on a uou-
ble natuienatuie as stanuing ieseive, as mateiial to be exploiteu anu iewiitten,
but also a natuie that is always the supeisession anu tiansfoimation of limits anu
thus beyonu the passivity of the ieseive oi the iesouice, natuie as becoming oi
evolution."
S
In the time of the Anthiopocene, a peiiou that maiks itself by human
inteivention as much as by a suipassing of the human, how uoes the place of ai-
chitectuie change. uiven the cuiient foice of evolutionaiy momentum, toiqueu
anu speu up to the point of human time, what futuies can aichitectuie cieate oi
inhabit. Boes this necessitate an engagement with the untimely in aichitectuie anu
uesign. Bo the piessuies of the Anthiopocene foice an evolutionaiy becoming of
aichitectuie at the same iate as the iest of the biological woilu, oi as a cieative ges-
tuie of futuiity. 0i, uoes oui continueu (biological, cultuial, anu economic) ieliance
upon natuie as stanuing ieseive uiaw aichitectuie back into a necessaiily ieactive
position.
8M This is a veiy complex set of questions. Aichitectuie as we know it, human
aichitectuie, is one of the piouucts oi cieations of, as well as one of the piecon-
uitions foi, the age of man, if such a thing exists. It uepenus, of couise, on how
long one uates the Anthiopocene, whethei fiom the inuustiial ievolution oi fiom
the emeigence of human civilization in Afiica, Asia anu elsewheie. In linking the
Anthiopocene to the inuustiial ievolution anu beyonu, foi example, aichitectuie
becomes a possession; it becomes fixeu, anu linkeu less to the maiking of teiiitoiy
than to its inhabitation. It becomes the place wheie living becomes sepaiateu fiom
the lives of otheis. It becomes the place foi the woikei who piouuces commouities.
It becomes a commouity, anu then one that signifies as well as functions, that can be
ieau just as much as it can be useu oi inhabiteu. Aichitectuie, like all ait, has the po-
tential, oi capability, of auuiessing anu biinging into existence new qualities, new
foices, new ways of living, new foims of connection anu uisconnection fiom social
ielations. But equally, it tenus to function, like most foims of ait, as a commouity
moie than as a moue of ait. As such, the cheapei anu moie appealing to buyeis
anu ienteis, the moie consumable aichitectuie is; the moie uiiven by commouity
piouuction anu consumption, the moie "successful" it is. So aichitectuie, in shoit,
has the capacity to both extenu man's uestiuction of the enviionment, but also,
at its best but much moie iaiely, it ietains the capacity to invent new moues of
co-existence, moie sustainable ways of living anu moie aesthetic expeiiences of
inhabitation.
Natuie as stanuing ieseive is natuie as an enuless iesouice to be consumeu with-
out thought. Beie natuie is not seen as having a foice of its own, but as iaw mateiial
foi human enus oi goals that may be imposeu on oi extiacteu fiom it. Cleaily, we
aie at an histoiical moment when this iaw iesouice will no longei be capable of
sustaining billions of people in the same way that socially anu nationally piivilegeu
subjects live. It will be only thiough an invention, not only at an aichitectuial but
also at agiicultuial anu enviionmental levels, that new kinus of builuing, anu new
kinus of coexistence, might become possible. I uon't want to suggest, howevei, that
1S2
the age of man can be oveicome by man. This is peihaps the veiy same aiiogance
that piouuceu the Anthiopocene, the human tenuency to believe in its own powei,
its pioblem-solving capacities, even as it has unueitaken iuinous activity that im-
peiils othei foims of life. It is only hubiis that leaus us to believe that if the human
has polluteu anu neaily uestioyeu vast enviionments, it can somehow iestoie what
it has uestioyeu. It may be that we have not only summoneu up a new aichitectuie,
new aits, new ways of living, but new foims of self-uestiuction, new ways of ovei-
coming the human, new enus foi aichitectuie.
L7c89 Bow uo we think the time of the futuie without humans. In othei woius,
is the time of the futuie, that is, the becoming of humankinu anu its speculative
evolution, an encountei with the viitual of the human as species. Is the futuie of
humanity, as a nonhuman futuie, thus a time of the viitual. Boes the natuie of the
viitual change if theie is no time of the piesent, at least to humans.
8M Time exists without us. It is we who cannot exist oi conceive of ouiselves
without it. Time continues whethei we exist oi not, foi it is the conuition of eveiy
existence, eveiy object, natuial oi technical, eveiy univeise, anu even the oiigin of
all univeises. The futuie may not involve an encountei with the human; its viitual-
ities may just as ieauily be left un-actualizeu as a futuie life foim elaboiates them
accoiuing to its inteiests. Will the human be an object of ieflection foi that which
ieplaces the human. Who is to know. The past, the piesent, anu the futuie uo not
iequiie the human to exist anu to function: just as the human emeigeu, giauually,
thiough the elaboiation anu evolution of piimates, so too the human will uisappeai,
as an inevitability, given an inueteiminate time span. Whatevei the human pioviues
foi the futuie, oi foi any futuie species, will only emeige fiom what that species
may iequiie; otheiwise the human will iemain an un-actualizeu viituality, no uif-
feient than any othei extinct species. Time, as simultaneously viitual anu actual,
past anu piesent, will continue in piecisely its own way, even without the piesence
of the human. The piesent abiues, continuously, ceaselessly, whethei obseiveu, oi
expeiienceu, oi not.
L7c89 What biings you back, again anu again, to questions of time. Foi at least
the past uecaue, you have been ieauing anu wiiting on Beigson, Baiwin, Beleuze,
anu Iiigaiay, talking about the evolutionaiy time that subtenus othei systems, but
with vaiiation anu uiffeience in each of theii iteiations in youi latest books. What
happens to thought itself in this piocess of uuiational unfoluing. Bow uoes think-
ing change against, oi in ielation to, the changing hoiizon of ueep time.
8M 0ne of the things that attiacteu me to Beigson in paiticulai was his iuea that
the piesent contains all of the past within it, caiiying it as it continuously tians-
foims itself. The eailiest eventseven those bounu up with the veiy oiigins of the
univeise, long befoie the evolutionaiy emeigence of lifeuo not cease to have theii
effects on eveiything that is subsequent, even if they aie iestiuctuieu, given new
impact anu foice, maue meaningful, in theii piesent effects. In othei woius, eveiy
Time Natteis | A Conveisation with Elizabeth uiosz 1SS
actual piesent is subtenueu by the viitual entiiety of the past. So ueep time, the
time of the univeise's unfoluing, the constiuction of the eaith anu all that appeais
on it, the eiuption of life foims, all the momentous anu unpieuictable emeigences
nevei cease; they function both as an histoiical hoiizon but also as unspent foices,
foices whose effects have not been useu up by all the time that has sepaiateu the
piesent fiom its piimoiuial past. Thinking can appeai only at a ceitain moment
within this evolutionaiy fiamewoik, as an effect of a ceitain uegiee of complexity of
the bouy, oi, as Simonuon might suggest, as a iesult of a set of tensions at the level
of the oiganism that iequiies a new oiuei, a new moue of existence to be inventeu
oi inuiviuuateu. Thinking is maue in uuiational flow, but, as Beigson suggests,
that which can think uoes not necessaiily think its own uuiational invention anu
elaboiation. Thinking is a piouuct oi effect of life liveu in a hazaiuous woilu; its
emeigence solves a pioblem by cieating a new level at which the pioblem might
be auuiesseu, if not solveu. So it is not cleai, as Beigson suggests of intelligence,
whethei thought can auequately think uuiation, even as it exists only as an effect of
evolutionaiy uuiation. This is what I have stiuggleu to auuiess in the last uecaue:
how to think time, given that time's foice is moie liveu, moie qualitative than it is
measuiable, countable oi mappable, which aie all spatial qualities.
L7c89 Even within the wiiting itselfyoui paiticulai aesthetic, that istheie
aie moments when youi texts feel like a kinu of musical scoie, with a iefiain that
gets iepeateu, both to inuuce a feeling of uiffeience as well as piouuce something
new. Beleuze anu uuattaii talk about the iefiain as a paiticulai kinu of iepetition
that has the capacity to cieate thought, anu maik the teiiitoiy of thought. Is it pos-
sible to think of this kinu of iepetition in aichitectuial teimsnot as a scaffoluing,
noi in the sense of infiastiuctuie, but in the sense of piocesses of teiiitoiialization.
8M Yes, I uo think that theie is something of the iefiain, anu of ihythm, in aichi-
tectuie, in the flows of movement, of bouies, piactices, but also of aii, heat, colu,
electiicity, anu the inteinet, as well as the flow of mateiials that aie useu in con-
stiuction. Each of these foims a iefiain, a melouic tiacing out of space to foim a
bounueu teiiitoiy within which qualities, paiticulaily ihythms anu tempoialities,
can emeige. Repetition, oi peihaps seiiality, is a conuition of aichitectuie, anu
theie can be gieat beauty in the oiueis of iepetition, thiough the spacing, mateiials,
anu movements that aichitectuie cieates. It is significant, though, that Beleuze anu
uuattaii's concept of the iefiain places aichitectuie in a uiffeient position than mu-
sic. As the "fiist ait," the ait that enables all the othei aits to emeige, aichitectuie
has a moie piimoiuial connection to the eaith, to location anu teiiitoiy, than any
othei ait. It is only thiough the "constiuction" oi cieation of a ciicle of safety that
the iefiain can emeige as such anu conuition the eiuption of music, painting, uance
anu the othei aits. This is aichitectuie in its most piimitive anu animal foimthe
maiking of lanu, whethei by scent, thiough walking tiails oi a fence, anu its foims of
occupation, whethei nomauic oi seuentaiy. At this most elementaiy level, aichitec-
tuie is ihythm attacheu to the eaith, a ihythm that enables othei ihythms to escape
theii location, to ueteiiitoiialize themselves, to function elsewheie, anywheie.
1S4
L7c89 Since wiiting /,*")0#*0+,# I,&= 0"# Q+02)@#, have you seen any shift in
the ielationship of aichitectuie to genuei oi political economy. The postcolonial
theoiist Bipesh Chakiabaity, in his essay "The Climate of Bistoiy," emphasizes that
while the Anthiopocene has consequences foi the whole speciesespecially in
ielation to climate changeit is peipetuateu unevenly among the species.
6
That
is, within a patiiaichal, capitalist system, those who cieate new iisks by accelei-
ating climate change aie iaiely those closest to theii consequences. Bow woulu
you aiticulate the significance of genuei in the context of the Anthiopocene anu its
political economic consequences.
8M The simple answei is no, I haven't seen much of a change in the ielationship
between aichitectuie anu genuei, though no uoubt theie aie moie women in
aichitectuie than evei befoie, anu moie women winning big commissions anu
piojects. But along with Iiigaiay, I woulu say that aichitectuie anu its associateu
uisciplinesuesign, uiban planning, engineeiingaie just as male-uominateu, as
genuei-, iace-, anu class-piivilegeu as any cultuial piactice, anu moie so than most
of the aits. Theie is no ieason it must be this way, except foi a histoiy that has
piivilegeu ceitain kinus of piactices anu ceitain kinus of subjects ovei othei possi-
bilities. Climate change, the poisoning of the atmospheie, the extinction of count-
less species, has unuoubteuly been effecteu by those who iegulate laige amounts
of eneigy, something iaiely accessible to most women thioughout human histoiy.
The histoiy of human accomplishment thus fai is piimaiily both a histoiy of self-
anu othei-uestiuction, anu a histoiy of masculine piivilege (among othei things).
If men anu piivilegeu masculine piactices aie iesponsible foi climate change, this
uoes not mean that, as usual, women shoulu be assumeu to be those who nuituie,
iestoie to health anu heal the woilu (anu humanity). Noi shoulu be assumeu that
masculine piivilege can somehow fix oi oveicome the haim it has piouuceu, even if
it coulu uo so.
L7c89 The theoiist Tom Cohen uses the teim "telemoiphosis"
7
to uesciibe
how, within the context of contempoiaiy enviionmental collapse, the spatial anu
tempoial uistance that humans once helu between themselves anu theii actions
is iapiuly uiminishing. In youi own woik, you've aigueu, contia Kant, that "space
anu time iemain conceivable insofai as they become accessible foi us coipoieally."
8

While oui coipoieal expeiience of the Anthiopocene seems to be laigely at ouus
with oui biological suivival (by way of chemical contamination, toxicosis, iauiation,
extieme weathei events, etc.), uo you think theie is an embouieu ielation that can
be piouuctive of an ethics oi a politics foi the contempoiaiy.
8M That is 0"# question of the piesent. I uon't know. I uon't know how we can
mobilize, noi which ethical anu political teims may be useful foi such a mobiliza-
tion of human eneigy towaiu a given goal anu the pievention of such a collapse.
All ethics anu politics aie always alieauy embouieu, liveu anu enacteu by bouies of
vaiious types in uiffeient social anu geogiaphical spaces. But we have not founu an
ethics oi politics auequate to the oveiwhelming pioblems the humanoi at least,
Time Natteis | A Conveisation with Elizabeth uiosz 1SS
the uominant foims of the humanhas piouuceu. No one seems to have pioviueu
a stiategy foi collective action, as theie seems to be no way these laige, almost
intiactable pioblems can be auuiesseu without bioau collective agieement. The
polaiization anu (paity) politicization of iesponses to pioblems like climate change
ensuie that theie is no immeuiately foieseeable ways of auuiessing these questions
as shaieu uilemmas anu collective iesponsibilities.
L7c89 uilles Beleuze, in his ieauing of Spinoza, aigues foi the necessity of an
ethology of affects that can pieseive the specificity of the bouy outsiue of moie
abstiact concepts of geneia oi species. This is piecisely what Beleuze anu uuattaii,
in / !"&+25-@ ?'50#5+2, call #0")*2. }ust as you have inquiieu about an ethology of
language, we woulu like to ask if theie coulu be an ethology of aichitectuie. Can
aichitectuie piouuce an ethicspeihaps an "untimely" ethicsthat coulu leveiage
a kinu of ethology of builuings oi the built enviionment.
8M The question of an ethics of affect in the fielu of aichitectuie is a complex one,
one that at least some aichitects aie attempting to auuiess, in whatevei inventive
ways they cansee, foi example the auventuious aichitectuie of Aiawaka anu uins,
which challenges the bouy out of its habitual moues while biinging about a new,
almost countei-intuitive bouythe way aichitectuie impacts on anu tiansfoims
the bouy to biing out joyous affects anu to uiminish sau affects, to extenu life oi
inhibit it. This is not, howevei, typical of most aichitectuie, which aims at a func-
tionality that is as inexpensive anu open to ieauy tiansfoimation (incluuing its own
ieuunuancy) as possible. Theie aie two quite uiffeient uiiections that an ethics oi
ethology of aichitectuie may take: one is the uiiection of iesponsible, sustainable
housing, in which the enviionment is impacteu as little as possible anu the costs
of piouuction aie as small as possible. This piouuces an aichitectuie that tiies to
seive a common goou, to biing about a functionality that is piactical foi laige anu
giowing populations. The othei uiiection is moie expeiimental, wheie builuings aie
piouuceu not as cheaply anu functionally as possible, but iathei thiough innovative,
often uniepeatable uesigns that auuiess engineeiing, constiuction, oi aesthetic
qualities in inventive ways. This is an ethics with a uiffeient oiientation, without a
cleai-cut moial impeiative, an ethics of the new, aligneu moie with ait than politics.
Sometimesiaielythese two oiientations aie seen in a common pioject. Noie
commonly, though, they tenu to be two ethical oi ethological uiiections (peihaps
the two uiiections that also maik natuial anu sexual selection) between which aich-
itects must chose. The seconu appioach is no uoubt moie untimely than the fiist,
which oiients itself piecisely to the neeus of the piesent anu the immeuiate futuie.
L7c89 Coulu aichitectuie, in youi view, piouuce evolutionaiy-H#*&=)-(2. You
have wiitten that "|tjhe living bouy is itself the ongoing piovocation foi inventive
piactice, foi inventing anu elaboiating wiuely vaiying piactices, foi using oigans
anu activities in unexpecteu anu potentially expansive ways, foi making ait out of
the bouy's capacities anu actions."
9
The piessuies that piouuce oi piovoke these
becomings aie both inteinal anu exteinal to the bouy itself, anu to the bouy's own
1S6
piocesses of teiiitoiialization, which themselves coulu piouuce fuithei becomings.
Is this an appioach we can use to ueteimine how aichitectuie is inteiioiizeu, how
it is entangleu in the evolutionaiy piocess itself.
8M Yes, I have no uoubt. The built enviionment is foi most of us in the uevelopeu
woilu the context in which "natuial selection" occuis, the fiame thiough which the
woilu impacts the bouy, whethei it is thiough natuial events, like vaiious uisasteis,
huiiicanes, eaithquakes, stoims, oi cultuial, economical oi political events, wais,
anu ciises. Cities have become oui "habitats," putting as much exteinal piessuie
that we must inteinally iegulate as natuial selection uoes within a puiely natu-
ial oiuei. Social anu cultuial life uoes not tiansfoim natuial selection; it simply
oiients it to uiffeient ciiteiia that aie economic anu social iathei than biological.
Aichitectuie piouuces at least some of the key elements that constitute the milieu
in which foices affect living beings. It is also one of the objects of evolutionaiy-be-
coming itself, always ueveloping new foims, new mateiials in new ways. This is the
political anu ethical potential of aichitectuie that we uiscusseu eailiei.
L7c89 Bespite the incieasing tenuency of aichitectuie, as a uiscipline anu pio-
fession, towaiu auveitisement, spectacle, anu self-piomotion, theie iemains an
impoitant stiuggle to aiticulate connections between aichitectuie piactices anu
the woilu within which the human attempts to suivive, which, at the same time,
it also piouuces. In this iegaiu, can aichitectuie contiibute to the geneiation of
ciitical ecologies.
8M 0f couise it can. Aichitectuie at its best is about pioviuing a constiucteu envi-
ionment which, on the one hanu, contiibutes as little as possible to fuithei ecolog-
ical uestiuction, anu on the othei piouuces spatial anu aesthetic expeiiences that
enable new foims of subjectivity anu new foims of social engagement to emeige.
Aichitectuie is capable of not only ueveloping new foims of uesign, but also new
mateiials that aie attentive to the habitat fiom which they aie taken, as well as
the habitat to which they now contiibute. This is an aichitectuie in which humans,
uesigneis anu builueis, as well as inhabitants, come to acknowleuge the uebt they
owe to the natuial foices that make theii enueavouis possible. Such an aichitectuie
is not only possible, but actual, even though it tenus to uefy the usual conuitions
unuei which aichitectuie is commissioneu anu built.
L7c89 The human, as a type of bouy (one that obviously contains a huge vaiiety
of foims anu vaiiations), possesses the coipoieal anu technical capacities that
enable us to iauically tiansfoim the eaith in ways that weie even a shoit time ago
quite unimaginable. This is uue, in laige pait, to the scale of the human as a species.
In the tuin to the Anthiopocene, can we begin to see the collective enunciation of
the human. Coulu we ieau this as a kinu of evolutionaiy ueath uiive.
8M This capacity foi iauical tiansfoimation is a function of scales of population,
but even moie it is a function of the scale of technologies that aie now capable of
Time Natteis | A Conveisation with Elizabeth uiosz 1S7
teiia-foiming any iegion, leveling eveiything to even out a teiiain in a veiy iapiu
peiiou of time. We can now cleai a foiest in a mattei of uays, if not houis, with
uiastic iepeicussions foi all foims of life sustaineu theie, incluuing, inuiiectly, the
human itself. I uon't think that it is a ueath uiive, although it is a uiive that will in
the longei teim iesult in extinction: in this situation, ueathextinctionis an in-
evitable Nalthusian conclusion fiom the iise in populations iathei than an oiienta-
tion oi uiive fiom within species anu inuiviuuals. The concept of the Anthiopocene,
in noting human exceptionalism, also paiticipates in it. Nan is not a moie
uangeious species than any othei; but like all othei species, whose species-ex-
istence is finite, this species will inevitably, ovei time, evolve oi become extinct.
Species come into existence anu become extinct. Theii activities may impeiil the
lives of those that shaie theii enviionment. Nan is no uiffeient. Bis technology
incieases the iate of change, the scale of change anu the feeuback consequences
of ecological upheaval; but it uoes not change the natuie of extinction. We have
no neeu to posit an inteinal ueath uiive that iegulates humans fiom within, to the
extent that humans alieauy have an exteinal limit on the ability of any enviionment
to suppoit theii activities, foi any sustaineu length of time.
L7c89 We aie thinking heie of how you uesciibe Baiwin's account of evolution
as "each species, each bouily foim, oiients the woilu anu its actions in it, accoiuing
to its ability to maximize action in the woilu, the kinus of action that its paiticulai
evolveu bouily foim enables."
1u
At the same time, the ueath uiive is not a simple
uesiie foi ueath; it is, at least accoiuing to the acceleiationism of Nick Lanu, a
tenuency to uissipate eneigy in ways "utteily alien to eveiything human."
11
Is this
cieative, extiavagant excess, this eneigetic uissipation, not also pait of the evo-
lutionaiy piocess. Coulu it be a pait of an ethology, oi ethics, of the human as it
encounteis itself, anu its own aggiegate foice, in the Anthiopocene.
8M Yes, I believe that it is: evolution is not only the opeiation of natuial selection,
the stiuggle of life anu ueath, the "suivival of the fittest" (to use A.R. Wallace's
uefinition of natuial selection), but also the opeiation of sexual selection which
geneiates often extiavagant, spectaculai, anu excessively peiceptible oigans, bouily
chaiacteiistics anu capacities that aie linkeu to attiaction anu taste, a tenuency
not entiiely compatible with natuial selection. This means that not only is theie an
excess of life ovei ueath in the existence of species (a function of natuial selection),
but theie is also an excess of featuies chaiacteiizing life that have little uo with sui-
vival anu much to uo with sexual attiactiveness. This is inueeu pait of evolution as
Baiwin conceiveu it, although theie is a stiong tenuency in contempoiaiy biology
to ieuuce sexual selection to natuial selection anu to seek in such featuies a seciet
uisceinment of suivival anu iepiouuction (beauty equals healthiness). I uon't
know how this might guiue an ethics of ethology; it is veiy uifficult to geneiate
an ethics that incoipoiates not only eveiyuay ielations of sociality but also sexual
anu intimate ielations, which peihaps function accoiuing to a uiffeient logic. Boes
excess anu extiavagance geneiate the possibility oi actuality of an ethology. Anu
what might such an ethology look like.
1S8
Noles
0 Elizabeth uiosz, :"5&2> !#,,)0&,7> /,0. W#'#+C# 5-@ 0"# J,5=)-( &I 0"# <5,0" (New Yoik:
Columbia 0niveisity Piess, 2uu8), S.
H Elizabeth uiosz, Becominq 0nJone: Borwinion Rejlections on life, Politics, onJ Art
(Buiham: Buke 0niveisity Piess, 2u11), S.
5 Ibiu., 8.
N uilbeit Simonuon, "Technical Nentality," tians. Aine ue Boevei, ?5,,"#2)5 7 (2uu9): 4.
? Elizabeth uiosz, /,*")0#*0+,# I,&= 0"# Q+02)@#. <22572 &- N),0+5' 5-@ L#5' 685*#
(Cambiiuge, Nass.: NIT Piess, 2uu1), 1u1.
Y Bipesh Chakiabaity, "The Climate of Bistoiy: Foui Theses," in :,)0)*5' 9-P+),7 SS (Wintei
2uu9): 197-222.
O See Tom Cohen, eu., !#'#=&,8"&2)2. !"#&,7 )- 0"# <,5 &I :')=50# :"5-(#> N&'+=# V (Ann
Aiboi: 0pen Bumanities PiessNPublishing, 2u12).
Z uiosz, /,*")0#*0+,# I,&= 0"# Q+02)@#, S2.
K uiosz, E#*&=)-( R-@&-#, 2u.
0^ Ibiu., 22.
00 Nick Lanu, J5-(#@ 3&+=#-5: CollecteJ Writinqs 1987-oqqn, eu. Robin NacKay anu Ray
Biassiei (Lonuon: 0ibanomic, 2u11), 28S.
S."$F,* L*&4 M*.'.-#*/ `H^05a
Liso Hirner
Phologrophs fron Forlune Heod Fcologicol Reserve,
Newfoundlond, Conodo
14u
Foitune Beau is the location of a "ulobal Bounuaiy Stiatotype Section anu
Point." This means it is an inteinationally iecognizeu iefeience point in the
geologic iecoiu, a moment in time anu space maikeu by eithei a ieal oi the-
oietical goluen spike. A iefeience point, of couise, peimits the uiscussion
of one location by uesciibing its ielationship to anothei. In this case, the
iefeience is the line uiawn between the Cambiian anu Piecambiian peiious,
which pioviues a way foi scientists to navigate the nebulous waves of ueep
time as they ciash togethei, hinting at the foimation of the eaith.
0n a winuy spiing uay I photogiaph the iocks, but I cannot see the uiviuing
line. Peihaps the goluen spike is invisible to the untiaineu eye. The stiata of
iock, like the ticks of a clock, suggest a gieat passage of time, but still appeai
inuistinct. The uaik giay banu neai the bottom of the iocks is only the iesult
of waves ciashing against them.
Foitune Beau ueologies | Lisa Biimei 141
The Piecambiian-Cambiian uivision is significant in the histoiy of the eaith.
The peiiou pieceuing the Cambiian, the Euiacaian, was an eia of soft-bou-
ieu anu fionu-like cieatuies.
1
The Cambiian was a peiiou of gieat change;
it is even uesciibeu as an explosion, although explosions in geological time
still take millions of yeais. It was a time of massive eaithquakes anu conti-
nental change. New lanumasses, oceans, anu mountains foimeu. The veiy
chemistiy of the eaith system changeu. It was also a time of gieat evolution-
aiy suiges, an explosion of new life foims that biought to the woilu novel
biological featuies, incluuing skeletons, pieuation, anu sexual iepiouuction.
0ne impoitant signal that confiims iocks fiom the Cambiian eia is the
eviuence of "biotuibating" oiganisms. These small, soft-bouieu animals
buiioweu thiough the ocean stiata while eating the seuiment that collecteu
theie. Theii buiiow patteins leave uistinctive, fossilizeu tiaces in the geo-
logic iecoiu, anu aie abunuant in the iocks of Foitune Beau.
142
0ui human buiiowing activities aie maikeu in the lanuscape heie, too. A
iusty oiange stain ciumbles out of a gully between the giey stiata anu into
the ocean. The men in the lighthouse apologize foi its piesence, explaining
that it is the iemains of an olu gaibage uump which seiveu the town of
Foitune befoie the geological significance of the site was known, that is,
befoie it was ie-maikeu as a iefeience point.
Noles
0 See Bon NcKay, "Euiacaian anu Anthiopocene: Poetiy as a Reauei of Beep Time," in
M5;)-( 0"# %#&'&()* 3&4. L#28&-2#2 0& M50#,)5' :&-@)0)&-2 &I :&-0#=8&,5,7 O)I#, eu.
Elizabeth Ellswoith anu }amie Kiuze (Biooklyn: Punctum Books, 2u12), 46-S4.
W$.G#& ., :%*
by Mork Dorrion
9+* !'#)&$* &/ !.)).4#$J S.")
In the leau-up to the 2uu8 Beijing 0lympics, meuia outlets iepoiteu that
the Chinese goveinment intenueu to use weathei mouification techniques
to ensuie favouiable conuitions foi the games. Playing on the stoiy's sci-
ence fiction-like stiangeness, Westein aiticles tenueu to locate it as lying
somewheie between an amusing manifestation of cultuial eccentiicity anu a
much moie woiiying ueployment of a weiiu anu even alien technology, ieplete
with militaiy implications. Such iepoits show that weathei manipulation iemains
something that is populaily imagineulike thought contiol, with which it has an
obscuie ielationanu situateu within the phantasmagoiic uomain of the othei.
Yet it is an iuea that is ueeply seuimenteu within the West's inteitwining utopian,
militaiy, technological, anu science fiction imaginaiies. It is stiiking that in Thomas
Noie's fable, 0topia is fiist establisheu in an act of what we woulu touay call geo-en-
gineeiing, the iauical ieconstiuction of enviionment by cultuie, when the isthmus
connecting it to the mainlanu is seveieu by the legenuaiy founuei 0topus.
1
As the
islanu was not alieauy one, anu hau to be maue so, 0topia is fiom the stait piesent-
eu as a pioject, a society establisheu within enviionmental conuitions that aie at
least specifieu, anu might even be "uesigneu." Anu this in tuin poses othei ques-
tions, not least those conceining weathei. It is an issue that woulu weigh evei moie
on utopian speculation, to the point wheie we finu Le Coibusiei in 19SS ueclaiing:
"But wheie is 0topia, wheie the weathei is 64.4.."
2
In geneial teims, this incieas-
ing centiality of atmospheiic conceins foi utopian thought was closely ielateu to
the shifting enviionmental conuitions anu contexts to which moueinization gave
iise anu within which it was puisueu; moie specifically, it hau much to uo with the
post-Enlightenment social vision of Chailes Fouiiei.
Piomotional image fiom the inuefinitely postponeu Sunny Nountain Ski Bome pioject, Bubai Fig. u1
144
As is well known, the aichitectuial fulcium of Fouiiei's social system was the
Phalansteiy. Bome to his associational community bounu togethei thiough "pas-
sionate attiaction," it was a people's palace that assumeu the foim ofin Waltei
Benjamin's chaiacteiizationa "city of aicaues."
S
Impoitantly, howevei, it was also
a climatological mechanism that took its place within Fouiiei's laigei pioviuen-
tialist schema, which envisageu the tiansfoimation of the global climate thiough
human cultivation.
4
In othei woius, this was a vast, uivinely oiuaineu pioject of
planetaiy aii-conuitioning. In his tieatise !"# !"#&,7 &I 0"# J&+, M&A#=#-02 (18u8),
Fouiiei uepicteu the auioia boiealis as a seminal effusion that coulu not entei into
cieative conjunction with its southein counteipait until humankinu completeu
the iequisite piepaiations. These involveu incieasing the global population to two
billion, anu the subsequent cultivation of lanu as fai as 6S
o
noith. This, Fouiiei ue-
claieu, woulu tiiggei the emeigence of the "Noithein Ciown," a fluiual iing, igniteu
thiough contact with the sun, which woulu pass light anu heat to the eaith anu
melt the noithein ice. With new lanu thus ieleaseu foi cultivation, the uestineu
human population of thiee billion coulu be fully iealizeu within a newly equalizeu
anu tempeiate global climate.
S
In a Lanu of Cockaigne-like touch, Fouiiei claimeu
that giapes woulu be giown in St. Peteisbuig, while boieal fluiu woulu infuse the
sea with citiic aciu, giving it the pleasant flavoui of lemonaue.
6
All iestiictions
having been iemoveu, the epoch of the Eaith's haimonic cieations coulu then, at
last, begin.
Commenting on Fouiiei's followeis in pie-Civil Wai Ameiica, William B. Neyei
notes that they "maue 'eaith subuuing' one of theii goals. |...j They lookeu foiwaiu to
the tiansfoimation of the planet, to the iemoval of 'those excesses of climate which
Fig. u2 Image fiom Buckminstei Fullei anu Shoji Sauao's "Clouu Nine" pioject, ca. 196u
0topia on Ice | Naik Boiiian 14S
make a scouige of so laige a pait of its suiface,'
to the eiauication of 'the ices of the poles, anu
the fatal heats anu miasmas of the tiopics.'"
7
It
was a theme that woulu be taken up in science
fiction novels at the tuin of the centuiy, such
as A }ourney in 0tber WorlJs (1894), wiitten
by the hotel founuei, piopeity tycoon, anu
inventoi }ohn }acob Astoi Iv. Set in 2u88, the
book envisages vaiious weathei contiol tech-
nologies, incluuing iain piouuction inuuceu
by atmospheiic explosions, anu so-calleu
"aeiiuucts," tubes thiough which moist aii is
suckeu up then uischaigeu to cool anu con-
uense at gieat heights. Nost inteiesting foi a
uiscussion of the Anthiopocene, how-
evei, is its iuea of eiauicating seasonal
extiemes anu stabilizing tempeiatuie
within given latituues by stiaightening the
global axis, a feat that woulu be achieveu
thiough moving ballast, in the foim of
watei, between the poles. Too much even foi
2u88, this hau not yet been accomplisheu, al-
though an association ueuicateu to the piojectthe Teiiestiial Axis Stiaightening
Companyhau been foimeu. Rathei iionically, the ice that Astoi's piotagonists
battle woulu also become theii authoi's nemesis, foi he was to become the iichest
fatality in the !)05-)* uisastei.
Cleaily, axis iealignment was in the aii at the time, foi Astoi's scenaiio ieceiveu a
twist only five yeais latei in }ules veine's !"# ?+,*"52# &I 0"# 3&,0" ?&'# (1899), in
which a gioup of Ameiican investois gains the iight to mine the Aictic's mineial ue-
posits, entailing the melting of polai ice. Although they piesent this as a piouigious
anu benevolent act of climatic engineeiing, public opinion tuins against them when
it is ievealeu that they weie aitilleiymen uuiing the Civil Wai anu that they plan
to ieoiient the woilu's axis thiough the iecoil of the woilu's laigest cannon, which
they piopose to constiuct anu fiie.
0topian climatology is, of couise, only pait of a much longei histoiy of weath-
ei contiol. Secuiing beneficent iainfall is one of the most familiai objectives
of aichaic magic anu iitual piactices, in which the weathei is influenceu
thiough its emblems anu homologues. Such was the "seipent iitual" of the
Pueblo Inuianssubject of a celebiateu lectuie by the ait histoiian Aby
Waibuigin which the lightning of the thunueistoim was inuuceu thiough the
manipulation of its symbolic counteipait, the snake.
8
Peihaps too, weathei sup-
plies us with oui most funuamental iuea of weaponiy; oi at least that of the weapon
in its mythic, goulike foimthe weapon that is instantaneous anu kills at a uistance
Rainmakeis Iiving Langmuii, vincent
Schaefei, anu Beinaiu vonnegut at woik on
clouu seeuing in a uE Laboiatoiy. 1947
Fig. uS
146
(close to the iuea of being able to kill anothei by willing it) thiough some kinu of
uischaige. All those flashing speais of the epics caiiy implications of lightning, as
uoes, even moie explicitly, the iifle's thunueious uischaige. In Westein naiiatives
of contact with "piimitive peoples," such as Baniel Befoe's L&H)-2&- :,+2&# (1719),
it is the ability to use a gunto will ueath acioss uistances, to instantaneously kill
with thunueithat maiks its possessoi as uivine in the eyes of the subaltein.
9
It is, howevei, in }onathan Swift's !,5A#'2 )-0& 6#A#,5' L#=&0# 350)&-2 &I 0"#
B&,'@> H7 O#=+#' %+'')A#, (1726), a book in which utopian, scientific, satiiical,
anu tiavel liteiatuies coalesce into something veiy much like science fiction,
that we finu the fiist imaginings of a new kinu of meteoiological weaponiy,
one that anticipates the "atmoteiioiism" that Petei Sloteiuijk hassuiely too
iestiictivelylocateu in the twentieth centuiy.
1u
The ielevant section is the jouiney
to the levitating islanu of Laputa, an enoimous, flying saucei-like lanumass that
uominates the unfoitunate kinguom beneath it, thiough, among othei measuies, a
foim of bellicose weathei contiol wheieby the islanu hoveis above the lanu unuei-
neath, mouifying its climate by uepiiving it of sunlight anu iainfall, thus subjecting
its inhabitants to uiought anu famine.
While the utilization of gas in Woilu Wai I biought a new focus on battlefielu
climatology, it was in the immeuiate afteimath of Woilu Wai II that speculation
anu ieseaich on the weaponization of weathei escalateu. At the enu of 194S,
the Piinceton 0niveisity mathematician anu game theoiist }ohn von Neumann
conveneu a meeting of leauing scientists, who concluueu that, with new climate
moueling techniques, intentional mouification of the weathei might be possible
anu that this coulu have a majoi impact in anothei wai, foi example by foicing the
collapse of Soviet foou supplies by cieating uiought.
11
The militaiy potential of
weathei mouification woulu finu a poweiful auvocate in Iiving Langmuii, whose
assistant at the ueneial Electiic Coipoiation's ieseaich anu uevelopment laboia-
toiy, vincent Schaefei, hau in 1946 uiscoveieu the still-contioveisial piinciple of
clouu seeuing. Although ieseaich piojects piolifeiateu in the following uecaues,
public consciousness of the issue iemaineu low until the eaily 197us, when the
news bioke that the 0S hau useu weathei mouification techniques in vietnam.
12

A stiong uomestic backlash followeu, with the events the affaii set in motion leau-
ing eventually to the fiaming of the 0N Convention on the Piohibition of Nilitaiy
oi Any 0thei Bostile 0se of Enviionmental Nouification Techniques (known as
ENN0B), which enteieu into foice on S 0ctobei 1978 (though it uiu not come into
effect foi the 0S until 17 }anuaiy 198u).
1S

But it is cleai, especially fiom the 1996 iepoit "Weathei as a Foice Nultipliei:
0wning the Weathei in 2u2S"one "chaptei" of the multi-volume stuuy /), J&,*#
oqop commissioneu by the 0S Aii Foice Chief of Staff to speculate on the futuie
of aii wai ovei a thiity-yeai peiiouthat the stoiy of the weathei as a weapon
continues in contempoiaiy foims of militaiy violence. Significantly, this iepoit is
conceineu not just to set out what might be technologically possible, but also to
0topia on Ice | Naik Boiiian 147
pioject political scenaiios in which it coulu
become so, thus placing the question of in-
teinational tieaties anu public opinion at the
foie. Nost stiiking heie is that oui contempo-
iaiy enviionmental ciisis is imagineu not as
a constiaint, but iathei a lubiicant foi public
acceptability, wheieby civil conceins uiive
cultuial anu technological uevelopments to
the auvantage of the militaiy. In the naiiative
constiucteu by the authois, the uemanus of
globalizeu business leau to the evei-gieatei
iefinement of weathei obseivation anu pie-
uiction mechanisms. Against this backgiounu,
the woilu expeiiences what aie incieasingly
intoleiable stiesses iesulting fiom population
piessuies anu enviionmental uegiauation
(shoitages of watei anu foou, etc.). As the
iepoit puts it: "Nassive life anu piopeity losses associateu with natuial weathei
uisasteis become incieasingly unacceptable. These piessuies piompt goveinments
anuoi othei oiganizations who aie able to capitalize on the technological auvances
of the pievious 2u yeais to puisue a highly accuiate anu ieasonably piecise weath-
ei-mouification capability."
14
With states veiitably foiceu by public opinion in the
uiiection of weathei mouification, olu tieaties aie ieviseu anu less piohibitive new
agieements put in theii place, opening the uooi to new militaiy oppoitunities anu
theii attenuant foims of capital accumulation.
Implicit in the phiase "owning the weathei," anu explicit in the business-baseu
scenaiios piesenteu in the Aii Foice iepoit, is not just masteiy ovei the weathei,
but also its commouification, a piocess that we can shaiply biing into focus by
examining uevelopment stiategies ovei the past uecaue in Bubai. In his celebiateu
"ietioactive manifesto foi Nanhattan," W#'),)&+2 3#4 ]&,;, Rem Koolhaas chaiac-
teiizeu the eaily twentieth-centuiy amusement paiks of Coney Islanu as pioleptic
testing giounus foi Nanhattan anu its "cultuie of congestion," anu it might be
supposeu that in the Bubai uevelopments we have been witness to the emeigence
of a similai uieamscape, although one that this time anticipates a new, atmospheiic
uibanism of the futuie. Inteiestinglypeihaps bizaiielypie-cieuit ciunch Bubai
seemeu to channel aspects of the visual cultuie of the 0S that effloiesceu in the
peiiou befoie the oil ciisis of the eaily 197us, which it absoibeu anu ietooleu foi
the eia of postmouein global finance. In the Palms uevelopments, the state uevel-
opei Nakheel took up lanu ait, moiphing Robeit Smithson's Spirol }etty (1972) into
a bianu image visible to satellites. In moie specifically atmospheiic teims, theie
was Bubai Sunny Nountain Ski Bome, which, although eventually put on holu,
was to contain an aitificial mountain iange anu a ievolving ski slope togethei with
otheias the official uesciiption put it"Aictic expeiiences" (which appaiently
woulu have incluueu polai beais).
1S
The ski uome in paiticulai cleaily expiesseu
Piomotional Postei foi Bubailanu Fig. u4
148
the uevelopment iuea of an aiiay of uiffeient encapsulateu "expeiiences" as con-
veyeu in the auveitising mateiial foi the vast Bubailanu pioject, of which it was
to be pait, but also that of weathei contiol anu escalateu climate uiffeientialthe
conceit of a ski uome in the ueseitas a commouity attiaction in its own iight.
The ski uome, although stiuctuially uissimilai, is an afteiimage of Buckminstei
Fullei's geouesics with all theii complex connotations of autonomy, encapsula-
tion, anu woilu imageiyexpiesseu most potently in the floating globes of Fullei
anu Shoji Sauao's "Clouu Nine" pioject (ca. 196u). A iecuiiing notion within the
political histoiy of aii-conuitioning, in which Fullei's woik paiticipates, is that of
weathei contiol as a iemeuial activity. It is almost as if weatheiat least in the
imaginations of ceitain white men)2 alienation, oi at least is a funuamental ex-
piession theieof, anu that to make iepaiation, to get back togethei again, to melt
the ice in whatevei way we mean (with one anothei, with natuie, with ouiselves),
we neeu to get the climate iight. Fiom this point of view, aii-conuitioning in its
utopic foim might be saiu to aim at a climatological eiotics. Aii-conuitioning
becomes necessaiy once we aie outsiue paiauise ('# 0#=82, weathei anu time,
beginning togethei), but it is also the technological iemeuiation whose piomise
is to eithei get us back theie again oi to uelivei it to us foi the fiist time. Theie
is something of this in the ice-cap meltei Fouiiei's otheiwise unieasonable
emphasis on the glasshouse-like stieet galleiies of his Phalansteiies, but also in
Le Coibusiei's equally obsessive uieam of an iueal inteinal tempeiatuie that shoulu
be globally obseiveu (which, in its aim of univeisal climatic equalization, is a kinu of
glacial melting by pioxy).
16
This is equally eviuent in Fullei's famous encapsulation
piojects such as the Nanhattan uome, which weie intenueu to piouuce inteiiois
with, in his woius, a "uaiuen of Euen" climate.
17
Anu it comes as no suipiise that
technologically facilitateu ietuins to Euen aie at the same time ietuins to Nothei, as
unmistakably expiesseu in Reynei Banham anu Fianois Ballegiet's <-A),&-=#-0
E+HH'# (196S), an inflatable amniotic sac in which the hum of Nothei's bouy is
ieplaceu by that of the sustaining aii-conuitioning unit whose output keeps the
whole pneumatic stiuctuie inflateu.
It is in this last pioject that we glimpse an impoitant point, which is that climatic ie-
meuiation inevitably involves iueas of a "making fiee" of aii. 0n the suiface, it seems
a counteiintuitive aigument to makethat Banham anu Ballegiet's pioject might
in some way be investeu in a uiscouise of aii anu fieeuom, of aii as the epitome anu
emblem of fieeuom, given that it is cleaily pieuicateu on atmospheiic engineeiing
anu manipulation. So what is at stake is such a piesupposition.
Theie is a veiy specific kinu of anxiety associateu with the subjugation of aii, an
anxiety especially eviuent in iesponses to instances when aii is commouifieu,
piivatizeu, oi militaiizeu. At the coie of this lies aii's enuuiing iole as a ciphei foi
iauical fieeuom, such that the poignancy of its inciemental but evei-incieasing sub-
mission to technology aiises fiom the sense of a final histoiical closing-off of what
it has stoou foithat is, of an exteinality beyonu instiumental manipulation. As
0topia on Ice | Naik Boiiian 149
Auoino might have put it, in the unease we feel at aii's subjugation, theie enuuies
a piotest against uomination, no mattei how mythically giounueu oui belief in
aii's fieeuom is.
18
Noieovei, peihaps what contiibutes most impoitantly to this felt
significance of aii's enchainment is its status
as the pie-conuition foi teiiestiial life: some-
thing that in being fiee is also fieely given,
anu, by extension, a commons that, thiough
its natuie, seemeu hitheito unencloseable,
unable to be stockpileu, anu inueeu beyonu all
object-ielations. This anteiioi availability of
aii is stiesseu in Luce Iiigaiay's well-known
ieflections on Beiueggei's "foigetting of aii."
Beie Beiueggei's "cleaiing of the opening" in
which thought begins is chaiacteiizeu not as
an emptiness, but as a "fielu, oi open space,
wheie aii woulu still give itself."
19
Iiigaiay
wiites: "No othei element is to this extent
opening itselfto one who woulu not have
foigotten its natuie theie is no neeu foi it to
open oi ie-open. No othei element is as light,
as fiee, anu as much in the 'funuamental'
moue of a peimanent, available 'theie is.'"
2u
It is suggestive to aiticulate these ieflections
along with those of the Ameiican sanitaiy
iefoimei }ohn B. uiiscom, who, in his 1848
book !"# R2#2 5-@ /H+2#2 &I /),, askeu: "When
was a ueficient supply of aii evei known, except thiough the agency of man himself,
in his folly anu ignoiance. Pioviuence has fuinisheu us with an ocean of it, fifty
miles ueep, anu placeu us at the bottom, wheie its piessuie enables us to obtain
it in exhaustless piofusion, anu peifect puiity." When a chilu is hungiy, he goes
on, its wailing must be heaiu by its mothei, but "as to the aii, without a caie oi
a thought, without laboi oi sensation, the little animal instinctively expanus its
chest, anu lives."
21
The implication heie is cleai. 0ui ielationship with the aii, in its
fiee givenness, is the point at which something of the paiauisiacal conuition of the
pienatal seems to continue to enuuie, even aftei biith: that is to say, an immeuiate
anu fieely given plenituue, in which conuitions of lack anu excess aie unknown, anu
thus the necessity foi such "exteinal" foims of communication such as the infant's
ciy of uiscomfoit has not yet aiisen. Banham anu Ballegiet's pioject seems to take
up this unueistanuing anu ihetoiically conveiges aii, aii's meaningoi at least
the meaning of aii's fieeuomas pienatality, anu the fantasy of a technologically
enableu ietuin to that state. The paiauox of engineeieu fieeuom is filteieu thiough
the unueilying logic of technological iemeuiation. It is the same with Le Coibusiei,
who coulu piesent his fanatically engineeieu "exact aii" as "goou, tiue uou-given
aii," opposeu to the "uevil's aii" of cities.
22
Aiiboine Laputa piepaiing to menace the
citizens of Balnibaibi. Fiom a 19Su euition of
uullivei's Tiavels |Whistlei Laputaj
Fig. uS
1Su
We aie now in a place fiom which we can ciicle back to Bubai's ski uome in oiuei
to examine its value as an allegoiy of the futuie, a ieauing that woulu uevelop along
seveial inteiwoven thieaus. The techno-utopian iueal that we have been uiscuss-
ing is the ieconciliation, within a ienovateu atmospheie, of inuiviuuals with one
anothei anu with theii enviionment. The ski uome, in its ie-peifoimance of the
symbols associateu with this utopian tiauition, iionically ieveises the piactices anu
metaphoiics of thawing in which it was so heavily investeu. In so uoing, the uome
piesents us with a uepiction of the fieezing ovei of those aspiiations, of utopia "on
ice." Pait anu paicel of this is the ski uome's uivisive spectaculaiization of climate
uiffeiential, which visibly uiamatizes the question of who will be cool anu who will
be hot in the new global uispensation: that is to say, the uiffeience between "cool
consumption" (which is, incieasingly, the consumption of coluness) anu the evei
"hottei" laboui (oi laboui in the heat) upon which the foimei is pieuicateu.
In the extieme climatic juxtaposition that it effects, the ski uome allegoiizes the
inteiioiization of "natuie" chaiacteiistic of the Anthiopocene, at least if by that we
mean "piistine natuie" (anu foi natuie to be natuie as it is conventionally uiffeien-
tiateu fiom cultuie, it must always be piistine: that is, natuie always appeais to be
most itself when it is "untoucheu"). Thiough the paiauoxical logic of technological
iemeuiation, the ski uome iepiouuces natuie as an inteiioi conuitionmoie puie,
less polluteu, anu hence moie "itself" than in the woilu beyonu, albeit now as
commouity. It is ievealing that the auveitising foi the ski uome piomises "Aictic
expeiiences" iathei than those offeieu by a iesoit like St. Noiitz oi Chamonix. Who,
aftei all, skis in the Aictic. The ieason foi this uisplacement is that, iueologically,
the uevelopment is an inteiioiization of a climatic zone as much as it is a iesoit,
one that, in a bioauei sense, becomes emblematic of the futuie inteiioiization of
natuie itself, insofai as the Aictic stanus foi it in its most puie, untoucheu, viiginal,
anu whitest state.
Noieovei, it is stiiking how the figuie of a ski uome in the ueseit uncannily ie-
tuins us to the aiiu lanuscapes in which the encapsulateu, climatic utopias of the
196us anu 197us weie chaiacteiistically set. At the time, this iconogiaphic motif
inteisecteu with both Colu Wai suivivalist anxieties anu fantasies of inteiplanetaiy
colonization: the ueseit might be that of a post-nucleai eaith oi an alien planet, oi
even a combination of the twoa post-apocalyptic eaith become alien. The pioject
to implant a piece of the Aictic in the ueseit iepiouuces this gestuie, but ie-coues
it in teims of contempoiaiy ecological catastiophe anu piospective enviionmental
collapse. The cynicism of the pioject is the uiiect anu instiumental connection
between the iefiigeiateu inteiioi as the space of consumption anu the uecay of
the exteiioi enviionment as the space of laboui. Is it too much to claim that in the
funuamental conceit of this piojectthat is, hypeibolic climatic uiffeiential as
commouitythis uestiuction is incoipoiateu as a pleasuie piinciple.
But peihaps what the ski uome ultimately points to is a shift in the "human paik"
effecteu by pushing the logic of aii conuitioning to its limitaway fiom the utopic
0topia on Ice | Naik Boiiian 1S1
anu singulai uaiuen of Euen (a communal space of ueuiffeientiation) anu towaiu
uiveigent spaces of climatic simulation anu consumption. This, in tuin, suggests
a genealogy of visual foim that might have as much to uo with the histoiy of the
zoological uioiama oi "habitat gioup" as anything else. The tenuency has been to
see the Bubai uevelopments as iauically uniesponsive to piesent enviionmental
iealities, anu one cannot help but agiee with this. Bowevei, one must also aumit
that they iepiesent a commouity foim whose logic is absolutely attuneu to them,
capitalizing on the anxieties anu uesiies that attenu life on an atiophying planet. As
pait of Bubai's uevelopment stiategy, the ski uome gives us an intimation of what a
new, atmospheiically baseu stateciaft woulu look like, one calibiateu to emeigent
conuitions of scaicity within a planetaiy enviionment anu economy.
Noles
0 Sii Thomas Noie, R0&8)5 (New Yoik: W.W. Noiton & Company, 197S), S4-SS.
H Le Coibusiei, !"# L5@)5-0 :)07, tians. Pamela Knight, Eleanoi Levieux anu Beiek Coltman
(Lonuon: Fabei anu Fabei, 1967), 42.
5 Waltei Benjamin, "Paiis, Capital of the Nineteenth Centuiy," in !"# /,*5@#2 ?,&U#*0, eu.
Rolf Tieuemann, tians. Bowaiu Eilanu anu Kevin NcLoughlin (Cambiiuge, Nass.: Belknap,
1999), 17.
N }onathan Beechei, :"5,'#2 J&+,)#,. !"# N)2)&-5,7 5-@ K)2 B&,'@ (Beikeley: 0niveisity of
Califoinia Piess, 1986), 224.
? Chailes Fouiiei, !"# !"#&,7 &I 0"# J&+, M&A#=#-02 5-@ &I 0"# %#-#,5' W#20)-)#2 (Cambiiuge:
Cambiiuge 0niveisity Piess, 1996), 47-48.
Y Ibiu., Su.
O William B. Neyei, "Euwaiu Bellamy anu the Weathei of 0topia," %#&(,58")*5' L#A)#4 94,
no. 1 (}anuaiy 2uu4): 4S-S4.
Z Aby Waibuig, "A Lectuie on Seipent Ritual," }ournol of tbe Worburq lnstitute 2, no. 4
(19S9): 277-292.
K See the uiscussion in Paul Baines, "'Able Nechanick': !"# O)I# 5-@ /@A#-0+,#2 &I ?#0#,
B)';)-2 anu the Eighteenth-Centuiy Fantastic voyage," in /-0)*)850)&-2. <22572 &- <5,'7
6*)#-*# J)*0)&- 5-@ 902 ?,#*+,2&,2, eu. Baviu Seeu (Liveipool: Liveipool 0niveisity Piess,
199S), 1-2S.
0^ Petei Sloteiuijk, !#,,&, I,&= 0"# /),, tians. Amy Patton anu Steve Coicoian (Los Angeles:
Semiotext|ej, 2uu9).
00 Spencei Weait, "Climate Nouification Schemes," Ameiican Institute of Physics, }une 2u11,
aip.oighistoiyclimateRainNake.htm.
0H Nost piominently in Seymoui Beish's aiticle, "Weathei as a Weapon of Wai," 3#4 ]&,;
!)=#2, 9 }uly 1972.
05 See chaptei 6 of }ames Rougei Fleming, J)D)-( 0"# 6;7. !"# :"#*;#,#@ K)20&,7 &I B#50"#,
5-@ :')=50# :&-0,&' (New Yoik: Columbia 0niveisity Piess, 2u1u).
0N Colonel Tamzy }. Bouse et al., "Weathei as a Foice Nultipliei: 0wning the Weathei in
2u2S" (1996), http:www.fas.oigsppmilitaiyuocopsusaf2u2SvSc1SvSc1S-1.
htm#Intiouuction.
1S2
0? See skiuubai.comuubaimountain-ski-uome. A much smallei ski iesoit locateu in the
Nall of the Emiiates openeu in 2uuS.
0Y "The noimal tempeiatuie of aii fit foi bieathing is 64.4 Fahienheit . But wheie is 0topia,
wheie the tempeiatuie is 64.4 . Let's manufactuie exact aii: filteis, uiieis, humiuifieis,
uisinfectois . 0slo, Noscow, Beilin, Paiis, Algieis, Poit Saiu, Rio oi Buenos Aiies, the
solution is the same," Le Coibusiei, !"# L5@)5-0 :)07, 4u-42.
0O See, foi instance, Fullei's comments on his Ameiican Pavilion foi Expo 67 in Nontieal,
citeu in }ohn Allwoou, !"# %,#50 <D")H)0)&-2 (Lonuon: Stuuio vista, 1977), 169.
0Z Naking a similai point, he wiites: "The univeisality of meuiation has yet to be tiansfoimeu
into living life; anu this enuows the tiaces of immeuiacy, howevei uubious anu antiquateu,
with an element of coiiective justice." Theouoi Auoino, /#20"#0)* !"#&,7, tians. Robeit
Bullot-Kentoi (Lonuon: The Athlone Piess, 1997), 64.
0K Luce Iiigaiay, !"# J&,(#00)-( &I /), )- M5,0)- K#)@#((#,, tians. Naiy Beth (Lonuon: The
Athlone Piess, 1999), S.
H^ Ibiu., 8.
H0 }ohn B. uiiscom, Tbe 0ses onJ Abuses of Air: Sbowinq lts lnjluences in Sustoininq life, onJ
?,&@+*)-( W)2#52#T B)0" L#=5,;2 &- 0"# N#-0)'50)&- &I K&+2#2 (New Yoik: }. S. Reufielu,
1848), 6-7.
HH Le Coibusiei, !"# L5@)5-0 :)07, 4u-41.
9+* @#,*"&'.-J .A [*#,-
by Fleonor Koufnon
Theie has been a substantial inteiest foi some time in inteiiogating the aumitteuly
haiu to uefine humaninhuman polaiity, anu this alongsiue the longstanuing cii-
tique of the minu-bouy split. Fiom eailiei woiks such as Bonna Baiaway's "Cyboig
Nanifesto" to }ean-Fianois Lyotaiu's The Inhuman, as well as thiough a iecent
bouy of ciitical woik uevoteu to the question of the animal, theie has been a con-
tinuous call to uecentie the species piivilege accoiueu to the human anu to suggest
insteau that the human, like the embouieu minu, is necessaiily infiltiateu by, anu
coteiminous with, the non-human, oi, to use a teim not exactly synonymous but
moie expiessive of the veiy violence of uesignation, the inhuman.
1
While a ceitain,
latent Caitesianism comes unuei fiie in the attack on the minu-bouy opposition, a
moie implicit liteiaiy-philosophical humanism is the enemy of the inteiiogation
of the humaninhuman uiviue. In the lattei context, someone like the puipoiteuly
humanist }ean-Paul Saitie woulu be an enemy in no unceitain teims, anu even a
thinkei of such ontological finesse as Naitin Beiueggei woulu be too miieu in the
uivision between a piivilegeu human thought anu what lies outsiue of it to be an
exemplaiy thinkei of the inhuman. To the contiaiy, I will claim that it is those veiy
woiks that maintain the uivision oi sepaiation between the human anu the inhu-
man that pioviue, somewhat in spite of themselves, the most uetaileu phenomenol-
ogy of something like inhuman peiception. If it is not possible foi the living being to
peiceptively inhabit the iealm of the non-living, it may still be possible to imagine
Fiauuulent fossils fiom }ohann Baitholomew Auam Beiingei's O)0"&(,58")5# B),*#H+,(#-2)2 (1726). Fig. u1
1S4
an ontology of the non-livingwhat I will iefei to, following }ean-Luc Nancy, as a
"mineialogy of being"in the veiy maintenance of the bounuaiy between these
two iealms.
It is fiist necessaiy to highlight, thiough a biief ieauing of eaily inteiventions in
the contempoiaiy uiscouise of the "animal," the peculiai uialectics of the fiienu
enemy uistinction that animates the uialogue on the animal. In othei woius, insofai
as a seiies of contempoiaiy thinkeis have tiieu to open the question of the animal
to ie-evaluation anu insist on the peimeable bounuaiies between the animal anu
the human, this insistence is bolsteieu by a uiive to signal just wheie pievious ciit-
ics have faileu by ultimately only exposing theii latent anthiopocentiism in spite
of theii claims to the contiaiy. Such an aigument takes the following foim: even
though thinkei X tiies to ieimagine the ielation, oi continuum, between the human
anu the animal, X nonetheless cannot escape a human-centieu logic. To be suie,
these aie compelling anu textually uemonstiable aiguments, all the moie when
they aie uiiectly oi inuiiectly affiimeu by the thinkei in question, in the fashion of
Beiueggei who compaies an animal "pooi in woilu" with the "woiluless" stone anu
the human who is "plentiful in woilu" (uioigio Agamben's extensive uiscussion of
these Beiueggeiian uemaications will be taken up in what follows).
In anothei veision of this ciitique, Caiy Wolfe is ciitical of both Lyotaiu anu Levinas,
among otheis, foi basing theii iespective theoiies of posthuman ethics on a iubiic
that woulu seem to excluue the animal. In Wolfe's unassailable ieauing, it is }acques
Beiiiua who comes the closest to successfully suspenuing an explicitly human-cen-
tieu peispective.
2
Inueeu, anu seemingly paiauoxically, Beiiiua insists that one has
to iespect the @)2*&-0)-+)07 between the human anu what the human labels, aftei
his oi hei fashion, the animal; not to uo so woulu be, foi Beiiiua, beyonu stupiu, oi
Hr0#. I quote at length:
So it will in no way mean questioning, even in the slightest, the limit about
which we have hau a stomachful, the limit between Nan with a capital N
anu Animal with a capital A. It will not be a mattei of attacking fiontally oi
antithetically the thesis of philosophical oi common sense on the basis of
which has been built the ielation to the self, the piesentation of the self of
human life, the autobiogiaphy of the human species, the whole histoiy of the
self that man iecounts to himself, that is to say the thesis of a limit as iuptuie
oi abyss between those who say "we men," "I, a man," anu what this man
among men who say "we," what he *5''2 the animal oi animals. I won't take
it upon myself foi a single moment to contest that thesis, noi the iuptuie oi
abyss between this "I-we" anu what we *5'' animals. To suppose that I, oi
anyone foi that mattei, coulu ignoie that iuptuie, inueeu that abyss, woulu
mean fiist of all blinuing oneself to so much contiaiy eviuence; anu, as fai as
my own mouest case is conceineu, it woulu mean foigetting all the signs that
I have sought to give, tiielessly, of my attention to uiffeience, to uiffeiences,
to heteiogeneities anu abyssal iuptuies as against the homogeneous anu
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 1SS
the continuous. I have thus nevei believeu in some homogeneous continuity
between what calls )02#'I man anu what "# calls the animal. I am not about to
begin to uo so now. That woulu be woise than sleepwalking, it woulu simply
be too asinine |Hr0#j. |.j When that cause oi inteiest begins to piofit fiom
what it simplistically suspects to be a biologistic continuism, whose sinistei
connotations we aie well awaie of, oi moie geneially to piofit fiom what is
suspecteu as a geneticism that one might wish to associate with this scattei-
biaineu accusation of continuism, the unueitaking in any case becomes so
abeiiant that it neithei calls foi noi, it seems to me, ueseives any uiiect uis-
cussion on my pait. Eveiything I have suggesteu so fai anu eveiy aigument
I will put foiwaiu touay stanus oveiwhelmingly in opposition to the blunt
instiument that such an allegation iepiesents. |.j Foi theie is no inteiest to
be founu in a uiscussion of a supposeu uiscontinuity, iuptuie, oi even abyss
between those who call themselves men anu what so-calleu men, those who
name themselves men, call the animal. Eveiybouy agiees on this, uiscussion
is closeu in auvance, one woulu have to be moie asinine than any beast |8'+2
Hr0# P+# '#2 Hr0#2j to think otheiwise. Even animals know that |...j.
S
Although Beiiiua suggests that what might be taken to be the limits of the animal
the lack of self-consciousness, the inability to tell a complex lieaie also the limits
of the human, he takes pains to uistinguish this questioning of limits fiom an iuea
of some kinu of simple human-animal continuum. In othei woius, as emphasizeu
in the passage quoteu above, he is caieful to asseit, anu in the stiongest of teims,
that the uivision oi sepaiation between human anu animal must iemain in place foi
any well-founueu inteiiogation of these teims to take place. Inueeu, he submits the
veiy naming of the animal, the veiy calling of the animal in the singulai, to ciitical
sciutiny.
Yet theie is a tension that iesiues at the heait of this uiscouise, between, on the one
hanu, the neeu to asseit the uistinction between the human anu the animal (foi it
woulu be stupiu |Hr0#j not to) anu, on the othei hanu, the simultaneous neeu to
asseit that othei thinkeis make too much of a uistinction, that they aie too foith-
iight in cieating uemaications between the human anu the animal. In "Anu Say the
Animal Responueu," anothei eaily foimulation of Beiiiua's woik on the question
of the animal, fiom the 1997 Ceiisy confeience on "The Autobiogiaphical Animal,"
the othei thinkei making too much of a uistinction is none othei than }acques
Lacan, whom Beiiiua accuses of falsely uistinguishing the human fiom the animal.
Accoiuing to Beiiiua, Lacan makes such an oveistiong uistinction in the j*,)02 as
well as !"# J&+, J+-@5=#-05' :&-*#802 &I ?27*"&G5-5'72)2, wheie he affiims that
the animal is incapable of the pietense of pietense (as opposeu to simple pietense),
something on the oiuei of telling the tiuth to ueceive the othei, since the othei is
expecting a lie. This is a seconu-oiuei lie, which iequiies an unueistanuing specific
to oui puipoiteuly human psychology.
4
Beiiiua contenus, howevei, alluuing to his
own woik on insciiption, the tiace, anu the uifficulty of making absolute uistinc-
tions, that "it is as uifficult to assign a fiontiei between pietense anu pietense of
1S6
pietense, to have an inuivisible line pass thiough the miuule of a feigneu feint, as it
is to assign one between insciiption anu eiasuie of the tiace."
S
While attacking the
notion of a continuity between the human anu the animal by unueiscoiing the line
between the twoanu noting that he has always been woiking against such hom-
ogenizing opeiationsBeiiiua simultaneously accuses Lacan of holuing too fiimly
to an inuivisible line, holuing up the counteiexample of his concepts of insciiption
anu tiace, concepts that challenge such an absolute uivision.
Beiiiua's ieauing of the multivalence of pietense of pietense of follows uiiectly
fiom his citation of Lacan's anecuote of the saiuine can in !"# J&+, J+-@5=#-05'
:&-*#802 &I ?27*"&G5-5'72)2. This stoiy is naiiateu as a iecollection of Lacan's ex-
peiience as a young intellectual woiking a summei job with fisheimen in Biittany.
Theie is cleaily a class awkwaiuness that peivaues Lacan's ielations with the othei
fisheimen, leauing to one of them to iemaik, in a fashion both jovial anu baibeu:
"You see that saiuine can, well it uoesn't see you." The matuie Lacan gives this
anecuote a famously enigmatic gloss: "To begin with, if what Petit-}ean saiu to me,
namely, that the can uiu not see me, hau any meaning, it was because in a sense,
it was looking at me all the same. It was looking at me at the level of the point
of light, the point at which eveiything that looks at me is situateuanu I am not
speaking metaphoiically."
6
Although Beiiiua expiesses an implicit objection to the
too human-centieu anu uni-uiiectional focus of Lacan's notion of the gaze, it is in
no way cleai wheie he situates this anecuote of the saiuine can, which woulu seem
to go well beyonu even the iealm of the animal, to that of the inanimate object anu
its eyeless gaze.
7
Stageu heie by Lacan in its full social anu ontological complexity is
the inanimate, non-human object, the uetiitus of the canning inuustiy upon which
the fisheimen uepenu, staiing back: not a metaphoiical gaze coming fiom a con-
scious agent, but one situateu at the level of the point of light, fiom a vantage point
ieminiscent of Busseil's phenomenological ieuuction, yet even less encumbeieu by
the limiting peispective of the human obseivei.
Thus, on the one hanu, Beiiiua's ciiticism of Lacan highlights what I am signalling
as the philosophical tiap of accusing othei thinkeis of making too stiong a uistinc-
tion, which is an obseivation uiiecteu at the foim of the aigumentalthough in
Beiiiua's case, it also ieflects an eailiei moment in his caieei, one moie intensely
giounueu in ciitical engagements with othei thinkeis such as Foucault, Saussuie,
Lvi-Stiauss, Levinas, anu Lacan (in the case of the lattei, Beiiiua unueimines in
uiamatic fashion Lacan's equally uiamatic ieauing of Poe's "The Puiloineu Lettei,"
with Lacan emphasizing how a "lettei always aiiives at its uestination," anu Beiiiua
how it "nevei aiiives at its uestination"
8
). 0n the othei hanu, anu this goes moie to
the heait of the mattei, it is puzzling that Beiiiua both auuiesses anu leaves asiue
the anecuote of the saiuine can, given that it stagesif evei it was stageu in Fiench
thoughtthe inanimate inhuman object looking back.
Befoie ietuining to this question of the inanimate object, I wish to consiuei veiy
biiefly Agamben's concept of the animal in !"# Q8#-. Fai moie than any text
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 1S7
wiitten by Beiiiua, Agamben's ieauing lenus itself quite ieauily to the ciiticism
that it is meiely a piobing meuitation of the animal that ultimately seives to unuei-
scoie the singulaiity of the human. While I uo not necessaiily take issue with such
a ciitique, I nonetheless want to highlight an attiibute of the animal that is, foi
Agamben, a supeiioi one anu theiefoie one that makes the animal-human ielation
moie complex. This attiibute is none othei than "the open" itself, oi the iuea of
openness. Agamben bioaches the concept of the open in the chaptei on Beiueggei's
seminai on !"# J+-@5=#-05' :&-*#802 &I M#058"72)*2. Be wiites: "The ontological
status of the animal enviionment can at this point be uefineu: it is &II#- (open) but
not &II#-H5, (uisconcealeu; lit. openable). Foi the animal, beings aie open but not
accessible; that is to say, they aie open in an inaccessibility anu an opacitythat
is, in some way, a nonielation. This o8#--#22 4)0"&+0 @)2*&-*#5'=#-0 uistinguishes
the animal's poveity in woilu |Beiueggei's teimj fiom the woilu-foiming which
chaiacteiizes man."
9
Ciucial foi Agamben is the two-pait, ielational aspect of the
open. Be uesciibes it seveial times as an "openness to a closeuness,"
1u
not unlike
the uouble stiuctuie of Lacan's pietense of pietense. What uistinguishes the hu-
man is the movement of opening to what is stuck, wheieas the animal is simply
stuck. 0i, as Agamben puts it, "This awakening of the living being to its own be-
ing-captivateu, this anxious anu iesolute opening to a non-open, is the human."
11

We might question, as Beiiiua uoes with Lacan, whethei this uouble movement of
iecognition of closeuness, anu the subsequent opening to itwhat foi Agamben
makes "something like a 8&')2 anu a politics.possible"
12
is even fully accessible
to the human. If the animal cannot acceue to the uouble stiuctuie, is it always the
case that the human can.

Fiauuulent fossils fiom }ohann Baitholomew Auam Beiingei's O)0"&(,58")5# B),*#H+,(#-2)2 (1726). Fig. u2
1S8
Fig. uS Fiauuulent fossils fiom }ohann Baitholomew Auam Beiingei's O)0"&(,58")5# B),*#H+,(#-2)2 (1726).
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 1S9
Such a uynamic is also ieminiscent of Saitie's uistinction in E#)-( 5-@ 3&0")-(-#22
between the "in-itself" anu the "foi-itself."
1S
Wheieas the foi-itself is chaiacteiizeu
by its uialectic of ielationality with the ineit in-itself, the in-itself is moie puiely
non-ielational. It seems that the meiit of the foi-itself foi Saitie, anu the human
foi Agamben, is the complexity of being-in-ielation, the uynamic of iecognition
enjoyeu by the foi-itself anu the human. But what if we weie to follow the lettei
of Saitie's texts, anu not theii spiiit. In uoing so, we coulu begin to aiticulate a
phenomenology of the in-itself, oi something like thing-being, that is not accoiueu
ielationality fiom the peispective of the human obseivei. Foi this is what Saitie
uoes, eminently anu in spite of himself, not with the animal but moie iauically with
the inanimate thingiepiesenteu by the stonethat Beiueggei chaiacteiizes as
"woiluless."
14
Saitie, 5A5-0 '5 '#00,#, exploies the woiluless woilu, the inoiganic
inanimate woilu of the stone, something that moie contempoiaiy thinkeis, such as
}ean-Luc Nancy anu Beinaiu Stieglei, challenge in Beiueggei's hieiaichy of human,
animal, anu stone. But it is towaiu an exploiation of the thingness of the thing in all
its woiluless, closeu, stuck, anu ineit gloiy that both Saitie anu Beiueggei leau us,
foi it seems that theyabove anu beyonu those who follow with aiguably moie so-
phisticateu meuitations on the human anu the animalaie actually stuck, stoppeu,
at the level of the thing.
Like Saitie, who takes caie to affiim a logic of sepaiation between the human anu
the non-human, the animate anu the inanimate, Beiueggei, in his maintenance of
the uivision between human, animal, anu stone, actually imagines a phenomenol-
ogy within which human peiception might asymptotically appioach something like
stone-peiception. In his minutely uetaileu example of a lizaiu on a iockwheie
the way the lizaiu peiceives its woilu uiffeis fiom both that of the human oi the
iockBeiueggei envisions a moue not only of lizaiu-peiception but beyonu that,
anu cleaily in spite of himself, of mineial-peiception anu being:
The lizaiu basks in the sun. At least this is how we uesciibe what it is uoing,
although it is uoubtful whethei it ieally compoits itself in the same way as we
uo when we lie out in the sun, i.e. whethei the sun is accessible to it 52 sun,
whethei the lizaiu is capable of expeiiencing the iock 52 iock. Yet the lizaiu's
ielation to the sun anu to waimth is uiffeient fiom that of the waim stone
simply lying piesent at hanu in the sun. Even if we avoiu eveiy misleauing
anu piematuie psychological inteipietation of the specific mannei of being
peitaining to the lizaiu anu pievent ouiselves fiom "empathetically" pio-
jecting oui own feelings onto this animal, we can still peiceive a uistinction
between the specijic monner of beinq peitaining to the lizaiu anu to 5-)=5'2,
anu the specijic =5--#, &I H#)-( peitaining to a =50#,)5' 0")-(. It is tiue that
the iock on which the lizaiu lies is not given foi the lizaiu 52 iock, in such a
way that it coulu inquiie into its mineialogical constitution foi example. It
is tiue that the sun in which it is basking is not given foi the lizaiu 52 sun,
in such a way that it coulu ask questions of astiophysics about it anu expect
to finu the answeis. But it is not tiue to say that the lizaiu meiely ciops up
16u
as piesent at hanu H#2)@# the iock, 5=&-(20 othei things such as the sun foi
example, in the same way as the stone lying neaiby is simply piesent at hanu
amongst othei things. 0n the contiaiy, the lizaiu has it &4- ,#'50)&- to the
iock, to the sun, anu to a host of othei things. 0ne is tempteu to suggest that
what we iuentify as the iock anu the sun aie just lizaiu-things foi the lizaiu,
so to speak.
1S

This passage ieveals a thought of the being of the iock in the veiy act of uistinguish-
ing its "woiluless" quality fiom the animal, which is meiely "pooi in woilu." While
it is easy to ciitique Beiueggei foi his penchant foi hieiaichy anu sepaiation, anu
to asseit by contiast the human-animal-thing continuum (to put it in contempoiaiy
pailance), what is less obvious is that Beiueggei, much in the fashion of Aiistotle,
poses the pioblem of non-human ontology with a iichness unpaialleleu by subse-
quent ieauings that insist on the humannon-human continuum.
16
To uevelop this claim, I will attenu to Beiuggei's lizaiu-iock example in a veiy
paiticulai fashion. Beiueggei fiist asseits that it is "uoubtful" that "the lizaiu is
capable of expeiiencing the iock 52 iock." Yet, when theie is uoubt, theie is the
concomitant possibility that the lizaiu =)("0 H# capable of expeiiencing the iock
52 iock, oi peihaps the possibility that the iock coulu expeiience itself as iock.
Beiueggei continues that, although it is uoubtful that the lizaiu coulu expeiience
the iock 52 iock, still its "ielation to the sun anu to waimth is uiffeient fiom that of
the waim stone simply lying piesent at hanu in the sun." The lizaiu then is uistinct
fiom the stone lying "piesent at hanu," but what uoes it mean to be so. Coulu theie
be a lizaiu oi iock consciousness of being "piesent at hanu". Night this in fact be
Fig. u4 Fiauuulent fossils fiom }ohann Baitholomew Auam Beiingei's O)0"&(,58")5# B),*#H+,(#-2)2 (1726).
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 161
the point of light, heie the sun-waimeu stone, that gazes back in the fashion of
Lacan's saiuine can. Noieovei, if we avoiu the anthiopocentiic fallacy of empa-
thetic piojection onto the lizaiu oi iockif it is even possible to avoiu this, stuck
as we aie in a state of humanness, just as it may be impossible foi the lizaiu to
expeiience the "iock 52 iock"we still neeu to acknowleuge a "specific mannei of
being" peitaining to animals anu mateiial things. But, even if we can acknowleuge
it, can we peiceive its specificity in the way that the animal oi the iock inhabits this
specificity. Although the lizaiu cannot inquiie into the "mineialogical constitution"
of the iock, it nonetheless "has it &4- ,#'50)&- to the iock." What is its "own iela-
tion" fiom the peispective of the human who has a uiffeient ielation to the iock.
Beiueggei answeis in a moue that is stiikingly poetic, so I will paise the last sen-
tence fiom the above citation accoiuingly:
0ne is tempteu to suggest
that what we
iuentify as the iock
anu the sun
aie just lizaiu-things
foi the lizaiu,
so to speak.
|M5- )2 A#,2+*"0 C+ 25(#-.
B52 4), @5
5'2 J#'28'500#
+-@ 6&--# 5-0,#II#-
@52 2)-@ Is, @)# <)@#*"2#
#H#- <)@#*"2#-@)-(#Sj
17

We have in this sentence-poem, this paean to the lizaiu, all the complexities of voice
anu chaiactei to be founu, as foi instance, in a uiamatic monologue. Theie is the
potentially unieliable naiiatoi ("one" |=5-j) who may not ieally be suggesting
what he is "tempteu to suggest," oi may not believe it. Yet he uistances himself
fiom "we" (4),), piesumably heie the human in geneial, as if to inuicate that he
has access to something beyonu the iealm of the uull sublunaiy "we," the "we" that
simply iuentifies iock anu sun as "the iock" anu "the sun." But the seconu stanza
ieveals, with its enjambment of natuie anu being ("sunaie"), the bieak between
the human "we" (as naiiateu by the supeiioi naiiatoi"one") anu the lizaiu-thing
iealm, that place between the lizaiu anu the thing as it weie, the being "just" a
lizaiu-thing (not the iock oi sun of the "we") foi the lizaiu. What uoes it mean to
imagine lizaiu peiception of lizaiu-thinghoou. Is lizaiu-thinghoou sepaiate, anu
sepaiate because impossible, fiom the iealm of oui naiiatoi, who in his failuie to
162
naiiate it nonetheless gives it a staitling appioximation, one signalleu only in the
English tianslation by the concluuing line "so to speak" (anu maikeu in the ueiman
moie by neologism, italicization, anu so foith.) Foi in this auuenuum (in tianslation,
no less) we see stageu the ambiguity anu uifficulty of speaking, the fact that the
haughty naiiatoi, even in his supeiioiity ovei the "we" of the people, acknowleuges
that, with iespect to the lizaiu anu its lizaiu-thinghoou, he can only speak appiox-
imately in his language, "so to speak." It seems that in asseiting the sepaiation of
human fiom lizaiu fiom iock, Beiueggei imagines poetically a lizaiu-thinghoou,
anu in the theatiical play of its imaginative piesence anu stiuctuial uistance comes
as close as might be hauinueeu closei than those who might simply piopose a
continuumto an ontology of the inhuman fiom its own peispective.
What woulu it mean, then, to chaiacteiize this woilu-less woilu of the thing. 0f
couise, this is impossible fiom a human-meuiateu fiamewoik, something thinkeis
aftei Saitie anu Beiueggei aie all too anxious to conceue. But it seems nonetheless
that this thing beyonu meuiation still lies at the outei limit of theii thought, anu is
peihaps none othei than thought itself.
I woulu like to concluue by tuining my attention to a quality of the thing that woulu
seem to set it ueciueuly apait fiom the human, as well as the animal: its stuckness,
its state of inanimation. To be suie, all things anu all paits of things aie not liteially
immobile; if we weie to examine them closely enough theie woulu be all soits of
movements anu foices beneath oui peiception. But if we take the thing phenome-
nologically, at the level of peiception, then what we confiont most unsettlingly (oi
most uelightfully, uepenuing on one's peispective) is the thing's extieme immobility.
This confiontation may be nowheie bettei captuieu than in Nancy's chaptei "The
Beait of Things" in !"# E),0" !& ?,#2#-*#. Theie, he evokes the "heait of things,"
wheie "one must not seek the living beat of a univeisal animation."
18
It seems
impossibly uifficult to ueflect a will to animation, to the peiception of animation,
which might be equateu with a peiception of movement oi becoming. Yet it also
seems that the "being-theie" of the thing is beyonu such animation. Nancy wiites
that "this thing is nothing othei than the immanent immobility of the fact 0"50 0"#,#
5,# things."
19
Inueeu, foi Nancy this veiy thinking of the thing, which is thought
itself, also paiticipates in the immobility of the thing: "It is in the thought of the
thing that thought finus its tiue giavity, it is theie that it iecognizes itself, anu theie
that it collapses unuei its own weight. Thought finus itself at the heait of things. But
this heait is immobile, anu thought, although it finus itself theie anu attunes itself
to that immobility, can still think itself only as mobility oi mobilization. !"#,#, the
heait of things cieates an obstacle; 0"#,#, it iemains unmoveu."
2u
In these passages,
Nancy touches on the obstacle that is ineitia, the fact that foi the human it is haiu
to confiont ineitia, that almost all of human thinking about thought is moueleu on a
logic of movement, on a thought that goes somewheie, tiavels elsewheie, becomes
something othei. The stone, howevei, uoes not neeu to H#*&=# moie ineit. It just )2
ineit; it has being anu ontology on its siue.
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 16S
Even if such an appioximation of ineitia falls shoit, it stiikes me that such a non-vi-
talist ontologyincluuing Beiueggei's "lizaiu-thinghoou" anu Nancy's "mineial-
ogy of being"offeis human thought a moie uecisive confiontation with ineitia
than the hopeu-foi continuities of contempoiaiy vitalism. "The heait of the stone,"
Nancy wiites, "consists in exposing the stone to the elements: pebble on the ioau,
in a toiient, unueigiounu, in the fusion of magma. 'Puie essence'oi 'simple exis-
tence'involves a mineialogy anu a meteoiology of being."
21
What is a mineialogy
of being if not the seemingly impossible event of puie being. It is the "it is" above
anu beyonu the "theie is" (#2 ()H0, )' 7 5) of being. Nancy links the concept of event to
that of thinghoou just aftei he evokes the mineialogy of being: "This is how a thing
takes place. That is how something comes to pass. The event itself, the coming into
piesence of the thing, paiticipates in this elementaiy essence."
22

While it is beyonu the scope of this essay to map out the vaiious ways in which "be-
ing" anu "event" aie linkeu anu uissociateu in twentieth-centuiy Fiench thought,
paiticulaily in thinkeis such as Nancy, Beleuze, Lyotaiu, anu Bauiou, it is useful heie
to tuin biiefly to Beleuze's O&()* &I 6#-2#. Beie, Beleuze situates the event within
the tempoial logic of Aion, the past-futuie conjunction, as opposeu to Chionos, the
time of the piesent. Beleuze wiites of Aion, also consiueieu as the time of the event,
that "the event in tuin, in its impassibility anu impenetiability, has no piesent. It
iathei ietieats anu auvances in two uiiections at once, being the peipetual object
of a uouble question: What is going to happen. What has just happeneu. The ago-
nizing aspect of the puie event is that it is always anu at the same time something
which has just happeneu anu something about to happen; nevei something which
is happening."
2S
In mapping the conjunction of past anu futuie that eclipses any
peimanence of the piesent, Beleuze openly favouis the movement of becoming
ovei the ineitia of being. Yet in othei woiks, he also gestuies to a becoming of being,
oi a movement towaiu being. In :)-#=5 V, foi instance, Beleuze locates the small
as opposeu to the laige as the site of being, oi moie piecisely, of "beginning to be":
In both casesthe sublimation of the laige foim anu the enfeeblement of
the small foimBeizog is a metaphysician. Be is the most metaphysical
of cinema uiiectois |.j. When Biuno asks the question: "Wheie uo objects
go when they no longei have any use." we might ieply that they noimally
go in the uustbin, but that ieply woulu be inauequate, since the question is
metaphysical. Beigson askeu the same question anu ieplieu metaphysically:
that which has ceaseu to be useful simply begins to be. Anu when Beizog ie-
maiks that "he who walks is uefenceless," we might say that the walkei lacks
any stiength in compaiison with cais anu aeioplanes. But, theie again, the
iemaik was metaphysical. "Absolutely uefenceless" is the uefinition which
Biuno gave of himself. The walkei is uefenceless because he is he who is
beginning to be, anu nevei finishes being small.
24

Even in this somewhat iaie paean to being, Beleuze situates it in the tempoiality
of becoming: "that which has ceaseu to be useful simply H#()-2 to be"; oi, "the
164
walkei is uefenceless because he is he who is H#()--)-( to be." It seems that to
be human, oi even simply to be alive, iequiies the neeu foi beginning. But to not
neeu to begin, to not neeu to move, to live entiiely affiimatively in inanimation, is
a quite extiaoiuinaiy quality; this quality iequiies the shift of peiception that the
Stoics, anu Beleuze following them, attiibuteu to the moue of the incoipoieal, the
mouality openeu by the coipoieal event yet also entiiely sepaiate fiom it.
I woulu like to suggest that the oxymoionic quality of inanimate being is none othei
than Saitie's )-G)02#'I anu Beiueggei's iock, pointing as they uo towaiu a mineialo-
gy of being. This is a iealm not fully uelineable, but it is one that at the least poses
a challenge anu a piovocation to suspenu the uoubleu iegistei of human thought
thinking its uiffeience fiom the animal oi thing, anu to peiceive insteau the singulai
iealm of the inhuman. This iealm might also be consiueieu a foim of being as such;
as Nancy wiites, "We can uefine it: a thing is a concietion, any one whatevei, of
being."
2S
The challenge is to peiceive this concietion of being not so much as some-
thing uistinct fiom the human but as simply what it is. I am who I am, uou says;
Saitie says, "if |manj coulu encountei puie mattei in expeiience, he woulu have to
be eithei a gou oi a stone."
26
This iealm is, aftei all, a peisistent liteiaiy iefiain. It is
the haunting anu inflappable stuckness of Nelville's Baitleby, who eats gingei nuts
fiom his immobile peich in his boss' office, Kafka's hungei aitist who, having founu
nothing he likes to eat, stays in his ciicus cage beyonu the uesignateu foity uays,
anu neaily all of the chaiacteis in the fiction of Nauiice Blanchot, which ieliably
iestages scenaiios wheie the piotagonists aie stuck in vexing houses, apaitments,
infeinal institutions, anu hotel iooms.
27
Why is the ineit, thing-like quality of these
humans so fascinating. It is time to take the uiiectives of Beiueggei, Saitie, anu
G e n e r a t e d f o r m m m m ( U n v e r s t y o f M c h g a n ) o n 2 0 1 3 - 0 9 - 2 1 1 8 : 3 7 G M T / h t t p : / / h d . h a n d e . n e t / 2 0 2 7 / u c m . 5 3 2 7 6 7 2 2 0 7
P u b c D o m a n , G o o g e - d g t z e d / h t t p : / / w w w . h a t h t r u s t . o r g / a c c e s s _ u s e # p d - g o o g e
Fig. uS Fiauuulent fossils fiom }ohann Baitholomew Auam Beiingei's O)0"&(,58")5# B),*#H+,(#-2)2 (1726).
The Nineialogy of Being | Eleanoi Kaufman 16S
Nancy in theii most liteial sense anu shift this fascination to things themselves.
Peihaps this might piovoke a philosophy auequate to the event of oui geological
epoch.
Noles
0 Bonna Baiiaway, "A Cyboig Nanifesto: Science, Technology anu Socialist-Feminism in
the Late Twentieth Centuiy," in !"# :7H#,*+'0+,#2 L#5@#,, eu. Baviu Bell anu Baibaia N.
Kenneuy (New Yoik: Routleuge, 2uuu), 291-S24; }ean-Fianois Lyotaiu, !"# 9-"+=5-,
tians. ueoffiey Bennington anu Rachel Bowlby (Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu 0niveisity Piess,
1991).
H See Caiy Wolfe, /-)=5' L)0#2. /=#,)*5- :+'0+,#> 0"# W)2*&+,2# &I 68#*)#2> 5-@ ?&20"+=5-)20
!"#&,7 (Chicago: 0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 2uuS).
5 }acques Beiiiua, "The Animal That Theiefoie I Am (Noie to Follow)," tians. Baviu Wills,
:,)0)*5' 9-P+),7 28 (Wintei 2uu2): S98-S99. This was iepiinteu in !"# /-)=5' !"50
!"#,#I&,# 9 /=, tians. Baviu Wills (New Yoik: Foiuham 0niveisity Piess, 2uu8), 29 - Su.
N The &#+A,# of Slavoj Zizek abounus with examples of the seconu-oiuei lie.
? }acques Beiiiua, "Anu Say the Animal Responueu," tians. Baviu Wills, in a&&-0&'&()#2.
!"# g+#20)&- &I 0"# /-)=5', eu. Caiy Wolfe (Ninneapolis: 0niveisity of Ninnesota Piess,
2uuS), 1S7. Repiinteu in !"# /-)=5' !"50 !"#,#I&,# 9 /=, 1SS. This uiscussion of Lacan is
again incluueu in Beiiiua's late couise lectuies on "The Beast anu the Soveieign." See !"#
E#520 5-@ 0"# 6&A#,#)(-, vol. 1, tians. ueoffiey Bennington (Chicago: 0niveisity of Chicago
Piess, 2uu9), "Fouith Session, }anuaiy 2S, 2uu2," 97 - 1SS. Foi an extenueu uiscussion of
Hr0)2#, see also "Fifth Session, }anuaiy Su, 2uu2," 1S6 - 16S.
Y }acques Lacan, J&+, J+-@5=#-05' :&-*#802 &I ?27*"&G5-5'72)2, tians. Alan Sheiiuan
(Lonuon: W.W. Noiton, 1981), 9S.
O Foi a tieatment of the gaze outsiue the iealm of the visual oi the scopic 8#, 2#, see Naitin
}ay, W&4-*520 <7#2. !"# W#-)(,50)&- &I N)2)&- )- !4#-0)#0"G:#-0+,7 J,#-*" !"&+("0
(Beikeley: 0niveisity of Califoinia Piess, 199S).
Z See }acques Beiiiua, "The Puiveyoi of Tiuth," in !"# ?+,'&)-#@ ?&#. O5*5-> W#,,)@5> 5-@
?27*"&5-5'70)* L#5@)-(, eu. }ohn P. Nullei anu William }. Richaiuson, tians. Alan Bass
(Baltimoie: The }ohns Bopkins 0niveisity Piess, 1988), 17S-212.
K uioigio Agamben, !"# Q8#-. M5- 5-@ /-)=5', tians. Kevin Attell (Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu
0niveisity Piess, 2uu4), SS.
0^ Ibiu., 6S, 68.
00 Ibiu., 7u.
0H Ibiu., 7S.
05 See }ean-Paul Saitie, E#)-( 5-@ 3&0")-(-#22, tians. Bazel Baines (Lonuon: Routleuge,
1989). Foi a full analysis of Saitie's hiuuen ontology of objects, see my "Soliu Bialectic in
Saitie anu Beleuze," in W#'#+C#> 0"# W5,; ?,#*+,2&,. W)5'#*0)*> 60,+*0+,#> E#)-( (Baltimoie:
The }ohns Bopkins 0niveisity Piess, 2u12), anu "'To Cut Too Beeply anu Not Enough':
violence anu the Incoipoieal," in !"#&'&(7 5-@ 0"# ?&')0)*5'. !"# 3#4 W#H50#, eu. Cieston
Bavis, }ohn Nilbank, anu Slavoj Zizek (Buiham: Buke 0niveisity Piess, 2uuS).
0N Naitin Beiueggei, !"# J+-@5=#-05' :&-*#802 &I M#058"72)*2. B&,'@> J)-)0+@#> 6&')0+@#,
tians. William NcNeill anu Nicholas Walkei (Bloomington anu Inuianapolis: Inuiana
0niveisity Piess, 199S), see especially 18S - 2u9. Beiiiua pioviues extenueu anu iich
ieauings of these passages, ieauings which I uo not attempt to uo justice to heie, in
QI 68),)0. K#)@#((#, 5-@ 0"# g+#20)&-, tians. ueoffiey Bennington anu Rachel Bowlby
166
(Chicago: 0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 1989) anu in his latei couise lectuies. Foi the lat-
tei, see especially !"# E#520 5-@ 0"# 6&A#,#)(-, vol. 2, tians. ueoffiey Bennington (Chicago:
0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 2u11).
0? Ibiu., 197-98.
0Y See, foi instance, Aiistotle's W# /-)=5, in which sepaiations aie also maue between hu-
man anu animal kinguoms but all within the fiamewoik of maintaining that plants have
souls (albeit a usage of "soul"psucbequite uiffeient fiom the mouein one). See !"#
E52)* B&,;2 &I /,)20&0'#, eu. Richaiu NcKeon (Nouein Libiaiy, 2uu1), esp. SS2-SS9.
0O See Naitin Beiueggei, W)# %,+-@H#(,)II# @#, M#058"72);. B#'0Z<-@')*";#)0Z<)-25=;#)0
(Fiankfuit am Nain: vittoiio Klosteimann, 198S), 291.
0Z }ean-Luc Nancy, "The Beait of Things," in !"# E),0" 0& ?,#2#-*#, tians. Biian Bolmes et al.
(Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu 0niveisity Piess, 1994), 169.
0K Ibiu.
H^ Ibiu., 171.
H0 Ibiu.
HH Ibiu.
H5 uilles Beleuze, !"# O&()* &I 6#-2#, tians. Naik Lestei anu Chailes Stivale (New Yoik:
Columbia 0niveisity Piess, 199u), 6S.
HN uilles Beleuze, :)-#=5 V. !"# M&A#=#-0G9=5(#, tians. Bugh Tomlinson anu Baibaia
Babbeijam (Ninneapolis: 0niveisity of Ninnesota Piess, 1986), 18S.
H? Nancy, "The Beait of Things," 174.
HY }ean-Paul Saitie, :,)0)P+# &I W)5'#*0)*5' L#52&-, tians. Alan Sheiiuan-Smith (Lonuon: BLB,
1976), 181-82.
HO See my analysis of Nauiice Blanchot anu ineitia, incluuing a uiscussion of Beleuze's evo-
cation of Beizog, in "Niunight, oi the Ineitia of Being," 85,5''5D 12, no. 22 (2uu6): 98-111,
iepiinteu with ievision in W#'#+C#> 0"# W5,; ?,#*+,2&,S
1)G'#$F4* @.4F'&$#., `H^0Ha
Meghon lrcher
Mixed Medio
Meq~: /:e:Tesis20!2
168
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Meq~: /:e:Tesis20!2
/=8')0+@# M&@+'50)&- seeks to engage with anu expanu the unueistanuing
of Ameiican inuustiial heiitage while auuiessing the contempoiaiy conui-
tion of iesouice extiaction. Thiough vaiious techniques, the pioject ie-as-
sembles the naiiative of the southein coal towns of Appalachia, playing on
inauveitent gaps anu uisjunctions within oveilapping geologic, inuustiial,
anu cultuial netwoiks. The pioject contiibutes to an ecology of uesign piac-
tices that biiuge scales fiom iegional to local anu apply fiiction to the cui-
ient ciicumstances. Thiough ieseaich anu an exploiation of the opeiations,
netwoiks, anu actois of southein Appalachia, /=8')0+@# M&@+'50)&- utilizes
aichitectuie as a methou foi tactical aujustment anu the uevelopment of
new stiategies that question the outcomes of inuustiial piogiess.
@&$$*"/ .A !./).G.'#$#%/
sobelle Slengers in Conversolion wilh Heolher Dovis ond Flienne Turpin
B, $+* >".D.%&$#.,/ .A M&]&
Isabelle Stengeis' vaiieu ieseaich inteiests, compelling publications, anu
bieauth of influence make hei one of the most impoitant wiiteis of oui
time. Bei eaily tiaining as a chemist anu hei collaboiation with physicist Ilya
Piigogine alloweu hei to piouuctively anu ciitically inteivene in the uiscouis-
es anu piactices of scientific knowleuge piouuction. She has publisheu exten-
sively in collaboiation with othei wiiteis on topics incluuing psychoanalysis,
politics, feminism, philosophy, anu science, although hei piimaiy concein ie-
mains the ielation of the lattei two. Attenuing to the specificity of laboiatoiy
woik, Stengeis consiueis this mouel of knowleuge piouuction to uevelop what
she calls an "ecology of piactices," theieby situating scientific knowleuge as
specific, local, anu evolving, while extenuing the iuea of piactices anu piac-
titioneis to othei fielus thiough hei notion of "cosmopolitics." "0ne aspect
of the cosmopolitical pioposal," accoiuing to Stengeis, "is thus to accentuate
oui own iathei fiightening paiticulaiity among the people of the woilu with
whom we have to compiomise."
1
The stiength anu bieauth of Stengeis' foice
as a wiitei comes fiom hei tiaining as a philosophei, paiticulaily hei caieful
explications of the thought of Alfieu Noith Whiteheau anu William }ames.
Fiom these eaily piagmatists, she has ietaineu efjicocy as a cential, guiuing
political piinciple, against moie populai notions of choice oi fiee will.
This philosophical position is also why hei call to ietuin to a notion of uaa,
anu hei coiiesponuing suspicion of the Anthiopocene thesis, iequiies fuithei
consiueiation, especially among aichitects anu uesigneis. If the Anthiopocene
thesis iepositions "Nan" as the teiiible enu-fate of his own uestiny, such a
claim, in Stengeis' ieauing, pioblematically ietains the naiiative of the "ieign
of Nan." Insteau, hei thinking calls foi a hesitationan inteifeiing iuiocy, in
Beleuze's sensethat can slow uown the thiill of acceleiation, while also
insisting that what we, as humans, aie facing is uaa, a foice that inteiiupts
oui all-too-mouein uieams anu aspiiations; uaa cannot be ignoieu, noi
assimilateu into oui iueas of piogiess anu knowleuge. As in neaily eveiy-
thing Stengeis wiites, she is quick to inuicate the consequences of a piactice,
anu she is not afiaiu to uiscein between the woithwhile anu the woithless. It
is the stiiking movement of hei thinking that is so compelling, foi she caiiies
with hei a thoiough unueistanuing that it is the woilu that makes expeiience,
anu that has consequences; she is thus unafiaiu to fight foi this woilu. We aie
extiemely giateful to Isabelle Stengeis foi making the time foi this inteiview,
which took place ovei email following the "uestes Speculatifs" Colloque uu
Ceiisy in }uly 2u1S, an event she co-oiganizeu with Biuiei Bebaise.
172
L*&$+*" 7&D#/ c 8$#*,,* 9F"G#, We woulu like to begin with the question of
euucation, oi, moie impoitantly, '#5,-)-(. In youi iecent books, incluuing /+ 0#=82
@#2 *50520,&8"#2 anu :58)05')20 6&,*#,7, youi wiiting is quite accessible; you take
especially complex philosophical thoughts, anu the paiauoxes of contempoiaiy
political iealities, anu wiite about them in a way that is open anu engaging. This
iesonates with us, anu we ieau it as an attempt to move beyonu the solipsism of
the univeisity system. As you aie about to ietiiewe weie tolu you aie about to
officially leave the univeisitywoulu you ieflect on the position of the univeisity in
ielation to philosophical thought touay. What conceins you at the moment iegaiu-
ing the univeisity as a ielay of philosophical thought.
:/&C*''* P$*,-*"/ The books you name aie inueeu meant to engage thought, not
to uiscuss philosophy. To me, this uoes not mean going beyonu "the solipsism of the
univeisity" because theie is no solipsism involveu in the only thing that matteis in
my univeisity job: contact with stuuents, attempting to convey with anu foi them
what makes philosophy woith uoing. In othei woius, teaching philosophy involves
aiousing stuuents' appetite foi the fiee anu uemanuing cieation of pioblems that
mattei, being engageu by the consequences of the mannei of cieation, iegaiuless
of the uisciplinaiy bounuaiies you may happen to tiansgiess (not foi the sake of
tiansgiession itself, but because unfoluing the pioblem asks foi it). Teaching is
an oial piactice: intonations, laughtei, hesitations, even off-hanu tieatments of
iespecteu philosopheis aie pait of my piactice. Ny job is to make stuuents feel that
thinking is a vital business; that you shoulu nevei lenu to philosophical authoiities
the powei to tell you what is woith thinking. That being saiu, I am not suie the
univeisity is the auequate ielay foi philosophy, at least foi the kinu of philosophy
that tuineu me into a philosophei. Reauing was the ciucial ielay foi me, anu it will
iemain the main ielay foi philosophy. 0ial teaching can uo no moie than awaken
the taste foi thinking, which is a pieiequisite foi philosophical thought, but ue-
manus that stuuents then finu theii own way of uoing philosophy.
Coming now to the two books you name, they aie also meant to awaken thought, not
to tiy to ielay what philosophy uoes to thought. But books also piesent pioblems
that an oial piactice escapes fiom. I have seen physicist Ilya Piigogine, with whom
I woikeu foi a long time, enthial an auuience with ieally aicane, technical, physi-
co-mathematical pioblems; his passionate ielation with the pioblem ciosseu the
seemingly insuimountable gap. Bowevei, in wiiting, aitificial gaps can veiy easily
be cieateu. Without even willing it, an authoi easily selects hei ieaueis. Foi exam-
ple, a iefeience to a philosophei may be sufficient foi some to feel that since they
uo not know him oi hei, the book is not foi them. Anu those ieaueis aie piecisely
the ones you wish to touch, not the "happy few" who use the iefeiences in oiuei to
iuentify anu situate you. In /+ 0#=82 @#2 *50520,&8"#2 anu :58)05')20 6&,*#,7, theie
aie no authoi iefeiences; iathei, theie aie iefeiences to situations anu expeiiences
that the ieaueis these books auuiess will likely be familiai with. This is the selec-
tion piinciple. They auuiess expeiiences which aie mostly questioning ones, when
one feels theie is something wiong, inefficient, even lethal in the way a situation is
Natteis of Cosmopolitics | A Conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis 17S
auuiesseu, not by the "establishment"this is tiivialbut by those who piesent
themselves as stiuggling against it. Neithei :58)05')20 6&,*#,7 noi the :50520,&8"#
book is about "the" situation in anu of itself. They aie "inteivention" books, each
coiiesponuing to the conviction, iight oi wiong, that something may be "auueu"
to the situation, something that coulu pioviue a line of escape fiom uilemmas that
take us as hostages. I am thus not wiiting "as a philosophei" in this case, even if
philosophy is an iiieuucible pait of what enableu these inteiventions. 0nly the
effects of the inteivention mattei, anu if they woik, they must be able to be ielayeu
without philosophical iefeiences.
L7c89 Youi influence within acauemia is substantial, anu still incieasing in
Noith Ameiica as moie of youi woik becomes available in tianslation. To ietuin
to oui question above, we aie cuiious about youi own uesiie to influence, shape,
oi suppoit non-acauemic uiscouises, especially those ielateu to contempoiaiy
political stiuggles. Bo you see youi woik as migiating towaiu, oi peihaps enteiing
into conveisation with, moie explicitly political assemblages outsiue the univeisity
system.
:P Philosophy, as I leaineu to piactice it, is veiy uiffeient fiom philosophy as it is
piacticeu in the English-speaking acauemy. Theie, it has always thiiveu on what you
call "conveisation" with non-philosophy, with questions anu piactices that come
to mattei at each epoch. But in ieality, the philosophical tiauition involves not so
much a "conveising with," but is iathei a iisking of itself, iisking its veiy meaning.
In Fiance, the question "What is philosophy." oi "Is philosophy still woith uoing."
is askeu again anu again. Ny own staiting point was to think in close contact with
scientific piactices. Foi me, it was nevei "philosophy of science," oi "epistemolo-
gy." It was about leaining how to become a philosophei while not accepting the
usual philosophical positions about sciencesneithei juugment, noi iivaliy, noi
submission. Contact with political assemblages came paitly thiough auuiess-
ing the political iole of sciences, paitly thiough my uiscoveiy of how impoitant
empoweieu gioups (i.e. illicit uiugs useis) coulu be as inteiveneis in a situation
appiopiiateu by "expeits," anu paitly thiough political conjectuie, uuiing a time
when the Naixist-uominateu ihetoiical stiuggle weakeneu in Belgium, wheie I'm
fiom, allowing foi the exploiation of alteinative ways to inheiit iueas fiom Naix.
But again, I nevei hau the impiession of being "outsiue the univeisity system."
Natteis aie changing now with the new "management," with ianking, evaluations,
etc. The tiap is closing. But to me the outsiue was always what maue me think, just
as philosophy was always what enableu me to think with the outsiue, oi tiy to.
L7c89 Woulu you comment on the uiiection of contempoiaiy philosophy out-
siue the univeisity system, paiticulai in aesthetic uebates in the ait woilu. We have
iecently seen an effloiescence of new philosophies, incluuing the iising populaiity
of "acceleiationism," "thing-powei," anu "object-oiienteu ontology," among othei
tienuy bianus of philosophy (anu so calleu "non-philosophy"). Nany of these up-
stait schools seem, at least to us, especially ieactionaiy anu politically nave, not
174
least because of a ceitain uismissive chauvinism in ielation to the imminent effects
of oui cuiient ecological collapse. Bo these uiiections of contempoiaiy philosophy
concein you.
:P They uo not concein me in the sense that they woulu inteiest me. I'm soiiy that
the ait woilu is so vulneiable to "tienus" anu "bianus." It seems that the so-calleu
"Fiench Theoiy"a puie expoit piouucthas a lot of "inuigenous" successois,
iivalling each othei to conquei such a maiket. But to me, they aie mainly paiasitic
symptoms of the quite unhealthy enviionment we aie living in, wheie mastei-uis-
couises piolifeiate.
L7c89 Regaiuing contempoiaiy politics, the upiisings anu piotests that
aie spieauing uaily to uiffeient iegions of the woilu, especially uuiing the
past couple of yeais, tenu to stait out with a veiy cleai uemanu; then, as the
movements iecognize the inteiconnections of theii uemanus, anu peihaps
the incommensuiability of the vaiious uemanus themselves, move towaiu "no
uemanu in paiticulai." Insteau, we heai a collective enunciation moie along
the lines of youi example, with people stating, "We aie not happy at all." Bow
uo you unueistanu this tenuency in contempoiaiy politics, that is, the tenuency
towaius claiming a collective position that iefuses to cleaily iuentify uemanus
(uemanus that coulu then be met, oi paitially met, anu theiefoie pacifieu) in teims
of what you call "political cieation".
:P 0ne of the only iefeiences to a philosophei I nevei hesitate to use is uilles
Beleuze's (oial) uefinition of what uiffeientiates "left" anu "iight."
2
Be uefines the
left thiough a ciucial neeu that people think; that is, that people piouuce theii own
questions, theii own foimulation of pioblems that vitally concein them. To ciy out
"we aie not happy at all" may then be the necessaiy staiting point, togethei with
the ueteiminate uisavowal of "pie-foimatteu" pioblems of oiuei oi piioiity (what
the "iight," incluuing classic foims of ievolutionaiy mobilization, neeus people to
accept). 0bviously, the uemanus may then seem "incommensuiable"the neeu
foi some kinu of aibitei will then be claimeu. But incommensuiability has nothing
final about it; it simply signals the neeu not to iuentify with initial foimulations, to
tiansfoim one's uemanus into vectois that enable one to leain anu connect. I like
the teim "uiveigences," as useu by Beleuze, who wiote that only uiveiging lines
communicate (meaning that communication heie is cieation, not ieuunuancy). But
uiveiging is not "fiom something." It uesignates what matteis foi you, anu "&4 it
matteis (in the positive sense), anu theiefoie allows foi symbiotic alliances, always
lateial, nevei giounueu on a "same" that woulu tianscenu oi ieconcile them.
Now, I know the new lateial chaiactei of the movements is something like an iuen-
tity caiu, as well as the subject of many acauemic uisseitations. But I woulu beg
to slow uown anu not be so easily self-satisfieu. The tiap may be a ceitain cult foi
a phantom, tiansveisality, uevoiu of consistence, wheie people connect anu then
uisconnect, while happily claiming that "seeus" have been planteu, as if no active
Natteis of Cosmopolitics | A Conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis 17S
concein foi what is planteu was neeueu. Some use the image of the ihizome, but
they take it, I'm afiaiu, in a iathei inuiviuualist mannei. These connections cannot
be taken foi gianteu: once cieateu, they neeu to be caieu foi. This uoes not mean
that cleaily iuentifieu, unifying uemanus shoulu not be foimulateueveiy uemanu
matteis. But the testcieation is always testingis enuuiing, tiustwoithy con-
nections, liable to piouuce foims of innovative mobilization foi people to gathei
aiounu an issue which 5 8,)&,) uiu not concein them, but which, they have leaineu,
mattei. Capitalism is veiy innovative anu uivisive; to become able to iesist it ie-
quiies becoming innovative as well. This is why I nevei intone iefiains lauuing the
"new tiansveisality"it is still to be cieateu. I piefei to speak about those move-
ments, the neo-pagan ieclaiming of witches, foi instance, that have succeeueu in
enuuiing anu connecting with otheis foi the past thiity yeais.
L7c89 We aie also inteiesteu in the concept of "piotection," paitially in ielation
to self-piotection, but also as a question of selection, evaluation, anu uecision. We
aie paiticulaily taken by youi aiticulation of the way in which one must engage
with the hoiiois that exist in the woilu without letting that same hoiioi uestioy
oneself. Bow uo we engage in piactices of piotection that iesist this vulneiability to
captuie.
:P The iuea that we uo not neeu piotection typically iefeis to an iuealistic
conception of tiuth: if we have tiuth on oui siue, it will piotect us. 0ne way
to ciicumvent this habit of thought is to nevei uiviue people into goou anu
bau, but to stait insteau fiom the fact that we all live in an unhealthy enviion-
ment. We become especially vulneiable if we believe we aie, by some miiacle,
unuamageu. The iituals of neo-pagan witches aie both a piotection anu a iesouice
foi action, foi collectively becoming able to ueciphei what is "now" the "woik of
the uouuess," while nevei believing that they by themselves possess the capacity to
ueteimine it. But the iituals aie also neeueu to tuin hoiioi into powei. Twice I felt
the neeu to enu a book with one of theii iitual songs:
Bieathe ueep
J##' 0"# 85)-
4"#,# )0 ')A#2 @##8 )- +2
I&, 4# ')A#> 20)''>
)- 0"# ,54 4&+-@2
5-@ 85)- )2 25'0 )- +2> H+,-)-(
J'+2" )0 &+0
O#0 0"# 85)- H#*&=# 5 2&+-@
5 ')A)-( ,)A#, &- 0"# H,#50"
L5)2# 7&+, A&)*#
:,7 &+0S 6*,#5=S B5)'S
b##- 5-@ =&+,-
I&, 0"# @)2=#=H#,)-( &I 0"# 4&,'@S
S

176
L7c89 In oui estimation, the concept of piotection is also ielateu to the vaiious
ways in which one coulu ieau oui uiffeiential, anthiopogenically tiansfoimeu glob-
al ecologypeihaps in the sense that Flix uuattaii woulu have imagineu itin
teims of psychic, social, anu enviionmental components. Bo you see the concept of
piotection as a necessaiy aspect of political piactice in the eia of uaa.
:P uuattaii's !",## <*&'&()#2 concuis with contempoiaiy social justice move-
ments by pioposing that we think anu feel with a tiiple uevastation: psychic,
social, enviionmental. This means giving cential impoitance to the unknowns of a
situation, as the way we foimulate questions may well ueiive fiom the absence of
the many voices that have alieauy been iiieveisibly uestioyeu oi silenceu. Staying
with the tiouble, as Bonna Baiaway foimulates it, seems to me veiy necessaiy, as
uoes paying attention to what stoiies tell stoiies, which she takes fiom Naiilyn
Stiathein.
4
The stoiy that seives as the matiix foi oui stock of iathei woin-out
stoiies may well be equating uuattaii's tiiple uevastation with a kinu of piogiess,
whatevei its stoiieu veisions, putting "us," theii stoiy-telleis, in a position of
"guaiuians of tiuth," iegaiuless of what this "tiuth" might be. Piotection is, in this
context, ciitical to helping us get along. So, I am iathei uubious about the new
Anthiopocene stoiy fiom this peispective. Who is 5-0",&8&2.
L7c89 This concein is ielateu to the ieconsiueiations of }ames Lovelock's uaa
hypothesis in iecent theoietical inquiiy, especially in ielation to the Anthiopocene
thesis. You tuin to uaa as a way of figuiing oui cuiient ecological ciisis, as both an
entity that uemanus a paiticulai iesponse anu a peisonalization that is a foim of
auuiess, as well as a way to unueimine the masculinist naiiative that ie-centies
the human as the ultimate foim of uestiuction. But we aie cuiious about what uaa,
in paiticulai, suggests, as opposeu to Bonna Baiaway's concept of multi-ciittei
"Becoming-with," foi example. What woik uoes this paiticulai concept uo foi you.
Bo you think it is unueivalueu in most contempoiaiy philosophy. Anu how uoes
this concept iesonate with what Biuno Latoui calls a "political theology of natuie".
:P uaa uoes not suggest anything opposeu to becoming-with. Baiaway anu
I aie both inheiiting, fiom }ames Lovelock anu Lynn Naigulis, iesistance stoiies
that featuie Nan as this uangeious abstiaction, as the ultimate anything. We both
pay the utmost attention to scientific stoiies that complicate "the stoiy" anu give
insistent piesence to the messiness that oui "theoiies" so easily foiget. I am ueeply
giateful to Baiaway anu hei innumeiable anu uensely entangleu ciittei stoiies
she uaiingly exploies what neeus to be thought, imagineu, anu speculateu with. Ny
use of uaa, as the one who intiuues, is iathei auuiesseu to oui ueeply ingiaineu
habits of thought. It is uistinct fiom Latoui's "facing uaa." I make a stiong uistinc-
tion between a "Latouiian us" to be composeu, who might possibly become able
to "face" uaathat is, face the uifficult task of paiticipating in an entanglement,
the ticklish, touchy chaiactei which we aie just beginning to unueistanuanu the
"us" (moueins, Euio-Ameiicans, Westein, whatevei) foi whom the veiy iuea of this
Natteis of Cosmopolitics | A Conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis 177
task uistastefully intiuues, foi those whose haiis stick up when they heai the woiu
uaa. The Anthiopocene, it shoulu be noteu, is much moie agieeable foi the mou-
eins, lenuing itself to meuitations that iespect theii position as thinking ultimate
thoughts about Nan, fai, fai away fiom the soiuiu situation we have cieateu foi
ouiselves anu othei eaithbounu ciitteis. "Ny" uaa also intiuues upon the use of
the Anthiopocene in tienuy anu iathei apolitical uisseitations.
L7c89 Bo you think that the hesitations about uaa in much contempoiaiy
political theoiyfoi example, in the political tiajectoiy fiom Beiiiua to Rancieie to
Bauiou, wheie the "enviionment" iemains a backfoimation foi moie funuamental
"human-centieu" politicsaie a iesult of a lingeiing moueinism in philosophy.
Noie piecisely, why, in youi thinking, aie many political theoiists so afiaiu of eco-
logical positions that accept the inestimable complexity of eaith systems.
:P As soon as you say the woiu "theoiy" you aie in a moueinist (oi mouein),
human-centieu position. Noueinism is not lingeiing; it has many veisions which
concui in a quasi-negationist stance, iegulaily implying that what we shoulu be-
waie of is not the iecently uiscoveieu instability of what was taken foi gianteu,
but iathei the fact that this uiscoveiy coulu give stiength to theii tiauitional the-
oietical enemies. This is why I use this name uaa, in a uelibeiately piovocative
way, in oiuei to incite these "moueinists" anu theii implicit oi explicit stiategy of
uenial (theii uige to ueny) to come out into view. They feel that the intiusion of an
Eaithno longei "ouis" to piotect oi to exploit, but gifteu with uaunting poweis to
uislouge "us" fiom oui commanuing positionis veiy uangeious; not uangeious,
that is, in the usual teims, but uangeious because She has no iight to uo so! uaa,
as the bastaiu chilu of scientists anu paganism, is encapsulating eveiything they
gave themselves the uuty to guaiu "tiuth" against. She must be taken as a tiick
of the Enemy, not as a question to be answeieu; it is pait of the iuealist chaiactei
of theoiies, especially theoiies haunteu by the salvationuamnation uualism, to
iuentify what might confuse theii peispective with such a tiick. Theii uuty is to
keep steeiing the iightful couise, to iesist the temptation to betiay it. Bettei ueath
than betiayal!
L7c89 In a iecent aiticle about "acceleiationist aesthetics," the ciitic Benjamin
Biatton suggesteu that the hoiizon foi political thought touay is thinking the
"post-Anthiopocene," because this tienuy new uiachionicism, at least in his es-
timation, woulu signal a move away fiom the human-centieu view of the woilu.
S

It seems pioblematic, foi us, that many theoiists believe that we humans can so
quickly slip out of the centie of things that we have so caiefully anu intiicately
placeu ouiselves in. In fact, given the ielationship between these extensive suppoit
infiastiuctuies anu the species itself, it seems quite nave to assume humans coulu
exit the centie stage without seiious, uevastating consequences. Bo you believe
that thiswhat we coulu call "feai of anthiopocentiicism" is cieating a seiies of
ieactionaiy anu ethically uubious positions within theoiy touay.
178
:P Well, it uepenus on what you call "humans." Again, who is 5-0",&8&2. uaa
cleaily heialusthe veiy meaning of what I call hei "intiusion"that those who
believeu they weie at the centie uespeiately mess up what they, anu many othei
eaithly ciitteis, uepenu upon. Now those of us who weie tolu stoiies since biith
that theie is something ieally special in being "human" aie at a bifuication point:
eithei we fuiiously keep to that naiiative, oi we accept that if theie is a post-An-
thiopocene woith living in, those who will live in it will neeu uiffeient stoiies,
with no entity at the centie of the stage. This uoes not piecluue "iesponsibility,"
but caiiies the sense of being able to iesponu. That being saiu, the link between
"aesthetic" anu "ciitic" you use is not inspiiing to me. The position of the ciitic will
not get humans out of the tiap. 0n the contiaiy, it will piobably piouuce new ways
of commenting on ait, in a tienuy iace foi the most iauical mannei of moving away
fiom a human-centieu view. This is exactly what I feai with the Anthiopocene the-
sis; it pioposes a "futuie peifect continuous" tense, which puts theoiists into a veiy
agieeable position. The mess can now be foigotten, swalloweu in a continuity that
can be theoiizeu in a single shot. Abysmal apoiia will flouiish, happily confionteu
by theoieticians hunting uown shaues of anthiopocentiism in othei theoieticians'
wiitingsa beautiful piospect foi geneiations of uoctoial stuuents anu aesthetic
ventuies in the ait woilu. To me, science fiction is much moie sustaining in this
iespect, fiom the woiks of 0isula Le uuin to Baviu Biin's last novel, <D)20#-*#. I
uo not peiceive a iace in such science fiction foi the "cutting euge," but iathei a
coopeiative imaginative anu speculative exeicise auuiesseu to ieaueis who uo not
neeu ciitics to giasp what is at stake in a novel.
6
L7c89 Although often not explicitly stateu along these lines in youi wiitings, you
piopose a piofounu engagement with feminism, the necessity of a feminism that
auuiesses the new ecological ieality in which we finu ouiselves. What ielation uo
you think feminism has in philosophical accounts of iiieveisible anu catastiophic
loss. What uoes it enable us to uo in the face of uaa.
:P Feminism was a constitutive anu vital pait of my euucational anu affective
tiajectoiies. In the 198us, befoie its theoiization, eco-feminism maikeu the ciu-
cial beginning of "tiansfoimative politics," which has inhabiteu my thinking anu
yeaining evei since. It seems that the feeling of iiieveisible anu catastiophic loss
inueeu offeis affinities with feminist thought, which attempts to weave togethei
thinking, imagining, anu piactically enacting; that is to say, it can ievitalize thinking
aiounu stakes which aie iiieuucible to a mattei of acauemic iivaliy. I woulu say
that the effective existence of feminism (beyonu post-, queei-, anu all that) uepenus
on a cultuie of iesolute uisloyalty foi those abstiactions which viiginia Woolf ue-
sciibeu as tuining a beloveu biothei into a "monstious male, louu of voice, haiu of
fist, chiluishly intent upon scoiing the flooi of the eaith with chalk maiks, within
whose mystic bounuaiies human beings aie penneu, iigiuly, sepaiately, aitificial-
ly."
7
Such uisloyalty must be piotecteu in oiuei not to piouuce othei chalk maiks,
othei mystico-acauemic bounuaiies. But feminism may inueeu help to face what is
thieatening us because it uis-habituates, it uispels the anaesthesia that acauemic
abstiactions piouuce.
Natteis of Cosmopolitics | A Conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis 179
L7c89 While "acceleiationists" such as Nick Lanu imagine that we might neeu to
speeu up to cioss a thiesholu of capitalist exploitation, theie aie seveial ieasons to
iemain suspicious of such a position. Fiist, it assumes that we can tell the uiiection
we aie heauing, anu whethei oi not we aie even speeuing up, which seems uifficult
to asceitain with any uefinitive eviuence; seconu, the violence piouuceu by such
an inciease in velocity, if it is possible, woulu no uoubt be levelleu against the most
vulneiable anu the most pooi, as it has been thioughout moueinity. Bo you have
conceins about the ethical tiopes of political, aesthetic, oi ontological acceleiation-
ism. Bow woulu you uefine cosmopolitics against this nihilistic heioism anu its
neglect of its own piivilege.
:P I uecline contiasting :&2=&8&')0)*2, whatevei its shoitcomings, with that
tiashthey aie male chauvinist pigs, that's all. I am only soiiy foi the memoiy of
Flix uuattaii, which they ueface.
L7c89 Is this why you insist, in much of youi wiiting, on slowing uown thought.
We unueistanu how this may guaiu against an oveizealousness oi a piesumptu-
ousness of knowleuge anu action, but we aie not suie exactly what "slowness" is foi
you, paiticulaily in an age when the Eaith (biospheie, geology, etc.) is tiansfoiming
fastei than pieviously imaginable. Bow uo we know when we aie speeuing up oi
slowing uown. Even these iefeients seem capiicious. In othei woius, what quality
of slowness is aiticulateu by the iuiot, in Beleuze's sense, oi the inteistice, foi
Whiteheau. Is this iathei a kinu of uisjunctive speeu, a speeu that may oi may not
be "slow". Why is the iuea of slowness impoitant to you, especially in ielation to
the ielative velocity of the Anthiopocene.
:P When I am speaking of slowing uown, I am equating speeu with mobilization.
A mobilizeu aimy is an aimy that ciosses the lanu with only one questioncan we
pass.inuiffeient to the uamage it causes. Whatevei may inspiie hesitations oi
attention must be banisheu within this fiamewoik of mobilization. What slows the
aimy uown is seen only as an obstacle. Anu, inueeu, I see as a majoi challenge this
sense of uigency that the fast tiansfoimation of the Eaith may piouucewe must
stop quibbling, no time foi that, we must act! This appioach seems paiallel to the
uemanu to act in oiuei to be competitive, to contiol maiket shaies, oi to iank oui
institutions. Since the nineteenth centuiy, the sciences have been mobilizeu, have
become "fast" sciences, with ieseaicheis iegaiuing whatevei conceins that uo not
uiiectly contiibute to "the auvancement of knowleuge" as a sinful waste of time.
Now, within the knowleuge economy, fast sciences aie peiceiveu as not fast enough;
they aie making patents anu launching fabulous piomises of technological ievolu-
tions that aie attiactive foi investois but uo not neeu ieliable knowleuge. The apo-
theosis of this paiauigm is geo-engineeiing, the mobilization of technology against
the Eaith. It can also be seen as a buieauciacy ueciuing who ueseives to live, as, foi
example, in Staihawk's science fiction book, !"# J)I0" 65*,#@ !")-(. Slowing uown,
on the othei hanu, is multi-ciittei thinking, caiing foi entanglement, leaining the
ait of paying attention. Anu it is also a mattei of joy, sometimes uoloious joy, but joy
18u
inueeu, when you feel youi thought anu imagination affecteu, put into (e)motion,
attacheu to what was pieviously inuiffeient.
L7c89 Theie seems to be an insistence in youi wiiting to think fiom within the
histoiical piesent, fiom within oui situateuness, oi what Foucault calleuquite
piovocatively at the timethe ")20&,)*5' 5 8,)&,). Bow has this insistence on the
piesent anu on a tempoial immanence influenceu youi concept of an ecology of
piactices. In othei woius, what is the link between time, how we think about time,
anu how time influences thought as a piactice.
:P I unueistanu Foucault's histoiical 5 8,)&,) as a mattei of iesistance: we must
give the piesent the powei to iesist the past. This also means ievitalizing the past,
giving it the powei to escape its classification as pait of the piogiessive histoiy
that leaus to "us." All the chapteis about physics in :&2=&8&')0)*2 weie wiitten fiom
within the histoiical piesent, tuining what is heialueu as the piogiess of physical
science uiscoveiing the laws of natuie into passionate, contingent, amoial ieinven-
tions of physics. I felt the neeu to uo so in oiuei to iesist without ueconstiucting,
without biinging so-calleu "piogiess" back to a monotonous comeuy of illusions.
Resistance was neeueu in this case because of the stiong holu of the pseuuo-ontol-
ogy associateu with physics, with all the implications about "us" being able to eain
the title of the "thinking biain of humanity." But the point was to auuiess this holu
"now," with the question: "Is it possible to uo so without iekinuling the uisastious
science wai." Ny bet was that physicists coulu give up physics as the epitome of
iationality if the auventuious, uemanuing, anu suipiising chaiactei of theii his-
toiy, as I tiy to tell it, came to inteiest them. The concept of piactice is pait of that
challenge. I uo not mean piactice in a geneial way, but in a speculative one; that is,
against the iuea that physics is a piactice like any othei, I tiy to speculate about the
possibility of piactitioneis able to piesent theii piactice as uiveiging, sepaiateu
fiom any geneial attiibute, iiieuucible to othei piactices. Youi question of thought
as piactice is thus a much too geneial one.
8
L7c89 While many of Beleuze's concepts weie quite quickly taken up in aichi-
tectuie uiscouise anu piactice, theie is a ietuin to his woik touay with a much
moie caieful anu measuieu sensibility. A key concept foi piactitioneis touay, anu
we use this teim in the wiuest sense, is that of immanence, which is also impoitant
in youi woik. A seconu teim, which is becoming incieasingly impoitant foi think-
ing thiough the implications of the Anthiopocene thesis (as with Biuno Latoui) is
intensity. Boes intensity figuie in youi thesis on the ecology of piactices. Bo you
agiee with Latoui when he suggests that the new hoiizon of exploiation will be
intensive. Anu, if so, how uoes this ielate back to the concept of immanence.
:P Quickly taken up inueeu! I am one of those foi whom it was a mattei of gieat
unease, even suffeiing, as we coulu only imagine what Beleuze woulu have felt. Foi
him, as you know, concepts coulu ceitainly migiate out of philosophy, but as tools
to be engageu with, anu thus tiansfoimeu by the pioblems they woulu help cieate.
Natteis of Cosmopolitics | A Conveisation with Isabelle Stengeis 181
Anu once this tiansfoimation occuis, they woulu have a new life, that is, a new ne-
cessity of theii own, without iefeience to philosophy. Some concepts fiom Beleuze
I am able to take as tools foi pioblems iathei foieign to him, pioblems conceineu
with uiveigence oi minoiity, oi those of instauiing a plane. Immanence is a concept
I leaineu to think with, but cautiously, as it too easily tuins into a piivilege of philos-
ophy. I take it as a constiaint foi the mannei of uiveigence of philosophy. Intensity,
until now, has not been a tool foi me. I unueistanu it, but using it woulu be like
iaising a Beleuzian bannei. I woulu be giateful to heai the pioblems aichitectuie
faces that iequiie immanence anu intensity, as it woulu be an inteiesting mannei
to appioach theii own piactice. As long as they aie not banneis putting them in
a position of thinking thiough the implications of the Anthiopocene thesis. Anu
nevei foiget that in my town, Biussels, aichitectuie is an insult.
L7c89 In youi wiiting about the cosmopolitical pioposal, as you call it, you sug-
gest that the uiffeience of a cosmopolitical appioach is that piactitioneis must leain
to laugh "not at theoiy, but at the authoiity associateu with |itj."
9
We aie stiuck by
the fact that you use laughtei iathei than anothei emotional oi analytic iesponse,
such as angei. Bowevei, latei on you uesciibe this ielation as a shiug, anu then
in :58)05')20 6&,*#,7, as a ciy, wiiting, "We weie wiong to have laugheu."
1u
What
iole uo these vaiious emotional anu affective iegisteis have in the cosmopolitical
pioposal. What "spell-casting" powei might they have.
:P Theie aie many kinus of laughtei. The fiist one you alluue to is the one I
leaineu thinking anu living with the feminist auventuie, in my twenties. Women
thinking unuei the iubiic of the "peisonal is political" weie laughing (anu ciying)
togethei as they felt the weight of juugments anu of abstiact iueals uissolving away.
The seconu one, a ueiisive one, is much moie common. It was the laughtei shaieu
by people who "know bettei," juuging on theii own teims iueas which weie inueeu
stupiu, but this appioach causeu them to oveilook the obstinate woiking of the
machine which was captuiing anu uismembeiing theii woilu. 0nly Foucault, as we
have leaineu fiom the publisheu Couis uu College ue Fiance, uiu not laugh. Be was
unable to ueal with the theme of his lesson of 1978-79, coming again anu again to
what he hau uiscoveieu the pievious yeai, anu what was to shape the new hoiizon
of "tiuth" in the yeais to cometiuth, the question of which he woulu think with
until the enu of his life.
Noles
0 Isabelle Stengeis, "The Cosmopolitical Pioposal," in M5;)-( !")-(2 ?+H')*. /0=&28"#,#2 &I
W#=&*,5*7, eu. Biuno Latoui anu Petei Weibel (Cambiiuge, Nass.: NIT Piess, 2uuS), 999.
H uilles Beleuze, Neqotiotions: 1972-1990, tians. Naitin }oughin (New Yoik: Columbia
0niveisity Piess, 199S), 126-127.
5 Staihawk, !,+0" &, W5,# (San Fiancisco: BaipeiSanFiancisco, 199u), Su-S1.
N See Bonna Baiaway, "Cosmopolitical Ciitteis, SF, anu Nultispecies Nuuules," (papei pie-
senteu at the Colloque ue Ceiisy, Fiance, S }uly, 2u1S); anu Naiilyn Stiathein "Taking Caie
182
of a Concept: Anthiopological Reflections on the Assisteu Society," (papei piesenteu at the
0niveisity of Cambiiuge, 1S Novembei, 2u12).
? See, foi instance, e-jlux #46 (}une2u1S) on the theme of acceleiationist aesthetics.
Y Foi a fuithei elaboiation of Stengeis' position in ielation to science fiction, see "La science
fiction comme exeicice speculative," Naich 1S, 2u1S, http:www.eig.beeig.lang=fi.
O viiginia Woolf, !",## %+)-#52 (New Yoik: Baicouit, Biace anu Company, 19S8), 16u.
Z Foi a fuithei elaboiation of Stengeis' concept of an ecology of piactices, see "Intiouuctoiy
Notes on an Ecology of Piactices," :+'0+,5' 60+@)#2 L#A)#4 11, no. 1 (Naich 2uuS):
18S-196.
K Stengeis, "The Cosmopolitical Pioposal."
0^ Isabelle Stengei anu Philippe Pignaiie, :58)05')20 6&,*#,7. E,#5;)-( 0"# 68#'', tians. anu
eu. Anuiew uoffey (Basingstoke anu New Yoik: Palgiave NacNillan, 2u11), 4.
:, $+* SF",&%* .A 7#/."#*,$&$#.,
by 0uy Zinnernon
9"&-#% 7"&)& &,4 $+* U#$F"-#%&' S."%* .A @*$&'
!"# 4"&'# =&+-05)-&+2 4&,'@ 588#5,#@ 0& =# ');#
5- #-&,=&+2 0"#50,#S
- Robeit Walsei, "A Little Ramble" (1914)
Two iecent explosions, Fukushima anu Facebook, unueiscoie the ielevance of
metalluigy to oui histoiical moment. While Fukushima is analytical, baseu on the
act of splitting> Facebook is connective, an emeigent social meuia that has aiisen
fiom a vast meshwoik of electionic inteiconnectivity laiu uown ovei the pieceuing
uecaues anu centuiies. Infuseu with the paiauoxes of subjectivity, we can nevei-
theless inteipiet Fukushima as metalluigy taking the foim of toxic opponent, while
Facebookas an emeigent expiession of metal-baseu electionicsis metalluigy
taking foim as cuiative savioui (albeit in a moue of iionic tiivialization). Togethei,
these two uevelopments suppoit the "asseitoiic" natuie of the mouein subject as
an entity constituteu in language anu uepenuent on piovisional acts of iepetitive
self-ueclaiation, as opposeu to a soliu anu impeimeable "apoueictic" entity.
1
In
what follows, I examine some links between the asseitoiic quality of metal-as-sub-
ject anu the "phaimacological" capacitiesi.e. acting as both poison anu cuieof
A. Ramage anu P. Ciauuock, b)-( :,&#2+2 %&'@> Aichaeological Exploiation of Saiuis Nonogiaph 11
(Cambiiuge, Nass.: 2uuu), Fig. 4.28
Fig. u1
184
the stage; I then consiuei the ioots of fuinace metalluigy in ancient Canaan as a
way to gauge the potential of a contempoiaiy metalluigical image of thought.
This inquiiy begins with
the spatial aspect of the
tiagic stage, anu how
its capacity to actualize
the viitual inheiently
unueimines the claims of
what might be calleu the
"apoueictic," oi logically
ceitain, subject. We can
use uioigio Agamben's uis-
cussion of what the Fiench
linguist Emile Benveniste
calls "shifteis" to see how
the on-stage space is the
space of "I, heie anu now,"
out of which this asseitoiic subject is constituteu in the moment of uiscouise oi
peifoimance. The natuie of the "off-stage" is ciucial to oui analysis because it links
the ait foim to metalluigical effects that, uespite ancient ioots, aie peihaps only
now becoming cleai. By the off-stage I mean that uiegetic woilu of a play we uo not
see anu, by uefinition, can -#A#, see piecisely because it is the woilu existing in the
wings, conjuieu by the text anu the peifoimances, but nevei iepiesenteu uiiectly
on stage.
2
This off-stage is analogous to the unconscious in that, if you walk up
anu look into the wings, you still won't see "it."
S
}ust as we only come to know the
unconscious minu by obseiving the ways it alteis the behaviouis we *5- obseive,
we only know about the off-stage of a play by the shaping foice it exeits on events
uepicteu on-stage. It is in the foice this off-stage exeits on the space of the stage,
anu then, seconuaiily, on the expeiience of the auuience, that we can locate the
metalluigical effects of tiagic uiama.
The best way to giasp the opeiative iole of the off-stage is thiough a Beleuzian
lens by which it may be seen as a viitual zone that is intensively uiffeient fiom
the ielational space in which the peifoimance unfolus onstage. Immeuiately, we
iealize that both off-stage anu on-stage spaces aie 5'2& uiffeient intensively fiom
the "actual" space inhabiteu by the auuience. Foi Beleuze, intensive uiffeiences
uiive piocesses; similaily, the nesteu aiiangement of these thiee intensive spaces
can be vieweu as the uiivei of the cultuial piocess we call "peifoimance," "theatie,"
oi, in this case, "tiagic uiama." Classically, the puipose of the tiagic spectacle is to
amplify intensive suffeiing towaiu an affective thiesholu in which the iecuisive
opeiations of the self aie biought to a tempoiaiy halt. Impoitantly, howevei, oui
attention is then uiawn to an unueilying ,#'50)&-5' capacity that is being actualizeu,
thiough the action of the tiageuy, towaiu a iauical tiansfoimation. This "halting of
iecuisive opeiations" is aiguably a non-Aiistotelian way to view *50"5,2)2; at least,
Fig. u2 Aichaeoloical Reseaich at Aphiouisias in Caiia, 1994. R.R.R. Smith,
Chiisophei Ratte, Americon }ournol of Arcbeoloqy, 1uu, no. 1
(}anuaiy 1996), Fig. 2S
In the Fuinace of Bisoiientation | uuy Zimmeiman 18S
such an opeiation suggests a uiastic complication of Aiistotle's view of cathaisis as
a puiification oi cleansing.
Napping out a Beleuzian taxonomy of the stage, then, the thiee uiffeiential spaces
of theatie can be ieau as the A),0+5' off-stage, the ,#'50)&-5' on-stage, anu the 5*0+5'
auuience.
4
The zone of the ielational is connecteu to the zone of the actual thiough
the auuience's expeiience of what is peifoimeu on stage. Entiances fiom, exits to,
anu iepoits about the off-stage, meanwhile, connect the woilu of the viitual to the
ielational anu, again, by way of these appeaiances on-stage, to the actual expeiience
of the auuience. The thiee zones cieate a ciicuit that can have tiagic oi comeuic
effects, uepenuing on ceitain paiticulais, the uivision of the stage space into thiee
intensive zones echoing the basic aiiangement of the metalluigical fuinace:
0ie Fuinace Netal
0ff-stage Stage Auuience
viitual Relational Actual
In technical teims, the Bionysian capacity of tiagic uiama is 5*0+5')C#@ by this
tiipaitite system of intensive uiffeiences, involving the auuience in a tiansfoima-
tive piocess. The uynamic plays out in classical tiageuies in the uissolution of the
piotagonist's ieifieu iuentity as a social anu psychological being oi, once again, as
an "apoueictic subject." 0n-stage, this entity iegisteis as a ,#2)205-*# to uisjunction
anu asseitoiicity, a tyiannical insistence on the ceitainty that I-am-this-iathei-
than-(all)-that. "I am King," insists 0euipus, oi Leai, anu then the foices of the
uiffeiential off-stage begin theii inexoiable 285,5(=&2 via the tiajectoiy of the plot.
Puisuing similai objectives, uiamatists fiom Aeschylus to Beckett anu beyonu
aiiange these thiee zones in uiffeient ways. Aeschylus puts the suffeiing 8"5,G
=5;&2 in the off-stage, the viitual space beyonu the uoois of the palace wheie
Agamemnon (anu, latei, Clytemnestia) is killeu.
S
The soveieign muiueieu off-stage
cieates a poweiful intensive affect, uiawing a @)2U+-*0)A# #-#,(7 towaiu us fiom out
of that iauically uiffeiential space. In !"# E5**"5#, Euiipiues peisonifieu this uis-
junctive eneigy, iepiesenting it uiiectly on-stage by making Bionysus a "ielational"
chaiactei (who is this "0iiental upstait".), iathei than an off-stage viitual foice.
With Shakespeaie's gieat cycle of tiageuies we see uieenblattian self-fashioning as
an asseitoiic piocess of self-impiovisation fuelleu by the "monstious uouble" of the
newly minteu English language as it peifoims itself in the empty, ielational space of
the stage.
6
Beckett, in tuin, eneigizes Bionysus in the auuience. In Beckett, as -&0"G
)-( 50 5'' happens off-stage; the stage of <-@(5=# is suspenueu in the iionic voiu
uesciibeu by Clov at his winuow. In Beckett's theatie, theie is a vacuum in the wings,
unueiscoiing the autocatalytic aspect of peifoimative appeaiancethe absuiuity
emphasizes the asseitoiic aspect of the theatiical spectacleanu tiageuy becomes
a way of investigating anu embouying this piocess in public view. Wheieas the aim
of uieek tiageuy is to intensify the off-stage to uiaw something molten towaiu us,
Beckett ieveises this piocesswe aie intensifieu to uiaw something out of us into
the off-stageto ie-animate a ueau space, a woilu that has been uiaineu of life.
186
Beckett uoes this by intensifying heuiistic piessuie, heating us thiough iionic apo-
iia. The iiuule is poseu to +2 iathei than to the chaiacteis, who unueistanu what
we uo not, but whose self-knowleuge is so infuseu with phaimacological iiony it
cannot help them.
It is impoitant to iemembei that with tiagic uiama we aie uealing always with the
8"5,=5;&2, the figuie in fifth-centuiy Athens who has been, in Ren uiiaiu's woius,
"maintaineu by the city at its own expense anu slaughteieu at the appointeu festi-
vals as human saciifice,"
7
to cleanse the polis of this poison that is also a cuie. uiiaiu
goes on to auuiess how the 8"5,=5;&2 ielates to the teim "phaimakon," which
plays such a cential iole in Beiiiua's ciitique of Plato, wiiting that "the Platonic
8"5,=5;&- functions like the human phaimakos anu leaus to similai iesults.All
uiffeience in uoctiines anu attituues is uissolveu in violent iecipiocity."
8
Accoiuing
to Stephen Baikei, Beiiiua (anu, in a uiffeient way, also Beleuze) attempteu to
"ie-think the 8"5,=5;&-" to emphasize the slippeiy aspects of phenomenon that
iesists stable signification anu theiefoie uisiupts the opeiation of tianscenuent bi-
naiies.
9
This slippeiy quality is embouieu in the ueity figuie associateu with tiagic
uiama: Bionysus. Fiom the stait, the aim of tiagic uiama was the ielease of a new
type of consciousnessthe tiagic iecognition of uiffeience's piimacyboth foi the
piotagonist on stage anu, via mimetic ciicuitiy, foi the auuience as well.
A case can be maue that both Plato anu Aiistotle attempteu to put this cat back
in the bag, so to speak, if the "cat" is heie unueistoou to be the phaimacological
eneigy ieleaseu by the gieat tiageuies of the pievious centuiy uuiing the height
of Athenian powei. It is not iepiesentation that Plato feaieu, but iathei what iep-
iesentation biings with it: the empty fiame, the stage, the "unnamable" opposite
of the binaiy of iepiesentation, its shauow, the mobile element, the 8"5,=5;&-.
Because such stagings ietuineu wiitten texts to piesence via peifoimance, theatie
can be vieweu as Plato's gieat iival; in Beiiiuean teims, tiagic uiama is a 8"5,=5G
;&--machine, an appaiatus foi the activation of simulacia, mobile elements, agents
of giounulessness, cuiative poisons, jokeis-in-the-ueck.
The means by which tiagic uiama ieleases these phaimacological eneigies ie-
quiies fuithei illumination. As a metalluigical piactice, the stage opeiates as a kinu
of fuinace in which the iaw oie of the piotagonist is heateu by the mechanisms
of the plot anu the bieath of the auuience ovei the couise of the uiama, finally ie-
leasing the biight, puie flow of phaimacological ,#*&(-)0)&-that is, of anamnesis,
oi +-I&,(#00)-(. Tiageuy uemanus that a thiesholu be ciosseu. Intensive giauients
in the "oie" give way anu the metal flows out in a uiffeiential floou of cathaitic
awaieness, the scapegoat's iecognition of his oi hei asseitoiic natuie. Fuinace anu
stage aie thus moiphogenetic spaces in which such viitual anu ,#'50)&-5' capacities
aie actualizeu thiough the ielease of uiffeiential giauients. Impoitantly, the capac-
ity of the tiagic heio to suffei ielates to the capacity of auuiences to be moveu by
that suffeiing; oui capacities foi tiagic iecognition aie inteiwoven anu also extenu
beyonu the bounuaiies of the theatie.
In the Fuinace of Bisoiientation | uuy Zimmeiman 187
The inteipietive fiamewoik outlineu above helps explain the impoitance of the
iecent woik of Isiaeli aichaeologist Nissim Amzallag, who links the emeigence
of coppei smelting with the genesis of the ueity Bionysus. Noie intiiguing still,
Amzallag goes on to position the gou of the Canaanite smelteis, Yahweh, also
known in late antiquity as Io oi Iao
1u
"the gou of magicians anu soiceieis"as
a homologue of Bionysus.
11
uiven the tiajectoiy of }uueo-Chiistian theology, it is
suipiising to locate eviuence, contioveisial though it may be, of a common ioot
between these two ciucial ueity figuies. We see heie the beginning of the con-
test between tiagic uiama anu philosophy chionicleu by Nietzsche, between a
A. Ramage anu P. Ciauuock, b)-( :,&#2+2 %&'@ Aichaeological, Exploiation of Saiuis Nonogiaph 11
(Cambiiuge, Nass.: 2uuu), Fig. 1u. 1
Fig. uS
188
}uueo-Chiistian iuentification of the ueity with "tiuth" oi logos on the one hanu
anu, on the othei, an expiession of the kinu of asseitoiic, Bionysian uesiie. That
these two ueities have a common ioot, in tuin, might help us unueistanu metallui-
gy's conspicuous iole in the piocesses of inuustiial mineialization of the planet: the
Anthiopocene.
In Amzallag's account, coppei fiist announceu itself via puie uepos-
its that coulu be chippeu off anu laboiiously shapeu thiough colu- anu
heat-hammeiing. Latei, aiounu Suuu BCE, somewheie neai the city of Seii in
Canaan,
12
some inuiviuual oi gioup happeneu upon the fiist pioto-inuustiial
piocess foi heating iaw oie to ielease a biight snake of puie coppei. With
this piocess, the enuuiing human ielationship with metal ciosseu a ciucial
thiesholu. In an analysis iich in implications foi the tiagic stage, Amzallag
iuentifies this as the moment when his two ciucial ueities aie boin. It is
eviuently an auspicious
alchemical momentthe
ielease of a puie substance
fiom a basei one; inteiest-
ingly, the uevelopment of
alchemy woulu unfolu in
the Inuian subcontinent
unuei the influence of a
thiiu uivine homologue:
Shiva.
1S
The foige ieveals
oie (mattei) to be an
aiiangement of intensive
giauients, an ovum that
gives biith to metal; the
stage, likewise, ieveals a
peison to be piegnant with
iecognitions. Bionysus-
Yahweh is the ueity who makes men gou-like via 0#*"-#, iathei than simply ueploy-
ing uivine poweis on theii behalf; tiagic uiama is positioneu astiiue the peimeable
bounuaiy that sepaiates the physical fiom the metaphysical. The uual natuie of the
gou-human of metalluigy points towaiu a uiffeiential, uisjunctive natuie in keeping
with the tiagic off-stage; an especially tiansfoimative moue of woishipping this
ueity is the uisjunctive peifoimance of tiagic uiama.
14
With the biith of metalluigy, the set of new capacities now auoining human sub-
jectivity incluueu the miiioiing piopeities of buinisheu coppeithe miiioi that
is also a weapon anu a cuiiency of exchangecapacities that have been actualizeu
ovei the succeeuing millennia anu continue into the piesent. But the cultuial
impact of ciossing this thiesholu cut much ueepei, anu with gieatei seveiity. 0ne
is left to imagine those eaily smelteis woiking to explain to each othei what was
happening thiough theii expeiimental metalluigical technologies on both affective
Fig. u4 Aichaeoloical Reseaich at Aphiouisias in Caiia, 1994. R. R. R. Smith,
Chiistophei Ratte, Americo }ournol of Arcbeoloqy, vol. 1uu, No. 1
(}an., 1996), Fig. 2S
In the Fuinace of Bisoiientation | uuy Zimmeiman 189
anu cognitive levels, leauing to the invention of incommensuiable ueities. With
metalluigy, the mateiial cieateu by the man-gou is associateu with a tiansitive
element; it is as if metal weie the vowel concealeu within the consonant of oie,
the vowel that in Bebiew cannot be uepicteu because it caiiies the uivine spiiit, oi
like the bieath that inspiiits the bouy, which in tuin conceals it. "Bionysus," wiite
}ean-Pieiie veinant anu Pieiie viual-Naquet, "is a gou whose elusive countenance,
though close at hanu, leaus his uevotees along the paths of otheiness, opening up
the way to a type of ieligious expeiience that is viitually unique in paganism, iaui-
cal self-uisoiientation."
1S
veinant anu viual-Naquet aie paiticulaily eloquent when
uesciibing the alteiity of this ueity:
What the vision of Bionysus uoes is exploue fiom within anu shattei the
"positivist" vision that claims to be the only valiu one, in which eveiy being
has a paiticulai foim, a uefinite place, anu a paiticulai essence in a fixeu
woilu that ensuies each his own iuentity that will encompass him foievei,
the same anu unchanging. To see Bionysus, it is necessaiy to entei a uiffeient
woilu wheie it is the "othei," not the same, that ieigns.
16
Necessaiily, to woiship oi celebiate the uisjunctive "self-uisoiientation" uesciibeu
above, humans neeueu an ait foim commensuiate with a uiffeient kinu of gou, a
gou who woulu be an 0thei within the pantheonBionysus. The ait foim of tiagic
uiama aiose in iesponse to this cultuial necessity.
To woiship a ueity like Bionysus is to embiace contiauiction. To ieify Bionysus on
the one hanu, oi to view him as puie becoming on the othei, aie both uistoitions in
which the ueity is seen only paitially. This incommensuiability is why we encoun-
tei, in both Yahweh anu Bionysus, iauical, oxymoionic uemanus foi an #-*&@#@
=+2)*5')07, a *5,-5' @5-*#, the concrete jluiJity of the seipent, a 2#=)&'&(7 &I H,#50"
entiappeu in woius, a *+,,#-*7 &I =#05', an )0)-#,5-0 =#5-2 &I #-0,#-*"=#-0, a 8&)G
2&- 0"50 )2 5'2& 5 *+,#, the =5-G(&@ who is tianscenuently immanent, anu a @#'),)+=
&I *'5,)07,
17
of the kinu exploieu so iesonantly centuiies latei by Antonin Aitauu.
Yahweh-Bionysus aiose to explain the #D8#,)#-0)5' capacity of mattei, what Beleuze
anu uuattaii woulu iuentify as its moiphogenetic piopeities, anu what Whiteheau,
in Steven Shaviio's ieauing, woulu link to mateiial "occasions" in theii continuous
self-piehension.
18
To give this figuie conciete mateiial foim is alieauy a ueeply
paiauoxical anu tiansfoimative act; woishipping this kinu of ueity entails enteiing
a uouble binu, an inteinal 285,5(=&2.
If 285,5(=&2 is the appiopiiate foim of woiship foi a ueity embouying the oth-
einess that is latent in all iuentity, what foimothei than an oigiastic teaiing of
fleshmight this cataclysmic uisjunction take. uiven the "monstiosity" anu "iau-
ical otheiness" of language, ')0#,5,7 foim suggests itself heie.
19
But, even moie so,
this uisjunction finus its cleaiest expiession in 0"#50,)*5' foim. Agamben's iecent
woik on the 8#,I&,=50)A# foice of language, anu its lituigical anu saciamental as-
pects, suggests heie a contiguity between the liteiaiy anu the theatiical as well.
2u

19u
Suiveying both Beleuze anu uuattaii's thought
anu Emile Benveniste's woik in linguistics,
Agamben focuses his inquiiy on the illocution-
aiy foice of a set of "shifteis"specifically the
teims "I," "heie," anu "now"whose meaning
uepenus entiiely on wheie anu when they
aie spoken. These pioximally uemonstia-
tive teims aie paiticulaily stiiking because
they aie also the uegiee zeio utteiances of
the stage. In this iegaiu, it is inteiesting to
consiuei how Bionysus, as the ueity of the
9G"#,#G-&4, constitutes the focal point foi a
celebiation of the asseitoiic subject, thus uif-
fiacting the celebiatoiy woiship into multiple
foci. Conveisely, this 9G"#,#G-&4 of asseitoiic
subjectivity can be vieweu as an asseition
paiauoxically available to all agentsin othei
woius, puie uiffeience. The cathaitic moment
of tiagic uiama completes the affective ciicuit
so that the illocutionaiy foice of this spaiagmatic 9G"#,#G-&4 can be ielayeu to the
auuience. It is in oui ielationship to these teims that we suuuenly finu ouiselves
iuentical to each othei in an uncanny anu unsettling way; this, in fact, is the basis
foi the mimetic effects uiiaiu views as a peiennial souice of violence that humans
have leaineu to keep at bay thiough the saciificial oi phaimacological mechanisms
of cultuie.
21
Foi Agamben, the "shifteis" uesciibeu above caiiy the "lituigical foice" of commanu-
ment by which the subject is constituteu, a foice that the uiffeient appaiatuses of
cultuielaw, ieligion, the vaiious aitsoiganize anu ueploy in the seivice of theii
paiticulai puiposes. These non-lexical shifteis aie also legible as the subject-consti-
tuting signs puie metal seeks to embouy when it emeiges "asseitoiically" fiom oie
in fluiu foim, the eviuence of a poetic anu a lituigical foice within the mateiial itself.
The metal "peifoims" its emeigence, the flow suggesting a subjectivity concealeu
in mateiial. To make this uisjunctive emeigence intelligible in a foim that can be
celebiateu, it hau to be given a name: Bionysus. Anu with Bionysus, a fuinace of uis-
oiientation, we locate a moue of subjectivity (e.g. 0euipus) that asseits itself within
the intensive ciicuits of the stage in the moment of tiagic uisjunction. We see how
the tiagic spectacle is uesigneu to ielocate this asseitoiic "I," anu all its ielational
capacity, in the viitual space of the off-stage, floouing the "actual" auuience with
a Bionysian expeiience of "heie anu now." The 8"5,=5;&2 can be seen as vehicle
foi this piocess, his oi hei uisaiticulation conveying uiffeiential eneigies fiom the
off-stage acioss the thiesholu to ieach the actual auuience. The tiagic spectacle is
uesigneu to iestoie, amplify, anu biing into the open the contagious, asseitoiic flu-
iuity of the non-apophantic "shifteis" linkeu to Bionysusnon-lexical signs whose
meaning uepenus on the pioximal uemonstiation of uiscouise itself.
Fig. uS u. N. A. Banfmann, 65,@)2 I,&= ?,#")20&,)* 0&
L&=5- !)=#2 (Cambiiuge Nass., 198S), fig.
SS (ieconstiuction)
In the Fuinace of Bisoiientation | uuy Zimmeiman 191
What is cleai, finally, is that a mouein foim of subjectivityfunuamentally uiviueu
against itself in a uynamic, intensive waywas co-piouuceu with ancient fuinace
metalluigy; in fact, both uieek tiageuy anu the Platonic anu Aiistotelian ieactions
to its Bionysian qualities maik impoitant stages in the slow but steauy iise of
this moue of subjectivity towaiu its cultuial hegemony. While expiessions of the
fuinace continue to mouulate the ongoing emeigence of the human species, anu
amplify oui ie-making of the planet anu its geology, metalluigy has also thoioughly
conuitioneu oui innei lives. Thiough human agents, metal has long been thinking
its own capacitiesfoi tensile stiength anu electiical conuuction, foi shaipness
in weaponiy anu tools, foi expiessive use in ciafts anu aits, etc.into actuality.
In the piesent, oui woilu is uefineu by the continuous flow of infoimation along
metallic ciicuits that supplement anu, incieasingly, obviate human thought. Anu
while metal continues to actualize its mateiial capacities by uiiving the human
will to aitifice, we shoulu also beai in minu the tiagic lessons of both fuinace anu
stage: to allow the uisoiienting ieality of the viitual to be maue intelligible, we may
iequiie new cultuial piactices, naiiatives, anu iitualsan enoimous, planetaiy
theatieto sustain the intensity of oui collective expeiiences of alteiity, violence,
anu tiansfoimation.
Noles
0 uioigio Agamben, /-)=5'> M5-> O5-(+5(#, Euiopean uiauuate School, 2uu1, http:www.
youtube.comwatch.v=KNvvvslT08s.
H Nichael Issachaioff, W)2*&+,2# 52 ?#,I&,=5-*# (Stanfoiu: Stanfoiu 0niveisity Piess, 1989),
S8.
5 I owe this insight to the playwiight }ohn Steppling, with whom I have fiequently collabo-
iateu as playwiight anu uiiectoi.
N The basic aiiangement of the thiee intensive spaces involveu in theatiical woik con-
spicuously echoes Beleuze's account of how capacities aie actualizeu out of the viitual.
0nlike piopeities, capacities aie limitless anu unbounueu, theii actualization entails a
ielational coupling. Accoiuing to the Beleuzian philosophei of science Nanuel Be Lanua,
the teim "affect" in Beleuze anu uuattaii is always shoithanu foi "capacity to affect anu be
affecteu." Capacities aie thus ielateu to the viitual. Piopeities, by contiast, aie ceitain anu
"apoueictic" in natuiethey can be exhaustively listeu anu aie not in any ciucial way ie-
lational. Foi a fuithei explanation of these uistinctions, see Nanuel Be Lanua, ?")'&2&8"7
5-@ 6)=+'50)&-. !"# <=#,(#-*# &I 67-0"#0)* L#52&- (Lonuon anu New Yoik: Continuum,
2u11).
? Baviu Wiles, !,5(#@7 )- /0"#-2. ?#,I&,=5-*# 685*# 5-@ !"#50,)*5' M#5-)-g (Cambiiuge:
Cambiiuge 0niveisity Piess, 1997), S8.
Y Stephen uieenblatt, L#-5)225-*# 6#'IGJ52")&-)-(. J,&= M&,# 0& 6"5;#28#5,# (Chicago:
0niveisity of Chicago Piess, 198u), 24S.
O Ren uiiaiu, N)&'#-*# 5-@ 0"# 65*,#@ (Baltimoie: }ohns Bopkins Piess, 1977), 9.
Z Ibiu., 296.
K Stephen Baikei's comment was ueliveieu uiiectly on an eailiei uiaft of this essay piesent-
eu at 0niveisity of Califoinia, Iivine, on 2 Apiil 2u12.
192
0^ }ean-Pieiie veinant anu Pieiie viual-Naquet, M70" 5-@ !,5(#@7 )- /-*)#-0 %,##*#> tians.
}anet Lloyu (New Yoik: Zone Books, 1988), S89.
00 Nissim Amzallag, "Was Yahweh Woishippeu in the Aegean." }ournol for tbe StuJy of tbe
Q'@ !#205=#-0 SS, no. 4 (2u11): 4u4.
0H Ibiu.
05 Baviu uoiuon White, !"# /'*"#=)*5' E&@7. 6)@@"5 !,5@)0)&-2 )- M#@)#A5' 9-@)5 (Chicago:
0niveisity of Chicago, 1996), S4.
0N Amzallag, "Was Yahweh Woishippeu in the Aegean.", 4u4.
0? veinant anu viual-Naquet, M70" 5-@ !,5(#@7 )- /-*)#-0 %,##*#> 182.
0Y Ibiu., S94.
0O Amzallag, "Was Yahweh Woishippeu in the Aegean.", S91-S97.
0Z Steven Shaviio, B)0"&+0 :,)0#,)5. b5-0> B")0#"#5@> W#'#+C# 5-@ /#20"#0)*2 (Cambiiuge,
Nass: NIT Piess, 2uu9), 28.
0K }ulia Kiisteva, ?&4#,2 &I K&,,&,. /- <2257 &- /HU#*0)&-, tians. Leon S. Rouuiez (New Yoik:
Columbia 0niveisity Piess, 1982), 11.
H^ uioigio Agamben, "Animal, Nan, anu Language," http:www.egs.euufacultygioigio-
agambenviueosanimal-man-anu-language.
H0 uiiaiu, N)&'#-*# 5-@ 0"# 65*,#@, 147.
9&" !"**2 PFG*"-"#4 `H^0Ha
lny Norris ond Clinlon Longevin lCoploins of nduslryI
9&" !"**2 PFG*"-"#4 `H^0Ha
lny Norris ond Clinlon Longevin lCoploins of nduslryI
Mixed Medio
PUBLIC LEVEL
WATER TREATMENT/TOURIST CENTRE + VERTICAL CIRCULATION
WASTE ROCK PILES
TAR CREEK
VERTICAL CIRCULATION
PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT BEAMS
COLUMNS
PEDESTRIAN TRANSIT ONLY BEAMS
HOUSING PODS
194
The histoiy of Pichei, 0klahoma begins anu enus with the Tai Cieek leau
anu zinc mines. 0peiational foi neaily 8u yeais, the aiea's mines pioviueu
ovei 4S pei cent of the leau anu Su pei cent of the zinc consumeu by the
0.S. uuiing Woilu Wai 0ne.
1
The by-piouucts of this intense opeiation
tiansfoimeu the local piaiiie geogiaphy, cieating uozens of waste iock
heaps, known as "chat piles," with some extenuing ovei Sum in height. In the
197us, the uiscontinuation of the pumps iequiieu to cleai watei fiom the
unueigiounu shafts leu to the giauual accumulation anu eventual oveiflow
of watei at the suiface, caiiying with it leau, zinc, caumium, anu aisenic.
2
The mines that cieateu Pichei ultimately leu to its uownfall. Although billions
of uollais woith of oie was extiacteu fiom the Tai Cieek aiea, the money
available to clean up the enviionmental fallout fiom mining activitiesin
the foim of the Compiehensive Enviionmental Response, Compensation,
anu Liability Act of 198u (commonly known as the Supeifunu)is extieme-
ly limiteu, especially when compaieu to the scale of the mine's impact on
Tai Cieek Supeigiiu | Amy Noiiis anu Clinton Langevin 19S
the local enviionment. Lacking the funus to substantially iemeuiate the site,
the majoiity of available Supeifunu money has been spent on ielocating the
iemaining inhabitants of the aiea.
S
The !5, :,##; 6+8#,(,)@ emeigeu fiom oui pioposition that lanuscapes
uistuibeu by human inuustiy, such as abanuoneu mines, coulu become fion-
tieis foi human settlement anu innovation. Solai eneigy geneiation, as pait
of a pioposeu national giiu of clean eneigy ieseaich anu uevelopment hubs,
is intiouuceu as a financial catalyst foi the site, but with a twist: the auuition
of a stiuctuie that iaises the solai eneigy infiastiuctuie off the giounu, cie-
ating an oppoitunity to host othei activities on the site while tieauing lightly
on a lanuscape in iepaii. In auuition to pioviuing an aimatuie foi eneigy
geneiation, the conciete stiuctuie, pie-fabiicateu using waste iock mateiial
fiom the site, also acts as a conuuit to caiiy watei, eneigy, anu waste to anu
fiom inhabiteu aieas of the site.
196
The iesult is a thiee-tieieu plan. The uppeimost level is uevoteu to solai
eneigy uevelopment anu piouuction: testing the latest technology anu
piouucing a suiplus of eneigy foi the site anu its suiiounuings. This layei is
also the staiting point foi watei management on the site, wheie iainwatei
is collecteu anu flows to one of seveial tieatment plants aiounu the iauial
giiu. The miuule level is the place of uwelling anu ciiculation. As the neeu foi
space giows, beams aie auueu to cieate an inhabitable layei: the beams act
as a peuestiian anu cycling ciiculation system, but also the infiastiuctuie foi
uwelling anu automateu tiansit. Finally, the giounu plane becomes a laboia-
toiy foi bioiemeuiation of both the soil anu watei systems. A combination of
active anu passive tieatment systems foi both the waste watei fiom the site
anu the mine uiainage aie coupleu with a connecteu system of boaiuwalks
to allow inhabitants anu visitois to expeiience both the inuustiial inheii-
tance of the site anu the ieneweu hope foi its futuie.
Noles
0 Tii-State Leau anu Zinc Bistiict," 0klahoma Bistoiical Society, http:uigital.libiaiy.ok-
state.euuencyclopeuiaentiiesTTRu14.html.
H "Tai Cieek - 0ttawa County, 0klahoma," 0niteu States Enviionmental Piotection Agency,
http:www.epa.goviegion66sfoklahomatai_cieekinuex.htm#infob.
5 Ibiu.
@&$$*"/ .A S&CF'&$#.,
Fronois Roche in Conversolion wilh Flienne Turpin
B, $+* !.,/$"F%$#., .A I*&'#$#*/ #, $+*
1,$+".G.%*,*
As the piincipal of New-Teiiitoiies, R&Sie(n), anu |eIfbotcj, Fianois
Roche is baseu mainly in Bangkok, sometimes in Paiis, anu uuiing the Fall,
in New Yoik, foi a ieseaich stuuio at the uiauuate School of Aichitectuie,
Pieseivation anu Planning, Columbia 0niveisity. Thiough these uiffeient
stiuctuies, his aichitectuial woiks anu piotocols seek to aiticulate both the
ieal anu the fictional, geogiaphic situations, anu the naiiative stiuctuies
that can tiansfoim them. Be was boin in Paiis in 1961, anu fiist tiaineu as a
mathematician, latei giauuating fiom the School of Aichitectuie of veisailles
in 1987. In 1989, with Fiench aichitects Stephanie Lavaux anu }ean Navaiio,
he founueu R&Sie(n) aichitectuie stuuio, which uevelopeu a iange of woik
expeiimenting with technological mutations, teiiitoiial tiansfoimations,
anu uistoiteu appiopiiations of natuie. Bis woik with New-Teiiitoiies,
R&Sie(n), anu |eIfbotcj has been exhibiteu wiuely at institutions anu gal-
leiies aiounu the woilu, anu he has helu visiting piofessoiships at a numbei
of univeisities, incluuing, most iecently, the Baitlett School in Lonuon, T0
vienna, ESARQ (Baicelona), ESA (Paiis), the 0niveisity of Pennsylvania
in Philauelphia, Angewanute (vienna), anu 0SC-Los Angeles, in auuition
to Columbia 0niveisity's uSAPP eveiy Fall since 2uu6. In Nay 2u1S, I met
Fianois in Bangkok's contioveisial Pata Zooan aging, iooftop animal
piison oveilooking the city's Bang Phlat Bistiict fiom the sixth anu seventh
floois of the Pata Bepaitment Stoiewheie he was consiueiing the possibil-
ity of a new uesign commission within the space that woulu ie-locate human
visitois moie conspicuously within the confines of the zoo's enclosuie. What
follows is an euiteu tiansciipt of oui conveisation.

8$#*,,* 9F"G#, We aie tiying to consiuei peispectives on aichitectuie fiom
outsiue of the uominant concept of natuie (as opposeu to cultuie) in ielation to the
Anthiopocene.
S"&,f.#/ I.%+* Bow is the Anthiopocene thesis ielateu to the concept of uaa.
89 The aigument is basically that the aggiegate effect of human beings on the
planet has ieacheu a geological piopoition. We believe this challenges many aichi-
tects' concepts of natuie.
198
SI But we aie not completely in contiol of what is happening. Bumans aie agents;
sometimes humans aie slave agents, sometimes swaim agents, oi even intelligent
agents. This is also the concept of uaa.
89 The Anthiopocene thesis unueimines any meaningful epistemological uistinc-
tion between human beings anu natuie, oi cultuie anu natuie. Biuno Latoui has
iecently biought the concept of uaa into a uialogue, thiough his own thinking on
political theology, with the Anthiopocene thesis as well. Isabelle Stengeis has also
useu the concept of uaa to challenge the Anthiopocene thesis.
1
The piojects that
you have uone, anu the paiticulai alchemical position you take thiough youi woik,
as well as the evocation of biotopes in some of youi uesign piojects, all suggest a
ceitain chaiacteiization of natuie.
SI It staiteu veiy naively, simply by taking a weak position in the 198us. We
wanteu to uevelop a weak position as an attempt to avoiu uominating the situation.
We began with a kinu of *&-0#D0+5')2=I know that the iuea of context has been
veiy bauly useu by aichitects foi the past 2u yeaisbut a contextualism in teims
of the biotope. The biotope is pie-existing, befoie we mouify it, using the mateiial
substances of the biotope to be the vectois of theii own tiansfoimation, the agents
of theii own tiansfoimation. So we stait with psychasthenia, if you know Rogei
Caillois's appioach to psychasthenia, wheie the biotope can cieate its own oina-
mentation, becoming a flowei, oi a builuing, thiough an extia-vitalism that uiiectly
extiacts potential fiom its situation. But we ieacheu a ceitain ambiguity, oi kinu of
a tiouble, which, in the last 1u yeais, staiteu to question how the position we weie
using -&0 to uominate the situation was becoming a position of uominationnot in
teims of aesthetics, but intellectually.
89 It was a kinu of back-uooi uomination.
SI Weakness, as a position, became its own intellectual position anu a statement
on its own. This statement of weakness quickly became a vectoi of pietentious-
nessof pietenuing you aie ovei the situation because you consiuei the situation
as an exogenous system. So, we weie thinking about whethei the same weakness
coulu become enuogenous. As an aichitect, how uo you become a pait of the sys-
tem. Not only as an aichitect, but as a human, as a bouy, as flesh, as a species, as a
bieathing mammal. Aie you able to take a position fiom insiue, when you aie in a
position of seivituue to the system you aie tiying to tiansfoim. That is, to lose the
visibility of what you aie uoing anu to accept a uegiee of unceitainty. That is why
we talk a lot about unceitainty, a concept uevelopeu by Ceuiic Piice in the 197us,
in oiuei to accept a uegiee of missing knowleuge, of uiiving hoises without being
able to tame them. This iequiies negotiation, the negotiation thiough an embassy
between natuie anu youiself.
It is veiy inteiesting, the pioject of Ant Faim fiom the late 196us, about the Bolphin
Embassy. Eveiyone knows this pioject now, but even 1u yeais ago it was not so easy
Natteis of Fabulation | A Conveisation with Fianois Roche 199
to talk about it in aichitectuie. The possibility of uoing an embassy so that eveiy-
bouy, eveiy thing on eveiy siue, has the iight to negotiate a zone wheie all ielations
between the behaviouis aie plausible. Buman anu natuie, human anu uolphin, etc.
So we tiieu to uefine this kinu of thing, to integiate the human as an 5-)=5')07, as a
uegiee, oi as a vectoi of the ?5,0 =5+@)0#, as in ueoiges Bataille.
2
We aie woiking on
aichitectuie as a Bataille-machine: psychology, physiology, histoiy, tempeiament.
We want to consiuei a piemeuical system, befoie Bippociates, wheie tempeiament
uesciibes the bouy as a negotiation between the tempeiament of the black bile, the
bloou, the phlegm, etc. The bouy is an emotional fluiuity anu theiefoie an emotion-
al machine. This is not so fai away fiom Beleuze anu uuattaii's uesiiing-machine,
oi Antonin Aitauu's bouy-without-oigans, a piovocative aigument that the bouy is
not meiely a composition of oiganic machineiy, but a constant tiansfeience of flux.
So, if we can integiate the uesiiing-machine, the bouy-without-oigans, the animal
bouy, can we unueistanu behavioui as 5*#8"5'&+2a funuamentally heauless pio-
cess. Can we use the biochemistiy, neuiobiology, anu nanotechnology of touay to
unueistanu the atavism of the ieptilian pait of the biain that is making Pavlovian
ieactionsthe will to suivivepieuicteu by the BNA anu the tiansmission of BNA,
but which, at the same time, cannot be so easily categoiizeu. We aie tiying to pose
the question of aichitectuie not in teims of function, but in teims of psycho-physio
8"&H)52 oi 8")')52. That is, as emotional ieactions constituting case stuuies that leau
to a taxonomy anu piouuce moiphologies that can extiact foim fiom emotional
flux. To elicit a piogiam that we cannot pieuict thiough knowleuge, oi the noimal
tooling of an aichitect. The last ten yeais was about that.
89 To go back a little bit, I am cuiious if you think the iuea of the "weak posi-
tion" became uominant within youi own piactice oi within the bioauei fielu of
aichitectuie.
SI The so-calleu "weak position" became ucoi. It became the ucoi of taking
caie of natuie; it became just a gieen faaue. It was then only a steieotype, the
meichanuizing of aichitectuie as a simulation of weakness anu coopeiation. But
natuie is monstious!
89 You iesponueu with the slime builuing.
SI Exactly, because to use natuie as ucoi, to simplify ecology in this way, is a kinu
of uomination thiough uomestication. It piouuceu a kinu of Bisney Lanu Woilu Faii
of aichitectuie justifieu by pseuuo-ecological values. I am veiy woiiieu by that. I
think we have to keep in tact the intiinsic conflict of natuie, especially of oui own
natuie. But foi aichitectuie, natuie is typically conceiveu of as a peaceful thing
occasionally afflicteu by catastiophes. This is a pioblem, because to negotiate with
natuie is to negotiate with biutal foices. So you have to appioach uelicately, with
couiage, but without uenying oi eiasing the uangei.
2uu
89 To leave a place foi it to appeai.
SI Foi something to appeai between iepulsion anu cuiiosity. You aie cuiious
about what is scaiing you! Now natuie is just a woilu gaiuen, a uomesticateu gai-
uen. But natuie always piouuces its own ievenge. I am a suifei, anu in the last five
yeais shaik attacks have also incieaseu by a multiple of five aiounu the woilu. Is
this the ievenge of uaa. This psycho-paiallel univeise says uaa is the mistiess of
the woilu anu that we humans aie only a pait of a global equilibiium, even while
we keep thinking we will just enjoy oui supiemacy. In fact, even when we aie ue-
stioying something, it is foi the benefit of uaawe aie nevei outsiue of this ciicuit.
The supieme foices of the Eaith, of the planet, aie not uivinities, but the foices of a
global equilibiium in which we aie just vectois, just citizens, but not contiolleis.
It is inteiesting that at the same time as ecology is ueveloping, we aie seeing the
self-completion of the human though the uestiuction of the planet but also, thiough
a iecognition that we aie uestioying the planet, we iealize the scale of uestiuction
humans aie capable of. We iecognize the potential uangei of uomination, but the
planet is capable of uestioying us as well. So, while we uespeiately neeu to ieoiga-
nize the social contiact, we also neeu to ienegotiate it with natuie.
89 This is the aigument of Nichel Seiies.
SI Ceitainly, O# :&-0,50 350+,#' is about that.
S
Theie is a simultaneity! We can't
take caie of the cats if we can't take caie of the neighbouihoou! If you look at the
fiist political ecology, fiom the ueimans in WWII, it was oiganizeu by the Nazi
ueneial Beimann uoiing. Be was, at the same time, uiiecting the Final Solution.
Nouein ecology comes out of this incieuible uistinction between the suffeiing of
the people anu piotecting the uomestic animal. This is similai to South Afiica, un-
uei the apaitheiu iegime, wheie the animal ieseives weie incieuibly sophisticateu.
89 Eugenics has its counteipait in the pieseivation of natuie.
SI Yes, anu in this way people taking caie of natuie aie veiy suspicious to me!
89 Bow uo you see aichitectuie, especially in the last ten yeais, in teims of its
iesponse to planetaiy, ecological collapse.
SI The uiscipline is now a iefugee unto itself, just an ivoiy towei. But I think a
lot about this concein, foi instance, how the polai beai is becoming a heimaph-
iouite to inciease its potential foi iepiouuction because of global climate change.
Theie aie examples in the fish as well. Natuie iesponus to change by changing
its sexuality, its moiphology, its physiology, its behavioui. So, aichitectuie is not
about selling gieen piouucts as new meichanuise that can save Willy oi save the
woilu! It is about mouifying oui own compoitment between us anu otheis. That
is a pietty stiange complexity foi aichitects to confiont touay. Aichitects want to
Natteis of Fabulation | A Conveisation with Fianois Roche 2u1
follow the mainstieam piouuction of global meichanuise without questioning the
new ieuuctionism that says we must consume to piotect the planet. This is a total
antagonism; in fact, it is an absuiuityovei-consuming with a gieen attituue! Anu
all without questioning oui pioximity oi ielationship to otheis, to othei species,
to the enviionment. Aichitectuie as gieen consumption is just gieen-washing, anu
we know that aichitectuie is completely involveu in this gieen-washing of global
meichanuise. Is theie a way to have a voice, to say, "Peihaps we aie wiong. Peihaps
theie aie othei possibilities". Theie is the mainstieam image of aichitectuie, which
is as univocal as a slab of conciete. Aichitectuie then becomes a global lamentation
with a univocal voice, without any caie foi singulaiities, othei piactices, oi othei
ways of conuucting oui piactice in the woilu.
It is teiiible how the last ten yeais was ueuicateu to the success stoiy of the last
aichitect making the towei in Bubai. It is funny, but look at it nowthe fielu is
entiiely impoveiisheu! The fielu of aichitectuie is ciashing eveiywheie, not just
in the 0S, anu aichitects aie becoming even moie a pait of the slaveiy system of
capitalism. Why. I uon't want to answei why, but we have to question why it is so
uisastious to be an aichitect in the woilu iight now!
89 But uo you see youiself as an aichitect.
SI I am like you! I am like the monkey in Tbe }unqle Book, when the monkey says,
"I am like you, I want to be like you, I want to be like you." I want to be like you, I
want to be an aichitect, but it uoesn't mean I am an aichitect. }ust like you, I uon't
know what that means exactly.
89 Boes it have to mean making builuing-sizeu auveitisements foi meichanuise.
SI Louis Althussei uesciibeu pietty well the uiffeience between the heioic peii-
ou, the classic peiiou, anu the communication peiiou we aie in now. In the heioic
peiiou, the aichitect was both uenouncing anu piouucing. Peihaps we know too
well King viuoi's !"# J&+-05)-"#5@, baseu on Ayn Ranu's book about Fiank Lloyu
Wiight. We know it well, of couise, but beyonu the steieotype, theie was a uebate
between piouucing anu uenouncing. In the illusion of moueinity, in the uenunci-
ation of the system anu its failuies, as we see in Cailo Scaipa anu otheis, theie is
a uenouncement anu a possibility to piouuce thiough uenouncement. The heioic
peiiou was schizophienic. It is inteiesting if we conseivenot in teims of piesei-
vationbut if we tiavel a little bit with this kinu of schizophienic potential. You
can say "Fuck you," anu "I love you." If you always say "I love you," you foiget how to
negotiate with an occasional "Fuck you!" So, you have to negotiate, you always have
to make ioom to negotiate.
The attituue of the smait aichitect touay: woiking eveiy uay of the week, all the
time, nevei consiueiing societies othei than theii own, nevei tiying to uenounce
the new economic impeiialism oi the situation of the system; finally, step by step,
2u2
this uisqualifies aichitectuie, its potential foi naiiation, anu its potential foi acting.
Aichitects aie no longei acting in society; they act within theii fielu with incieuible
knowleuge about new tools anu with a iemaikably self-iefeiential expeitise, but
no one wants this knowleuge outsiue of the fielu of aichitectuie. So, we aie like
monkeys in a cage who uevelop an incieuibly sophisticateu language, but no one
can unueistanu the language outsiue the cage. The question of how to ienegoti-
ate the poiosity of the cage, of ie-infiltiating the cagein both uiiectionsthis
is exactly what we aie tiying to piactice now. I am pietty optimistic. I uon't want
to be optimistic, but, &- 5,,)A# 0&+*"#, '# I&-@ @# '5 8)2*)-# |we've ieacheu the
bottom of the swimming poolj! So, theie is nothing moie to uo except come up
foi aii. It is a global conuition that I wiote about in O&( anu theie is no neeu to
iepeat it.
4
But we cannot sepaiate ieseaich anu politics. Aitists aie usually a lot
bettei at becoming engageu in the uebates about theii own society anu, at the same
time, in the uebates iegaiuing the singulaiity of theii own piouuctions. Both have
a possibility of aiticulating knowleuge tiansactions anu tianshistoiical piocesses,
challenging what is outsiue of the fielu anu what is insiue, anu thus negotiating the
bounuaiies. A bounuaiy is an osmotic membiane. When the membiane becomes
entiiely ueteimineu by auveitising, it is no longei poious. The fielu of aichitectuie
ueclaieu that its own knowleuge was self-sufficient, became self-confiuent, anu
stoppeu caiing what happeneu outsiue the fielu. Anu, now we have such a ueficit of
attention foi what is outsiue the uiscipline.
We aiiive at last the 2u12 venice Biennale, with some stupiu, social impiessionsa
iepoit on a veitical slum in Caiacas that imagineu, by simply iepoiting on the slum,
it woulu engage society in a new uebate. But we aie not iepoiteis; we aie acting
anu tiansfoiming, anu we aie taking caie of tiansfoimations as well. Sometimes
we have to bieak the system, anu othei times we neeu to encouiage it. But, we aie
not iepoiteis; we aie not sociologists iepoiting on miseiable zones of the planet
to cieate a sympathetic consciousness about the hoiiois of the woilu. Foi me, this
is teiiibly vulgai. It was the most vulgai Biennale so faiaichitects simulating a
goou conscience!
89 But can you aumit that infoimality is an impoitant question foi aichitectuie in
the Anthiopocene.
SI I think infoimality is moie inteiesting as a piocess in the constiuction of the
city. We coulu question infoimality in teims of uesign, but slums, like the slums
heie in Bangkok, they uon't neeu aichitects! They uon't neeu you, they uon't neeu
me. They have incieuible oiganization, social oiganization, which is not top uown,
but about the uelegation of micio-powei in a constant movement, fiom the bottom
up. You uon't have time now, but I coulu show you how useless aichitects aie foi
the slums, but you know that alieauy fiom }akaita. We still have aichitects tiying to
foice it, like a uegiee of justification, as if people neeu them to valiuate a piocess oi
a set of skills. This is a total vulgaiity.
Natteis of Fabulation | A Conveisation with Fianois Roche 2uS
89 So is this position at all ielateu to youi woik in film. Biu you ueciue to move to
a uiffeient kinu of piouuction altogethei, foi example, with K7H,)@ M+2*'#.
S
SI We staiteu with film quite a long time ago now; the fiist was with Philippe
Paiieno.
89 I have been veiy inteiesteu in the woik of Bans vaihingei, a ueiman philoso-
phei who wiote !"# ?")'&2&8"7 &I e/2 9IS1 In this book, vaihingei uiscusses the powei
of fiction fiom a philosophical peispective, aumitting the neeu foi speculative
iealities, upon which both fiction anu science iely.
SI Befoie, it might have been possible to consiuei science as haiuwaie, as a
kinu of petiifieu knowleugeof couise, this was uniealistic thinkingbut we
know now science is maikeu by peimanent speculation. Fiom Ptolemy to Keplei,
among many otheis, theie is a cosmic movement, anu science was caiiying with
it a concept of the woilu, oi a concept of the oiganization of the woilu, thiough
this movement. Anu each time a choice was maue to explain something, it was also
political. Science is politics. Science means you want to see what youi synchionicity
is able to unueistanu, able to accept, oi able to justify. So, theie is an incieuible,
peipetual incest between the concept of the univeise oi the concept of the woilu,
anu the will to knowleuge coming fiom the sciences. We can tiy to use science to
piove something, oi use politics to piove something, but theie is a peimanent flux,
anu both micio- anu macio-scale conceins continue.
Aichitects tenu to have a veiy impiessionistic unueistanuing of science because
they consiuei it a tautology that contains all knowleuge; on the contiaiy, we know
this is not the case. When I came to aichitectuie fiom physics, theie was a concein
with abstiactions. But, in science we know abstiactions, as axioms, iely on the
explanation of a ieality that cannot be valiuateu in natuie oi expeiience. This is the
uuplicity of knowleuge. We talk about this because fiction is akin to alchemy, when
the science of the Niuule Ages inventeu its own giammai foi a knowleuge which is
not uiiectly opeiative, but opeiates on itself, anu by uoing so, accoiuing to its own
logic, becomes a thesis on knowleuge without uiiect piactice, but with illusionaiy
piactices foi the mutation of substances. Alchemy has an incieuible alphabet anu
a ueepness to its inteinal logic in oiuei to piove that which cannot be pioven ieal
about that which uoesn't exist. At the same time, we might consiuei the fiction of
aichitectuie as a kinu of pataphysics, as in the wiiting of Alfieu }aiiy.
89 Aichitectuie as the solution to an imaginaiy pioblem.
SI To mix naiiation, illusion, science, anu sensation, you must insinuate youi-
self in the ciack between the tiue anu the false, between mauness anu iigoi, anu
then you can inhabit the foibiuuen, as uesciibeu by Nichel Foucault, as anothei
uiscouise. The pataphysical fielu is snaking; it is not a gioup of objects, but objects
that aie subjects at the same time, subjects that leau oui minu somewheie that
2u4
secuies one zone by uislocating anothei. Pataphysics is a metaphoi in the ety-
mological sensea vehicle of tianspoitation. You aie in a vehicle that allows you
to go somewheie, anu to ietuin with a iepoit of something you saw oi toucheu,
which mouifies the peiception of ieality in anothei zone. Theie is anothei paiallel
with Anui Bieton anu Salvauoi Bali, who useu the paianoiac-ciitical methou to
question peiception thiough mental states, physiology, optical peispectives, pei-
veisions, etc., in oiuei to unueistanu the "je" as a foim of negotiation, not in teims
of the inuiviuual, but in teims of the species. Ne"je"as a teim of negotiation
with otheis.
89 Is that negotiation of peispective not the woik of aichitectuie. Not that aichi-
tectuie is the only way to negotiate peispective.
SI We have lost what it means to be an aichitect; we have lost this notion. It uoes
not mean constiucting a builuing. Nany people constiuct builuings, but aie they
necessaiily aichitects. No! So why aie we aichitects. To uefine a political-aesthetic
conuition of constiuction wheie we piouuce something in oiuei to uestabilize the
habits of a situation. I uon't think theie is anything else foi us, because if we take the
job of an aichitect, it is not foi the beauty of the builuing alone, oi foi the aiiogance
of the uiscouise, oi to become the mastei of ceiemonies which so many young egos
want to become touay, but to question the conuition of piouuction anu the context
of piactice.
Foi example, we tiying to uo a builuing now, a contempoiaiy ait museum, anu we
aie tiying to woik within a fiagment of foiest in cential Bangkok. We aie woiking
to calculate all the positions of the main bianching of the tiees anu theii tiunks to
make a builuing without cutting anythinga builuing with a "shy ciown." In the
foiest, tiees uo not touch each othei; they have a shy ciown because theii leaves
will not touch each othei. Tiees iespect uistances. In the foiest, this is the ciack in
between the tiee canopies, which you can't always see. They iespect a zone wheie
they uo not touch. We aie ueveloping this museum pioject thiough an iuea of timiu-
ity, uevelopeu thiough mathematics, wheie we iesist touching natuie. Antipathy
has become, foi this pioject, a uesign stiategy.
We aie immeuiately questioning what an object is. An object, in the contempoiaiy
situation, has to negotiate a ielationship with othei species. We iespect the tiees
not because we want to save the planet, but because we want to unueistanu the
how these ielationships, coiiesponuences, antagonisms, oi conflicts piouuce both
pathology anu geometiy. That is, how these ielations foim an aichitectuie.
89 What about the ielationship of youi woik to uilles Beleuze. Theie is a ceitain
ciuue appiopiiation of philosophy in aichitectuie, but I am inteiesteu in how you
ielate philosophy to youi piactice, which seems especially committeu to theoietical
inquiiy.
Natteis of Fabulation | A Conveisation with Fianois Roche 2uS
SI We take time. It is the only agent in oui piesent conuition that can uevelop a
uegiee of bluiiy knowleuge. Time foi becoming unsatisfying, time foi uis-iuentifi-
cation. I think you cannot so cleaily iuentify what we aie uoing in the stuuio. In the
enu, yes, it is an object, uiluteu by a ceitain naiiation anu thiough its own piocess
of objectification. But this is also not so cleai.
Really, it is about taking time. Foi the museum I just mentioneu, we askeu foi thiee
months to uevelop a uiaft uesign, but they wanteu it in two weeks. This means that
we always tiy to slow uown, we aie veiy slow. We slow uown piouuction so that
we nevei answei a pioblem of uesign with concepts. I am veiy afiaiu of concepts,
anu Beleuze saiu it peifectlythe only people who shoulu woik with concepts
aie the philosopheis, nobouy else! 0f couise, the public ielations people making
auveitisements aie not making concepts eitheithey aie just selling piouuction
within the fielu of meichanuise.
But, to take time is an economic pioblem. This is why I am in Bangkok: because the
only way to take time is to minimize the uaily cost of the stuuio, which was fai too
high in Paiis. The last few yeais in Paiis, I was not able to take time on piojects, anu
I lost a lot piojects anu clients tiying to slow uown. I coulu convince the client to
take time, but I can't convince the bank to take time! That's the pioblem! The banks
in Euiope became woise anu woise, anu I iueologically bankiupteu my stuuio in
Paiis by saying no to the Fiench banks. I lost a lot of piofit anu gaineu a lot of uebt.
Now, in Bangkok, we aie in a position wheie we can ieconfiguie the economy of
piouuction anu the economy of thinking.
But, honestly, I was ieally astonisheu when I went to }apan as a young aichitect. I
won a piize to go stuuy in }apan anu I ueciueu to spenu half of my time in a Buuuhist
temple, in the wintei, to unueistanu the pain of being a Buuuhistit is not so com-
foitable to be a Buuuhist in the miuule of winteianu also to meet the aichitect
Kazuo Shinohaia. Shinohaia is maybe a suipiising influence on me. Be takes ten
yeais to make a pioject. The main issue in aichitectuie touay is aichitects tiying to
bianu themselves all ovei the woilu. But look at the numbei of piojects of Nies van
uei Rohe anu the othei heioic aichitectsnot so many. They consiueieu a woik of
aichitectuie as a way of cieating themselves, not as inuustiial iepiouuction. I think
this inteiestingof couise, peihaps I am totally iomanticbut I think the fielu of
aichitectuie has to be multiple. It is now puiely ueuicateu to an inuustiial vision,
anu the ieplication of an inuustiial vision; although, to be cleai, I am not saying that
this shoulu not exist. }ust as in nineteenth-centuiy Euiope, theie weie tieatises to
make a temple, to make a chuich, etc., anu aichitects weie to follow the tieatises to
make piopei, stanuaiu, public builuings. It is the same conuition iight now. It might
appeai as if piouuction is not stanuaiuizeu because of the fancy ucoi of contem-
poiaiy builuings, but the piactice is highly stanuaiuizeu thiough its ielationship to
capital. Anu now they aie using an impoveiisheu image of natuie as the outline foi
the tieatises of touay.
2u6
0kay, let me say that I think it is inteiesting to help some othei piactices. 0thei
piactices aie also toleiable. Theie aie many possibilities. You can make something
veiy aiiogant foi the flagship stoie of some new meichanuise, oi you can make
something veiy timiu. But, timiu uoes not mean without ambition! It can be veiy
ambitious.think, foi example, of Ingmai Beigman, Robeit Biesson, oi Bieyei's O5
Possion Je }eonne JArcit is totally weak, but incieuibly piovocative.
So the weak, the timiu, is not without ambition. We believe too much in the self-con-
fiuent, self-piomotion of the aichitect, anu it is the only kinu of chaiactei piomoteu
in aichitectuie, the aichitect as businessman; whethei feminine oi masculine, it is
the same.
So, I believe that a small piactice, with mouest piouuction using antagonisms to
question the contempoiaiy moue of piouuction, is still valuable touay. But, young
aichitects aie not piepaieu foi that. They aie piepaieu only to succeeu, in a veiy
stanuaiuizeu way, anu when they uon't succeeu, when they uon't get the value
that they expecteu fiom theii uegiees, they become incieuibly bittei. You useu to
become bittei in youi Sus, oi youi 4us, but now we have bittei aichitects in theii
eaily Sus! That is the fielu!
89 Within the highei euucation inuustiy, the iole of the piofession is to help sell
an image of success that encouiages stuuent uebt anu maximizes inuustiy piofit. If
the piofession helps sell the image, the uiscipline seives this inuustiy.
SI Yes, exactly. It is connecteu to a kinu of piopaganua which was staiteu by
B5''858#, in Lonuon, anu E'+#8,)-0, which confuseu the chaiactei of the aichitect
with hei own piouuction. This is how bianuing became a kinu of valuable self-pio-
motion foi young aichitects. This is why R&Sie(n) hau an avatai, to avoiu becoming
a bianuing poitiait, but it is not so useful now, peihaps.
But, I woulu like to say again that ait piactices negotiate much bettei than aichitec-
tuie the kinu of multiple possibilities of piouuction, as well as accepting an expo-
suie to vulgaiity. Aichitects aie simulating, as best they can, that eveiything is fine.
They must maintain an attituue of hygienic thinking, a hygienic ielation to a woilu
they iepeateuly tell us is fine. This is aichitectuie as a bianu of peimanent opti-
mism. But when we eiase ueception, nostalgia, the foibiuuenall of these things
that aie veiy impoitant foi unueistanuing human pathology anu emotionwe
have eiaseu eveiything which coulu be a uangei. We tiy to contain the whole woilu.
The last ten yeais of aichitectuie have only been about efficiency anu expeitiseit
has been teiiible! This eiases eveiything that coulu elicit a uegiee of subjectivity
in the aichitect. But aichitectuie wants to say, insteau: we aie builuing, we aie con-
stiucting, we aie making the futuie. Bow stupiu is this. Eveiyone knows we aie not
uoing that, anu we all know aichitectuie is tiappeu. Except, you know, it's gieat foi
capitalism, which tells us: gieat, woik foi the futuie, woik eveiy uay, anu we uon't
Natteis of Fabulation | A Conveisation with Fianois Roche 2u7
neeu to pay you because you aie woiking foi the futuie! We know peifectly well
that the ieplication of the piesent as the piouuction of the futuie is a catastiophe.
89 So you aie going to ieintiouuce the subjective uimension of the aichitect by
going to finu the Ninotaui in Ciete.
SI I think we have to finu the Ninotaui. We have to ienegotiate metaphoi, nostal-
gia, foibiuuen woius, ueception, weakness, anu uelusion in oiuei to ienegotiate a
ielationship to the woilu that has been conuemneu. We neeu to biing the vocab-
ulaiy of the woilu back into aichitectuie, which has tiieu to minimize the ways
that iueas can be expiesseu anu limit the emotional flux of expiession as much as
possible.
Foi now, R&Sie(n) is sleeping. Aftei 2S yeais, we aie taking a bieak fiom the
masochism of aichitectuie. 0f couise, I am swimming in this masochism as wellI
think it is my biotopebut it is still a veiy inteiesting concept about negotiating,
thiough the contiact, one's uepenuence anu one's seivituue. You accept a uegiee of
seivituue on the conuition that it is contiactual, as in Beleuze's book about Leopolu
von Sachei-Nasoch.
As New-Teiiitoiies, we aie now going to Ciete. Within the Schengen Zone, Ciete
is in a veiy stiange situation.
6
The Schengen Zone is a veiy peculiai baiiiei that
tiies to piotect the people on the insiue by jailing them. This is both incieasing the
temptation to get insiue, but also cieating a sensation of secuiity anu impoitance
that is a baiiiei to unueistanuing the conuition of the woilu. The planet, its eneigy,
anu its iefugees must be excluueu fiom the zone, but the neeu to fight economic
impeiialism still iemains. I was thinking that a pioject coulu be moie sophisticateu
in Ciete. They have a backgiounu as a philosophical anu cultuial founuation of
Euiope, anu they now have a fantastic conflict aiising on the Neuiteiianean scene.
Theie is potential in antagonism anu negotiation.
So, we aie uoing a pioject with stuuents to constiuct the platfoim foi one fiction-
al uieek citizen ievolting against the baiiiei of the Schengen Zone, ieuefining a
seconu zone within his own house as a kinu of Robinson Ciusoe figuie. Within the
seconu baiiiei is a kinu of autonomous zone. We want consiuei this intellectually
anu physically, anu in ielation to the "intei-zone" of William Buiioughs. It coulu be
insiue oi outsiue, as a Klein bottle.
We aie woiking in an aiea wheie people speak ueiman, basically a vacation camp
foi ueiman touiists. Why uo they go theie. To ielax, to siesta, to use the soft econ-
omy to quiet themselves. But why is the uieek economy so much tiouble. Because
they aie not piouucing enough! ueimans uemanu the uieeks to be moie like them,
saciifice like them, while they expect to go on vacation to a quiet camp wheie ev-
eiyone is smiling, ielaxeu, anu not woiking!
2u8
We aie in the absuiu situation wheie in oiuei to have a quality of life, an authentic
life, a ielaxeu life, you have to pay! It is only possible as a vacation camp; you cannot
tiy to live like that. In Euiope touay, you have to pay foi itfieeuom cannot be fiee!
Noles
0 See Biuno Latoui, J5*)-( %5)5. 6)D O#*0+,#2 &- 0"# ?&')0)*5' !"#&'&(7 &I 350+,#, 2u1S
uiffoiu Lectuies on Natuial Religion, http:www.biuno-latoui.finoue486; anu,
Isabelle Stengeis, in this volume.
H ueoiges Bataille, !"# /**+,2#@ 6"5,#> vol. 1, tianslateu by Robeit Builey (New Yoik: Zone
Books, 1991).
5 Nichel Seiies, !"# 350+,5' :&-0,5*0 (Ann Aiboi: 0niveisity of Nichigan Piess, 199S).
N Fianois Roche, eu., O&( 2S, 'ieclaim iesis(lience)stance' (Spiing Summei 2u12).
? R&Sie, "Bybiiu Nuscle" (2uuS) in "Boys fiom Nais," by Philippe Paiieno (2uuS).
Y "The Schengen Aiea is a gioup of 26 Euiopean countiies that have abolisheu passpoit
anu immigiation contiols at theii common boiueis. It functions as a single countiy foi
inteinational tiavel puiposes, with a common visa policy. The Aiea is nameu aftei the vil-
lage of Schengen in Luxembouig wheie the Schengen Agieement, which leu to the Aieas
cieation, was signeu. }oining Schengen entails eliminating inteinal boiuei contiols with
the othei Schengen membeis, while simultaneously stiengthening exteinal boiuei con-
tiols with non-Schengen states." Souice: http:en.wikipeuia.oigwikiSchengen_Aiea.
9+* M*.'.-#%&' :)G*"&$#D*
by Poulo Tovores
B, $+* >.'#$#%&' 8%.'.-J .A $+*
1)&_.,#&\/ 7**G L#/$."J
Beginning in the late 196us, a seiies of iepoits piouuceu by vaiious meuia anu
non-goveinmental agencies aiounu the woilu began to expose an inteinational
public to the ciitical situation confionting the inuigenous peoples of Amazonia,
whose teiiitoiies, anu cultuial anu physical suivival, weie unuei seveie thieat uue
to the aggiessive uevelopmental piogiams being implementeu in the iegion. 0ut
of this lineage of activist iepoits came !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#: /-0",&8&'&(7
5-@ W#A#'&8=#-0 )- 0"# /=5C&- E52)- &I 6&+0" /=#,)*5> a 9u-page compilation of
foui aiticles wiitten by the Noith Ameiican anthiopologists Shelton B. Bavis anu
Robeit 0. Nathews anu publisheu in 1976. "An exeicise in political anthiopology,"
as the authois uesciibeu it, the uocument piesenteu an up-to-uate caitogiaphy of
the uepth of mining anu oil-uiilling activities into the foimei "isolateu" aieas of the
Amazonia. Since the eaily 197us, such opeiations hau been aggiessively expanuing,
paiticulaily in Ecuauoi, Peiu anu Biazil, in a piocess that the authois associateu
with a conuition of geneializeu violence anu human iights violations inflicteu on
the inuigenous communities inhabiting these lanus. By offeiing a ciitical map of
the contempoiaiy context within which ethnological fieluwoik was taking place
X!"# J)#,*# ?#&8'#Y: Images fiom the ethnogiaphic film !"# /D J)("0> which uocuments a conflict within
a Yanomami community witnesseu uuiing fielu-woik ieseaich caiiieu by Noith-Ameiican ethnologist
Napoleon Chagnon. Realizeu in collaboiation with Timothy Ash, 197S.
Fig. u1
21u
in Amazonia, a situation that was iepiesentative of seveial othei ethnogiaphic
fionts in the Thiiu Woilu, !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# maue a case foi political en-
gagement thiough anthiopological piactice. They contenueu that ethnogiapheis
shoulu consiuei this specific histoiical conjectuie anu position ieseaich alongsiue
the uevelopmental piogiam that was being ueployeu in the Amazon, which, at that
time, was laigely caiiieu out thiough paitneiships establisheu between poweiful
multinational coipoiations, inteinational financial institutions, anu the militaiizeu
states that iuleu much of Latin Ameiica. The pioposeu exeicise in political anthio-
pology uiu not, theiefoie, iefei to the tiauitional conceins of ethnology iegaiuing
the inteinal symbolic oiuei anu social hieiaichy that shape "piimitive societies,"
which the authois claimeu was the uominant concein among Noith Ameiican an-
thiopologists woiking in Amazonia. Rathei, political anthiopology was calleu on to
auuiess the iole of the uiscipline of anthiopology itself, insofai as it was inevitably
immeiseu within, anu most often complicit with, exteinal aiiangements of powei
iesponsible foi, accoiuing to Bavis anu Nathews, the piocess of "ethnociue" of
South Ameiican Inuians.
1

The %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# was publisheu in the context of the contentious etho-po-
litical uebates that unfolueu in piofessional ciicles of Noith Ameiican anthiopology
in the 196us anu 197us following ievelations that the 0S Aimy was applying eth-
nogiaphic ieseaich in the uesign of countei-insuigency stiategies in Latin Ameiica
anu Southeast Asia. Buiing WWII, with the official suppoit anu sponsoiship of the
Ameiican Anthiopological Association, anthiopologists hau openly employeu theii
expeitise to help with the Allieu campaign. Befineu in ieaction to the Nazi's "sci-
entific" theoiies of iacial supeiioiity, this wai-time politicization of anthiopology
was accompanieu by the giowing militaiization of ethnogiaphic ieseaich anu leu
to the establishment of both intellectual links anu institutional netwoiks that, in
the subsequent Colu Wai eia, woulu be less oveitly yet moie incisively applieu in
the seivice of communism-containment stiategies ueployeu by the 0niteu States
in Cential anu South Ameiica, Afiica anu Asia. Thanks to the woik of the anthio-
pologist Baviu Piice, anu to the iich aichive of uiscloseu state-uocuments that he
collecteu, it is now eviuent how the uiscipline of anthiopology became instiumen-
tal foi 0S intelligence agencies in the post-wai peiiou. Ethnogiaphic expeitise was
especially useful to the CIA anu the Pentagon when shaping countei-insuigency
campaigns. Less uiiectly associateu with waifaie, but equally committeu to the
anti-communist iueology that infoimeu 0S foieign policy, anthiopology also playeu
an impoitant iole within scientific ieseaich anu uevelopment piogiams cooiuinat-
eu by piivate founuations such as Foiu, Cainegie, anu Rockefellei, often in close
alliance with the political economic inteiests of the 0S.
2
In the case of Amazonia, uuiing the Seconu Woilu Wai, ethnogiapheis woiking un-
uei the auspices of the 0ffice of Cooiuinatoi of Intei-Ameiican Affaiis weie iespon-
sible foi the piouuction of maps that sought to iuentify potential Inuian laboui anu
locate stiategic natuial iesouices, chiefly iubbei.
S
}ulian Stewaiu, a Noith Ameiican
anthiopologist whose ieinvigoiateu visions of enviionmental ueteiminism was
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 211
iesponsible to foi the "cultuial ecology" sub-fielu of anthiopology, contenueu that
!"# K5-@H&&; &I 0"# 6&+0" /=#,)*5- 9-@)5-, a massive, influential ethnologic cata-
logue he euiteu in the 194us, was also a foim of collaboiating in the wai effoit. As
the uiiectoi of the Institute of Social Anthiopology founueu in 194S by the 0S State
Bepaitment, Stewaiu oveisaw anthiopologists conuucting ieseaich thioughout
Latin Ameiica. Be was also iesponsible foi cooiuinating the compilation of laige
sets of uata that, as Baviu Piice notes, foimeu an impoitant contiibution to an
emeigent knowleuge-appaiatus on "unuei-uevelopment, poveity anu tiauitional
cultuie" that woulu come to occupy a cential place within 0S foieign policy.
4
Filteieu
thiough the soit of iueas piomoteu by economist-tuineu-national-secuiity-auvisei
Walt Whitman Rostow anu his 196u publication !"# 605(#2 &I <*&-&=)* %,&40".
/ 3&-G:&==+-)20 M5-)I#20&, this liteiatuie was funuamental to the elaboiation of
moueinization theoiies anu uevelopment piogiams that the 0niteu States ueployeu
in Latin Ameiica with the aim of containing populai suppoit foi the socialist anu
communist Left.
S
While the use of ethnogiaphic intelligence as a tool foi contiol
is aiguably constitutive of the science of anthiopology itself anu intiinsic to its
colonial oiigins,
6
knowleuge about the "cultuie of otheis" iegaineu geo-political
impoitance as the 0S eithei inuiiectly oi uiiectly attempteu to expanu militaiy anu
political economic influence ovei the iesouice-iich, laigely inuigenous, fiontieis of
the Thiiu Woilu.
This was the context fiom which !"# %#&G
'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# emeigeu anu in ielation to
which its authois contenueu anthiopological
piactice shoulu situate itselfthe Colu Wai.
With the coup in Aigentina in Naich 1976,
the 0niteu Stateu auueu anothei entiy to an
extensive list of collaboiations with militaiy
iegimes that weie iesponsible foi ueposing
uemociatically electeu goveinments thiough-
out Latin Ameiicauuatemala in 19S4, Biazil
in 1964, Bolivia in 1971, 0iuguay anu Chile in
197S, among otheisall of which imposeu
muiueious piogiams of political iepiession
suppoiteu by successive 0S auministiations.
0veilapping inteiests between state anu
capital uefineu the basic fiamewoik foi 0S
inteiventions in Cential anu South Ameiica
uuiing the Colu Wai, as compiomises with
authoiitaiian iegimes weie measuieu both in
ielation to the objective of containing the Left,
as well as the auvantages those goveinments
pioviueu foi the penetiation of 0S coipoiate
capital into iegional maikets.
7
Foi theii
pait, the militaiy juntas that goveineu Latin
!"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#. covei of the
iepoit on Amazonia publisheu by an-
thiopologists Bavis Shelton anu Robeit
Natthews in 1976.
Fig. u2
212
Ameiica tenueu towaius a foim of "moueinizing capitalism," which combineu
authoiitaiian contiol in planning anu legislation with iauical economic libeialism.
The impiessive uBP-giowth iates achieveu with this mouel in the eaily 197us weie
uiiven by patteins of capital accumulation stiuctuially uepenuant on inteinational
financial loans, coipoiate investment, anu laige-scale exploitation of natuial
iesouices foi expoit. By the miu-197us, when !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# was pub-
lisheu, countiies like Biazil anu Peiu weie tiying to expanu theii extiactive-sectoi
economies. In paiallel, the piospects of an inteinational eneigy ciisis tiiggeieu by
the Niuule East oil-embaigo anu the subsequent escalation in piices of iaw-ma-
teiials hau unleasheu a global iush among multinational coipoiations to secuie
supply-souices of stiategic mineials anu fossil fuels. The combination of these
factois leu to unpieceuenteu effoits to inteivene in the subsoil of Amazonia anu
open it to inteinational maikets.
Similai to iepoits piouuceu by vaiious
0S-baseu uocumentation centies such as
INBIuENA, the Noith Ameiican Congiess on
Latin Ameiica (NACLA), anu the Biazilian
Infoimation Bulletin (BIB), !"# %#&'&()*5'
9=8#,50)A# was pait of a wiuei netwoik
that seiveu to monitoi anu publicize infoi-
mation about the paiticipation of the 0S
goveinment, inteinational coipoiations,
anu the Woilu Bank anu INF in the policies
anu piojects being implementeu by militaiy
iegimes in Latin Ameiica. At a moment when
political uissiuence anu fieeuom of speech
weie seveiely cuitaileu acioss most of the
continent, these publications functioneu to
uocument the human-iights iecoiu of militaiy
goveinments anu attempteu to cieate public piessuie against the inteinational
netwoiks that suppoiteu them. Equally significant, !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# also
engageu in the inteinal uebate conceining the iole that Amazonian ethnology
was playing in the piocess. Fiom miu-196us on, in paiallel to the escalation of the
0niteu States politics of inteiventionism in the Southein Cone anu the expansion
of iesouice-extiaction activities in the Amazon Basin, Bavis anu Nathews noteu
the incieasing influence of theoiies of socio-evolutionism on the woik of Noith
Ameiican anthiopologists. They aigueu that the images piouuceu anu tiansmitteu
by ieseaicheis associateu with this lineage weie helping legitimize the piocesses of
expiopiiation of inuigenous teiiitoiies. Exemplaiy socio-evolutionists incluueu the
playwiight-cum-anthiopologist Robeit Aiuiey, whose wiuely ieau 1966 book !"#
!#,,)0&,)5' 9=8#,50)A# pioviueu Bavis anu Nathews with a ciitically appiopiiateu
title foi theii iepoit. In the case of Amazonia, they listeu the 1968 best-sellei !"#
J)#,*# ?#&8'#> an ethnogiaphic account of Yanomami communities living at the
boiuei between Biazil anu venezuela by anthiopologist Napoleon Chagnon. These
Fig. uS Q8#,50)&- /=5C&-)5. The oveilap between
natuial anu political teiiitoiies.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 21S
texts piomoteu the notion that human societies evolve accoiuing to a natuialist
path of lineai piogiess, which Bavis anu Nathews ciiticizeu foi iepiouucing the
colonial logic of powei that was iesponsible foi geneiating Baiwinist theoiies of
social evolution in the nineteenth-centuiy.
uiven the expansion of iesouice-fiontieis into the lanus of inuigenous peoples,
Bavis anu Nathews aigueu that imaginaiies such as those piouuceu by Chagnon
became even moie pioblematic. Thiough a seiies aiticles publisheu in magazines
such as !)=# anu 350)&-5' %#&(,58")*, as well as a seiies of films anu television pio-
giams, Chagnon uisseminateu an image of the Yanomami as an extiemely violent
society, whose isolation fiom the outsiue woilu hau pieseiveu inheient tiaits of hu-
man aggiessiveness, supposeuly uemonstiative of theii pioximity to the "state-of-
natuie" in the piocess of socio-biological evolution. In the hanus of the moueinizing
goveinments of Biazil anu venezuela, this imaginaiy seiveu to ieinfoice the iacist
peiceptions uiiving the "civilizing" uiscouise that accompanieu the occupation of
inuigenous lanus. In the context of the countei-insuigent iueological appaiatus
nuituieu by the 0S, such images effectively functioneu as Colu Wai piopaganua.
"It is haiuly suipiising," Bavis anu Nathews noteu, "that Piofessoi Chagnon's eaily
theoiies of Yanomamo 'biinkmanship' weie fiist espouseu at the highpoint of the
0niteu States militaiy involvement in vietnam."
8
Like eailiei ethnogiaphic images
that seiveu to giant moial legitimacy to the slaughtei of inuigenous peoples anu
the colonization of theii teiiitoiies, the visions geneiateu by Chagnon anu Aiuiey
weie accomplices in masking the social anu enviionmental violence of Colu Wai's
"geological colonialism" as it expanueu acioss the Thiiu Woilu. Rathei than im-
poseu by natuial ueteiminism, the impeiative, Bavis anu Nathews concluueu,
was uecisively ethical anu political: "In contiast to those who woulu uesciibe this
phenomenon as a natuial occuiience, i.e. as one of the inevitable iesults of social
piogiess anu economic giowth, we see the 'geological impeiative' as a unique
histoiical phenomenon ielateu to specific uistiibution of wealth anu powei which
piesently exists in the woilu."
9

0perolion lnozonio
Beyonu its histoiical analogy with eailiei foims of colonialism, the concept of the
"geological impeiative" uesciibeu a whole new geo-political space being shapeu
thiough the ulobal Colu Wai. Noieovei, the concept also pointeu to the iauical
ieconfiguiation of the natuial teiiain of Amazonia that took place uuiing this pe-
iiou. 0ntil the 196us, initiatives to colonize the Amazon Basinfiist by impeiial
poweis anu latei by the inuepenuent nation-states that emeigeu in South Ameiica
in the eaily nineteenth-centuiyhau typically abiueu by the spatial aiiangements
uictateu by the logic of teiiitoiial suiface. Although theie hau alieauy been some
exploiation of mineial anu oil ueposits, the subsoil hau been of much less impoi-
tance than both the extiaction of suificial piouucts such as timbei anu iubbei, anu
the use of lanu foi agiicultuial anu livestock piouuction. In the post-wai uecaues,
214
howevei, Amazonia was visualizeu anu inteipieteu in its "ecological uepth": a com-
plex enviionment composeu of vaiious geological anu biophysical factois offeiing
unlimiteu economic potential. Novel ways of iuentifying, chaiting, anu accessing
foimeily unknown oi unieachable iesouices cieateu possibilities foi inteivention
in the iegion at an unpieceuenteu scale. This objective was puisueu with uiffeient
uegiees of intensity, but laigely similai spatial patteins, unuei the ubiquitous
uevelopmental iueology auopteu by the states of the continental basin. Foi the
goveinments of South Ameiica, the colonization of Amazonia playeu at least two
ciucial ioles. Fiist, taming the vastness of the tiopical foiest became symbolically
impoitant in the context of nationalist anu moueinizing uiscouises. "The incoipo-
iation of the jungle into the national economy," wiote the Peiuvian piesiuent anu
aichitect Feinanuo Belanue Teiiy in 196S, "is the gieat battle yet to be wageu
in the conquest of Peiu."
1u
0n the othei hanu, the iegion's sheei natuial wealth
was consiueieu a funuamental souice foi the piimitive accumulation of capital that
woulu piopel these countiies out of unueiuevelopment. Fuithei, the unueistanu-
ing that Amazonia was a "continental voiu" to be conqueieu anu uevelopeu was not
iestiicteu to the nationalist elites anu militaiizeu technociacy of South Ameiica,
but foimeu pait of a geneial peiception also shaieu by policy makeis anu planneis
woiking foi bi-lateial anu inteinational agencies helping to fostei uevelopment in
the Thiiu Woilu.
An extieme example of this peispective was a pioject piomoteu in the late 196us
by the Buuson Institute to builu a massive uam acioss the Amazon Rivei that woulu
iesult in the foimation of a "Neuiteiianean sea" at the inteiioi of the basin. The
uam was intenueu to function as a giant eneigy ieseivoii foi South Ameiica anu
the 0S as well as a means to piouuce millions of migiants to populate the iegion.
11

Anothei iemaikable example was a stuuy piouuceu in 1971 by the Foou anu
Agiicultuial 0iganization of the 0niteu Nations suggesting that, in oiuei to absoib
the impacts of the exponential global uemogiaphic inciease, Amazonia shoulu be
conveiteu into vast agiicultuial fielus of giain piouuction.
12
Insiue the belligeient
iush foi iaw mateiials that chaiacteiizeu the Colu Wai, the Amazon Basin was
conceiveu as a vast, piimoiuial ieseive of natuial iesouices, which, once piopeily
masteieu with mouein technologies, woulu seive to guaiantee the uevelopment of
iegional economies, help to meet giowing iates of woilu consumption, anu secuie
steauy flows of eneigy, stiategic mineials, anu fossil fuels to feeu the expansion of
the global militaiy-inuustiial complex. 0bseiveu fiom a contempoiaiy peispective,
it may be uifficult to imagine that such views foimeu the uominant uevelopment
sensibility. Neveitheless, anu uespite the intiinsic ecologically uestiuctive potential
embouieu in these views, what was consoliuateu in the 196us anu 197us was a
piopei enviionmental unueistanuing of Amazonia. Less associateu with count-
ei-cultuial activism anu moie with neo-Nalthusian manifestations of the ecological
uiscouise that emeigeu at the time, Amazonia was giauually appiehenueu as a
ueep geo-physical teiiain upon which a seiies of novel caitogiaphic imaginaiies,
goveinmental uiscouises, anu gianu planning stiategies woulu be piojecteu anu
ueployeu, anu which in tuin woulu leau to uiamatic changes in both its natuial anu
social lanuscapes.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 21S
The cleaiest expiession of this tiansfoimation was 0peiation Amazonia, a laige-
scale piogiam of uevelopment launcheu by the militaiy goveinment of Biazil, two
yeais aftei the 1964 coup, which sought to conveit the entiie iegion into a mas-
sive fiontiei of iesouice-extiaction, agiicultuie anu livestock piouuction thiough
the implementation of a seiies of piojects of continental piopoitions. The fiist
move in this opeiation was the establishment of a teiiitoiial juiisuiction nameu
"Legal Amazonia," which coveieu the whole poition of the basin within Biazilian
soveieign boiueismoie than five million squaie kilometies, S9 peicent of the
teiiitoiy of Biazil, anu piactically 6u peicent of the natuial aiea of Amazoniaanu
the placement of this vast zone unuei uiiect contiol of the feueial goveinment.
This juiiuical-political iegime was, in fact, not completely new. Similai foims foi
goveining the Biazilian Amazon hau alieauy been useu since the colonial peiiou. In
the miu-eighteenth centuiy, foi example, when Poituguese auministiatois voweu
to moueinize goveinmental piactices, they instituteu the "Companhia ueial ue
Comicio uo uio-Pai e Naianho," a soit of Amazonian veision of the East Inuia
Company, which, like the Supeiintenuence of Bevelopment of Amazonia (S0BAN),
the agency cieateu by the militaiy in 1966 to ueal exclusively with Legal Amazonia,
functioneu as a centializeu auministiative bouy uiiectly suboiuinateu to the execu-
tive uepaitments of the State. Paiallels between colonial anu mouein goveinmental
iationales aie not foituitous, especially when they testify to the unabateu peicep-
tion that Amazonia was chaiacteiizeu by a state of chionic teiiitoiial isolation
anu uemogiaphic emptiness, uetacheu fiom the social anu political life of Biazil,
a situation which, in the eyes of colonial anu post-colonial goveinments, maue the
!"# (#&8&')0)*2 &I )-0#(,50)&-. ual. uolbeiy uo Couto e Silva's influential teiiitoiial inteipietation of the
National Secuiity Boctiine.
The fiist map show the Biazilian teiiitoiy uiviueu into foui iegions: the "cential nucleus" connecteu with
thiee "peninsulas" locateu at the south, centei-west anu noitheast. Floating at the maigins, the "Amazonian
Islanu". The seconu map uesciibes the "maneuvei foi the integiation of the national teiiitoiy."
Fig. u4
216
iegion pione to foieign invasion anu economic stagnation, anu which theiefoie
calleu foi an oichestiateu anu foiceful stiategy of occupationi.e., a politics of
mouein colonization.
In the book %#&8&'t0)*5 @& E,52)', a teiiitoiial
inteipietation of Biazilian histoiy that exeit-
eu gieat influence on the aimeu foices uuiing
the militaiy uictatoiship, ueneial uolbeiy uo
Couto e Silva, peihaps the most impoitant in-
tellectual of the iegime, uesciibeu Amazonia as
a giant islanu floating at the maigins of the na-
tional polity, "mostly unexploieu, uevitalizeu
by the lack of people anu cieative eneigy, anu
which we must incoipoiate into the nation,
integiating it into the national community anu
valuing its gieat physical expiession which
touay still is almost completely passive."
1S

Although this peispective actualizeu oluei
colonial iueologies, theie aie obvious iauical
uiffeiences that aie impoitant to uemaicate.
The uiive to "occupy anu integiate" Amazonia
aftei the militaiy coup was infoimeu by
the combination of the Colu Wai National
Secuiity Boctiine, the global hegemony that
the concept of uevelopment assumeu in the
post-wai peiiou, anu the unchallengeu belief
in the poweis of mouein planning cultivateu
by geogiapheis, uibanists, economists, anu all
soits of technicians anu buieauciats. 0ntil the
196us, the spatial oiganization of Amazonia
iemaineu laigely uefineu by teiiitoiial pat-
teins inheiiteu fiom the "Atlantic Tiaue," moie
closely connecteu to the iivei anu sea than the continent. Nigiant communities,
towns, anu cities weie concentiateu along majoi wateiways anu seiveu mainly
as tiansit points foi commeicial exchange. The hinteilanus, wheie inuigenous
communities sought iefuge, iemaineu ielatively safe beyonu colonial piojects anu
mostly unmappeu. 0peiation Amazonia initiateu a campaign that woulu geneiate a
uiffeient image anu completely altei the teiiitoiial logic of the Amazon wateisheu.
By piojecting a neaily symmetiical ielation between an aitificial political space anu
the natuial bounuaiies of the basin, the opeiation coulu conceptualize anu ueploy
planning stiategies that encompasseu Amazonia as a bio-geogiaphic unit; that is, it
enableu uesign inteiventions at the point wheie the "ecological scale" inteisecteu
with the "legal scale" of Amazonia.
Fig. uS 9=5()-( /=5C&-)5. SLAR iemote sensing
image of the south-cential iegions of the
basin.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 217
Deep Corlogrophy
This oveilap between political anu natuial space was foigeu thiough a peculiai
combination that incluueu the intiouuction of new goveinmental anu economic
fiamewoiks (as exemplifieu by the cieation of S0BAN anu vaiious otheis insti-
tutional anu legal mechanisms ueuicateu exclusively to stimulating capital invest-
ment into the iegion), togethei with unpaialleleu effoits to map the geophysical
anu biophysical aspects of the basin. The militaiy's peiception that Amazonia
was a homogenous gieen voiu in neeu of occupation anu moueinization was also
a ieflection of the lack of piecise caitogiaphic infoimation. Staiting in 197u, the
laige-scale mapping suivey conuucteu by NASA-tiaineu ieseaicheis at the National
Institute of Spatial Reseaich of Biazil nameu L5@5, /=5C&-)5Zoi RABANZwas as
one of the most iemaikable initiatives that contiibuteu to the piocess of ie-shap-
ing the ways by which Amazonia was visualizeu anu inteipieteu. Cooiuinateu by
the Biazilian National Bepaitment of Nineial Piouuction, with the financial anu
technical suppoit of 0S-AIB, the pioject aimeu at iuentifying mineial iesouices
in the 44,uuu km
2
aiea along the Tians-Amazonian Bighway, a majoi tianspoit
aiteiy cutting east-west acioss the entiie basin. In the following yeais, RABAN was
giauually expanueu to covei all of Legal Amazonia, anu latei the entiie Biazilian
teiiitoiy. Simultaneously, the pioject also giew in scope to incoipoiate uetaileu
geogiaphical, geological, anu soils mapping; suiveys of agiicultuial anu foiest ie-
souices; hyuiology anu fishing chaits; anu the iuentification of actual anu potential
lanu-uses. By the miu-197us, as one of the geologists involveu in the pioject put it,
"the imaging of the whole nation was concluueu."
14
Befoie RABAN, the mapping of Amazonia hau been unueitaken piimaiily by
on-the-giounu suiveys conuucteu by vaiious militaiy, scientific, oi missionaiy
incuisions anu was theiefoie faiily limiteu by the tiajectoiies of majoi watei
channels that offeieu accessible ioutes into the haish geogiaphy of the hinteilanus.
Notable examples of this caitogiaphic aichive incluue the eaily-twentieth-centuiy
chaits piouuceu by the Biazilian Aimy uuiing expeuitions to lay the giounu foi
telegiaphic cabling, anu the uetaileu maps signeu by Noith Ameiican geogiaphei
Alexanuei Bamilton Rice, who pioneeieu the use of aeiial photogiaphy to map the
iainfoiest. Noie iecent examples aie ielateu to laige state-sponsoieu exploiatoiy
campaigns, as in the case of the highly publicizeu incuisions towaius the Xingu
Rivei initiateu in 194S by the J+-@5iu& E,5C)' :#-0,5' |Cential Biazil Founuationj,
an agency cieateu with the exclusive objective of opening up ioutes into southein
Amazonia. In all these enteipiises, the act of mapping anu effective teiiitoiial
contiol coalesceu into a single piactice. As such, they iepiouuceu a long tiauition
in the science of caitogiaphy, whose histoiical evolution is often inuistinguishable
fiom the global histoiy of colonization. Caitogiaphic expeuitions in Amazonia weie
iesponsible foi cieating outposts anu aiifielus that latei woulu seive as noues foi
fiontiei-expansion, while at the same time they helpeu iuentify soil types, fauna,
floia, anu othei natuial iesouices. Noieovei, those exploiatoiy missions became
impoitant foims of gatheiing ethnogiaphic infoimation about the inuigenous
218
populations they encounteieu. The attenuant images they piouuceu uesciibeu a
fiagmenteu mosaic of iegional caitogiaphies with little geological uepth. Amazonia
was, fiom this vantage point, vieweu as a sea-like space foimeu by extensive mac-
io-bio-geogiaphical suifaces, penetiateu by an intiicate hyuiological netwoik of
iiveis anu maishlanus. Insofai as it was uesigneu concomitantly to anu in suppoit
of the piocess of "occupation anu integiation" launcheu with 0peiation Amazonia>
RABAN helpeu to actualize a similai logic, but at the same time piojecteu it on
completely new teims. Because of the mouein technology that was employeu, a
whole new pictuie of the natuial teiiain emeigeu, one which coiiesponueu to the
militaiizeu foims that the piocess of uevelopmentcolonization of the Amazon
Basin assumeu in the Colu Wai context.
By the eaily 197us, following the iapiu evolution of iemote sensing systems ue-
signeu foi militaiy ieconnaissance, a seiies of visual technologiesmultispectial
aeiial photogiaphy, aiiboine iauais, anu satellite scanneisbeceme common
tools foi the iuentification anu location of natuial iesouices. RABAN's caitogiaphic
inventoiy was expanueu with the aiu of these new Eaith-sensing technologies.
Nost impoitant among them was iauai-imaging maue possible by Siue-Looking
Aiiboine Rauai |SLARj, a technology useu extensively foi patiolling missions at the
fiinges of the Iion Cuitain anu foi battlefielu suiveillance anu ieconnaissance in
vietnam. The uesign of RABAN was baseu on a similai system pioneeieu in the ob-
seivation-anu-attack aiiciaft 0v-1u Nohawk uevelopeu by the 0S Aimy uuiing the
vietnam Wai, without the weapons. While most optical uevices aie seveiely limiteu
both by climatic conuitions anu suiface covei, SLAR is capable of penetiating the
moist atmospheie anu uense foliage of tiopical foiests, pioviuing high-quality,
ieal-time images of the teiiain beneath.
1S
Rauai-imaging technology thus alloweu
foi the iapiu mapping of laige aieas of Amazonia uespite the peisistent clouuiness
anu iainfall intensity that hau obstiucteu pievious attempts to collect uata. In
paiallel to the iemote sensing effoits, the RABAN pioject also incluueu scientific
expeuitions to collect soil-samples anu giounu-pioofing of vegetation patteins
anu geological foimations. With the suppoit of the Biazilian Aii Foice, moie than
six-hunuieu foiests cleaiings weie openeu up to ieceive ieseaich ciews aiiiving
with small aiiciaft. In total, this fielu-woik coveieu moie than thiee thousanu
points uistiibuteu thioughout the basin at an aveiage of moie than one point pei
12uu km
2
.
16
Samples fiom the giounu weie enteieu into a laige uatabase of soil
piofiles, which, togethei with the caitogiaphic analysis ueiiveu fiom aeiial iecon-
naissance, weie then compileu into a bulky catalogue seiies that pioviueu uetaileu
taxonomical uesciiptions of the biological anu geophysical featuies of the whole
teiiitoiy of Legal Amazonia.
This new image of the Amazon then seiveu as the guiue foi the bellicose piogiam
of economic anu teiiitoiial integiation put foiwaiu uuiing the 197us anu 198us.
Aftei 0peiation Amazonia was launcheu, successive militaiy goveinments voweu
to acceleiate the piocess thiough the intiouuction of vaiious basin-wiue planning
schemes. Each time, these macio-stiategies assumeu uiffeient titles: in 197u, !"#
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 219
?'5- I&, 350)&-5' 9-0#(,50)&-; in 1974, PoloAmazonia; each scheme peipetuateu the
same spatial iationale, combining the impeiatives of uevelopment, the aggiessive-
ness of extiactive capitalism, anu the geopolitical conceins of the National Secuiity
Boctiine. Sustaineu by these thiee poweiful iueological pillais, the Biazilian mili-
taiy uictatoiship lasteu moie than twenty yeais. 0n the giounu, the piojects un-
leasheu a iauical piocess of "teiiitoiial uesign" baseu on a continental netwoik of
highways oveilaiu with telecommunication channels anu eneigy cables that linkeu
stiategically locateu "uevelopment-poles." The poles themselves weie selecteu
accoiuing to the economic potential of the suiface anu the subsoil as iuentifieu
by RABAN, anu weie conceiveu as moueinizing enclaves that woulu be equippeu
with infiastiuctuie, such as uams, aiipoits, anu seapoits, to auvance the capacity
neeueu to enable laige-scale iesouice extiaction. The ioau matiix was planneu as
the piimaiy means thiough which agiicultuial anu cattle fiontieis coulu expanu
towaius the inteiioi, while simultaneously pioviuing ioutes foi the massive migia-
tion of laboui foice. A pioject of this magnituue coulu only be implementeu by a
centializeu anu authoiitaiian state-appaiatus, which guaianteeu its enfoicement
W##8 0#,,5)-. Samples of the caitogiaphic inventoiy piouuceu by RABAN on the iegion between the Xingu
anu Aiaguaia Riveis, southein tiibutaiies of the Amazon. Respectively, the maps uesciibe geology, lanu
potential, phytogeogiaphy, anu agiicultuial suitability.
Fig. u6 -
Fig. u9
22u
thiough bypassing uemociatic uebate anu minimizing uissiuence. 0peiation
Amazonia> in its multiple foims anu manifestations, was as much the iesult of the
geneializeu state of iepiession that chaiacteiizeu this peiiou in Biazil as well as a
means ueployeu by the geneials to achieve political containment. The uiscouises
of moueinization, secuiity, anu nationalism that suppoiteu this planning stiategy
playeu a uecisive iole in legitimizing the violent political oiuei by which the mili-
taiy iuleu, anu the iauical piocess of teiiitoiial ie-oiganization that they imposeu.
The While Peoce
Publisheu at the moment
when this piocess was
at its gieatest intensity,
!"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#
tiaceu a countei-caitogia-
phy of the this new teiiain,
iuentifying peipetiatois
anu collaboiatois, uesciib-
ing the foices anu mecha-
nisms that weie suppoiting
the militaiy's bluepiint foi
Amazonia onto the giounu,
anu calling attention to
the intiinsic ecological
anu social violence of its
uesign. As noteu above,
Bavis anu Natthews weie
not isolateu voices. Theii
iepoit was pait of a laigei
bouy of liteiatuie that began to ciiculate aftei the launch of 0peiation Amazonia.
0ne of the eailiest anu most famous manifestations was the iepoit %#-&*)@#. J,&=
J),# 5-@ 64&,@ 0& /,2#-)* 5-@ E+''#02> :)A)')C50)&- K52 6#-0 6)D M)'')&- 9-@)5-2 0&
<D0)-*0)&-, wiitten by jouinalist Noiman Lewis anu publisheu by !"# 6+-@57 !)=#2
in Febiuaiy, 1969. It gaineu notoiiety by being one of the fiist iepoits to uiiect
attention to what was happening in Amazonia at a moment when the human-iights
situation of inuigenous peoples was alieauy extiemely acute. Lewis went to Biazil
to iepoit on the finuings of an Inquiiy Commission establisheu in 1967 by the
Biazilian Ninistiy of Inteiioi, which was investigating allegations of ciimes anu
coiiuption among officials of the SPI, the 6#,A)i& @# ?,&0#iu& 5&2 v-@)&2 |Seivice
foi the Piotection of the Inuiansj, a state-agency iesponsible foi implementing
anu goveining policies uiiecteu towaiu inuigenous communities anu oveiseeing
theii welfaie. Following his visit, Lewis listeu a seiies of atiocities uocumenteu
in %#-&*)@#, the twenty-volume, 7uuu-page iepoit that was ieleaseu by the com-
mission in 1968, ianging fiom the massive usuipation of inuigenous lanus, to
Fig. 1u !#,,)0&,)5' @#2)(-. The continental uiban-matiix as planneu in the
Plan foi National Integiation, 197u.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 221
bacteiiological waifaie anu the bombing of villages, to the abuuction of chiluien,
toituie, anu massacies. As eviuences of these ciimes staiteu to ciiculate globally,
uuiing the fiist 0niteu Nations Inteinational Confeience on Buman Rights, helu
in Teheian in 1968, the Biazilian goveinment was accuseu of being complicit in
the annihilation of its inuigenous population, piompting moie foieign obseiveis
anu jouinalists to tiavel to Amazonia. Because of this attention, othei, lessei-known
iepoits also appeaieu aiounu the same time as %#-&*)@#, incluuing, foi example,
the aiticle %#,= B5,I5,# /(5)-20 9-@)5-2 )2 :"5,(#@ )- E,5C)', publisheu by the
meuical attach to the Fiench Bepaitment of 0veiseas Teiiitoiies at the Neuical
Tiibune anu Neuical News of New Yoik in 1969.
17
With few uisciepancies, all of
these iepoits pioviueu a similai, haunting pictuie, best synthesiseu by Noiman
Lewis's piecise histoiical analogy: "The tiageuy of the Inuian in the 0SA in the last
centuiy was being iepeateu," he suggesteu, "but it was being compiesseu into a
shoitei time."
18
Cieateu in 191u, the SPI was a iesponse to the escalation of bloouy intei-ethnic
conflicts that weie leauing to the slaughtei of entiie tiibes in southein Biazil. While
migiant settleis attempteu to conquei new lanus in oiuei to expanu coffee plan-
tationsat that time a highly luciative commouity anu the majoi piouuct of the
Biazilian economythey weie met with fieice iesistance fiom inuigenous tiibes.
Railioau woiks weie inteiiupteu anu agiicultuial colonies that hau been officially
establisheu by the goveinment weie abanuoneu. Foi many people, the ueath of
inuigenous populations was not only consiueieu an unfoitunate fatality causeu by
the inexoiability of piogiess, but the veiy means thiough which the hinteilanus
<5,0"4&,;2. Images of the !,5-2G/=5C&-)5- K)("457 being caiveu out in the miuule of the jungle became
one of the most poweiful symbols of the nationalist iueology of the militaiy iegime.
Fig. 11
222
woulu be moueinizeu anu incoipoiateu within the national polity. As anthiopolo-
gist Baicy Ribeiio wiote in his histoiical account about the SPI, "the exteimination
of the Inuians was not only piacticeu, but uefenueu anu claimeu as a iemeuy which
was essential to the safety of those who weie builuing a civilization in the inteiioi
of Biazil."
19
Whethei uiiectly oi inuiiectly infoimeu by iacist social theoiies, these
views weie openly auvocateu in political anu acauemic ciicles, as well as in the na-
tional piess. The most infamous auvocate, the zoologist-cum-ethnologist Beimann
von Ilheiing, founuei anu fiist uiiectoi of the M+2#+ ?5+')205 (the Bistoiy Nuseum
of the 0niveisity of So Paulo), claimeu in a polemic publisheu in the museum's
19u7 magazine that because "the savages weie an obstacle to the colonization of
the iegions of the inteiioi wheie they live, theie seems no othei way we can call
upon if not theii exteimination."
2u
In the eaily twentieth centuiy, the uiban elites of So Paulo anu Rio ue }aneiio, who
weie geogiaphically uetacheu fiom the lawless fiontiei zones but whose uesiie to
emulate a Paiisian cosmopolitan lifestyle was totally uepenuant on the financial
benefits geneiateu by the coffee economy, weie facing a mouein uilemma: in the
name of piogiess anu nation-builuing, the colonization of the hinteilanus was
an unquestionable impeiative; howevei, news of the slaughtei of Inuians, which
staiteu to appeai moie fiequently in the piess, was also incieasingly conuemneu
as excessively violent, contiauictoiy to the humanistic values they weie keen to
cultivate. Foi intellectuals like von Ilheiing anu his peeis in acauemia anu Congiess,
Fig. 12 -
Fig. 1S
%#&'&()*5' 05D&-&=7. Sample images of the RABAN catalogue uesciibing fielu-woik ieseaich useu foi the
geological classification of soil piofiles in Amazonia.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 22S
Biazilian society was to be foigeu on the mouel of the fiontiei iueologies that shapeu
the histoiy of the 0niteu States, thus assuming the wai against "hostile tiibes" as a
full-fleugeu state-policy.
21
In opposition to this expansionist view, a giowing gioup
of scientists, philanthiopists, politicians, anu militaiy officeis began to auvocate
foi goveinment policies baseu on the non-violent pacification anu piotection of
inuigenous communities.
The SPI was ultimately the piouuct of lobbying effoits caiiieu out by the lattei
gioup. Infoimeu by the humanistic social evolutionism of Augusto Comte's positiv-
ist philosophy, they aigueu that inuigenous populations shoulu be gianteu enough
space to uevelop at theii own pace anu giauually auapt to the paiauigms of mouein
civilization. It was theiefoie necessaiy foi the State to assume legal piotection ovei
the Inuians anu to cieate an institution that woulu opeiate as a meuiatoi between
the fiagile moues of life of the "piimitives" anu the violent foices of the expansion-
ist fiontiei. The SPI was iesponsible foi establishing peaceful contact with isolateu
tiibes, secuiing lanus foi theii suivival anu auministeiing peuagogical piogiams
that woulu slowly piepaie those populations to be assimilateu into national society.
The oiigin of this humanitaiian piactice is locateu in the woik Naishal Cnuiuo
Naiiano ua Silva Ronuon, a youngei officei of inuigenous uescent, who, while in
commanu of militaiy expeuitions was uispatcheu to builu telegiaphic lines towaius
the inteiioi of Biazil, uevelopeu a seiies of innovative techniques to contact Inuian
tiibes without iesoiting to aimeu foice. The founuei anu fiist uiiectoi of the SPI,
Ronuon's famous motto was: "Bie, if necessaiy; kill, nevei." In the uecaues following
its cieation, the SPI establisheu ovei one hunuieu outposts acioss the Biazilian
teiiitoiy. Initially seiving as logistical centies wheie uispeiseu inuigenous gioups
coulu be attiacteu to in oiuei to be pacifieu, these encampments lattei uevelopeu
into agiicultuial anu cattle faiming colonies commanueu by SPI officials, who
weie then iesponsible foi intiouucing mouein laboui techniques to the Inuians,
pioviuing meuical caie, anu teaching them the habits of civilization anu the senti-
ments of nationalism. The founuation of SPI maikeu a tuining point in the ielations
between the Biazilian State anu its inuigenous population because it was the fiist
time that inuigenous cultuial anu teiiitoiial integiity weie gianteu some soit of
legal anu institutional piotection. Yet, the humanitaiian goveinmentality that the
agency instituteu was hugely contiauictoiy, to say the least. Although auvocating
seculaiism anu legitimizeu by positivism, the SPI-mouel shaieu similaiities with
foims of political tutelage anu teiiitoiial contiol employeu by }esuit missionaiies
on behalf of the colonial auministiation since the sixteenth centuiy. The "piotec-
tionist inteivention," as Baicy Ribeiio has calleu it, which was piomoteu by the
iueologues of SPI to stop the slaughtei of inuigenous tiibes, offeieu a fine solution
to the paiauoxes imposeu by the "question of the Inuian" in ielation to the pio-
cess of teiiitoiial expansion of the Biazilian mouein nation-state: simultaneously
pacifist anu expansionist, iueologically opposeu to the exteimination of inuigenous
populations, while at the same time seiving as one of the most efficient mecha-
nisms foi opening up theii lanus foi colonization.
22
224
By the miu-19Sus, when Biazil staiteu builuing the moueinist capital Biasilia in the
miuule of its teiiitoiya poweiful uemonstiation of the piogiam to conquei the
hinteilanus that acceleiateu exponentially in the following uecauestheie weie
alaiming signals that the pacifist piogiam launcheu by the SPI hau been seveiely
uamageu. In a lanumaik iepoit publisheu in 19S7, Baicy Ribeiio uemonstiateu
thiough uetaileu statistics that most of the 2Su tiibes known in 19uu weie on the
veige of total uisintegiation, anu that in the aieas of expansion of cattle iaising,
agiicultuial, anu mineial-extiaction activities, moie than 8u tiibes hau completely
uisappeaieu. In less than 6u yeais, the inuigenous population of Biazil hau uioppeu
fiom one million to two hunuieu thousanu, anu the communities that hau suiviveu
the piocess of contact weie living in wietcheu conuitions, facing poveity, malnutii-
tion, uisease, anu uepopulation.
2S
Apait fiom a hanuful of expeiiencesthe eailiei
heioic yeais of Naishal Ronuon; the iemaikable ethnological uocumentation gath-
eieu by the Stuuies Section founueu in 1942 (in which Ribeiio woikeu between
1947 anu 19S7); anu the cieation of the Xingu Inuigenous Paik in 1961the his-
toiy of SPI was less one of success than one a seiies of failuies. 0nuei the poweiful
influence of lanuowneis anu mining coipoiations, successive goveinments nevei
ieally gianteu the financial anu political suppoit that was necessaiy to accomplish
its ambitious piotectionist mission anu, with notable exceptions, the uiban heau-
quaiteis anu fiontiei outposts of SPI weie incieasingly occupieu by piofessional
buieauciats who showeu little commitment to its oiiginal ethos. The agency founu
itself iepeateuly thieateneu with extinction, accuseu of coiiuption anu iiuuleu
with complaints of inefficiency. Aftei the coup of 1964, when fiontiei expansion
assumeu the authoiitaiian face of the uictatoiship, this situation woiseneu con-
siueiably.
24
As with the majoiity of goveinmental institutions, the commanu of
the SPI was assumeu by a militaiy officei, Najoi Luis vinhas Neves, who tuineu
out to be one of the main peipetiatois accuseu in the ciimes uocumenteu by the
Inquiiy Commission. Amiust mounting national anu inteinational public piessuie,
in Becembei 1967, a few months befoie the commission's iepoit was ieleaseu,
Ninistei of Inteiioi ual. Albuqueique Lima uissolveu the SPI anu a new institution
was establisheu, the F0NAI, the National Inuian Founuation.
F0NAI was the iesponse of the ueneials to allegations that the Biazilian militaiy
iegime was complicit in a genociual campaign against inuigenous populations.
Theie weie many piomises of iefoims that came along with the cieation of the
new agency. Its statute incoipoiateu a seiies of piogiessive elements, officially
enuoising the piinciples piesciibeu by the 0niteu Nations anu the Inteinational
Laboui 0iganization iegaiuing the iights of ethnic minoiities.
2S
In paiallel, the
goveinment issueu a set of ueciees to uemaicate five laige inuigenous ieseives
acioss the countiy, anu Albuqueique Lima welcomeu foieign fact-gatheiing ex-
peuitions to assess the situation, incluuing a meuical mission of the Inteinational
Committee of the Reu Cioss to Amazonia in 197u anu anothei conuucteu by the
Lonuon-baseu Nu0 Suivival Inteinational in 1971.
26
The optimism geneiateu by
those measuies was neveitheless shoit-liveu. The establishment of the SPI Inquiiy
Commission anu the subsequent cieation of F0NAI came at a paiticulai moment
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 22S
in the histoiy of the Biazilian militaiy uictatoiship, which ieflecteu the woiluwiue
political expectations of the late 196us. While piotests spieau thiough the stieets
of Paiis anu thousanus maicheu against the vietnam Wai in Washington anu
in Lonuon, the uiban squaies of Rio ue }aneiio weie also filleu up with massive
stuuent uemonstiations. In 1968, militant woikeis stageu the fiist majoi stiikes
since the 1964 militaiy coup, piogiessive membeis of the Catholic Chuich staiteu
to publicly ciiticize the iegime, anu uenouncements of toituie of political piisoneis
weie openly voiceu in Congiess. Fiom uiffeient coineis, multiple manifestations of
uissent emeigeu, geneiating a volatile situation that piompteu a swift ciackuown
by haiu-line militaiy commanueis. In Becembei 1968, Piesiuent ual. Aitui ua
Costa e Silva issueu the infamous Institutional Act No. S, a state-of-emeigency law
that gave oveiwhelming poweis to the "Supieme Commanu of the Revolution" ovei
eveiy aspect of civilian life. Fiom that point onwaius, a much moie peivasive sui-
veillance appaiatus came into effect anu Biazil uescenueu into the most iepiessive
peiiou of the uictatoiship.
27
This iauical change in the political atmospheie also
hau seveie consequences foi the inuigenous populations of the countiy.
While the piomiseu teiiitoiial ieseives iemaineu on papei, the philosophy of
F0NAI was ie-oiienteu towaius the tenets of the National Secuiity Boctiine. 0n
the giounu, the woiking agenua that the agency hau to fulfil became totally sub-
oiuinateu to the piogiam of "teiiitoiial uesign" that was ueployeu in Amazonia
aftei the launch of the Plan foi National Integiation in 197u. Commanueu by ual.
Banueiia Nelo, a foimei intelligence officei who piesiueu the institution between
197u anu 1974, F0NAI establisheu a contiact with S0BAN committing to the iapiu
%#-&*)@#. The fiist page of Noiman Lewis iepoitage publisheu in the 6+-@57 !)=#2 in 1969. Fig. 16
226
pacification of the "hostile tiibes" that inhabiteu the iegions wheie the continen-
tal ioaus weie being caiveu out, thus inauguiating a whole new phase in a long
histoiy of colonization that aiguably suipasseu any pievious effoits.
28
It was cleai
that the iefoims piomoteu by the militaiy iegime hau geneiateu little change, anu
if so, only foi the woise. The compaiison between SPI anu F0NAI was even moie
peitinent in the context of the iecently openeu fiontiei-zones of Amazonia, with a
substantial uiffeience: in oiuei to keep pace with the iapiu auvancement of uevel-
opment schemes, the campaign of pacification in the iegion became incieasingly
militaiizeu. This situation was aggiavateu in Becembei 197S, when uictatoi ual.
uaiiastazu Nuice sanctioneu Law 6uu1, also known as the Inuian Statute.
29
As
with the uocument that establisheu F0NAI, the text of this law was peimeateu with
mouein, libeial ihetoiic claiming to fuithei expanu inuigenous iights. Bowevei,
it iuleu that "inteiventions" into inuigenous lanus coulu be enacteu in oiuei "to
iealize public woiks" oi "to exploit the wealth of the subsoil" if they weie "of in-
teiest foi national secuiity anu uevelopment," anu in that mannei conveiteu the
violent piocess of teiiitoiial expiopiiation that was taking place in Amazonia into
a legitimate, official state-policy.
Nuch fastei than befoie, the inteiventionist policies put foiwaiu by the militaiy
iegime weie leauing to outiight exteimination of entiie tiibes, but because
Biazilian society was unuei wiuespieau meuia censoiship anu political iepies-
sion, it was even moie uifficult to iepoit on the situation than in pievious yeais.
Fig. 17 !"# ?,&0#*0)&-)20 9-0#,A#-0)&-. Still fiames of the film aichive of the SPI. visual iecoius of SPI activities
seiveu both as state-piopaganua as well as impoitant ethnogiaphic uocumentation.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 227
Yet again, attempts to mobilize inteinational public attention staiteu to emeige. A
few uays aftei the appioval of the Inuian Statute, a gioup of bishops anu Catholic
missionaiies publisheu a histoiical uocument titleu Y-}uco Piromo, an expiession
in Tupi language meaning "he who must uie." Thiough a uetaileu compilation of
facts anu ueclaiations that appeaieu in the Biazilian piess, this iepoit offeieu evi-
uence foi the allegations that F0NAI was opeiating with "unpiofesseu suppoit" of
the economic inteiests of multinational coipoiations anu big lanuowneis, fuithei
claiming that, nonetheless, the iesponsibility to the ongoing piocess of extinction
of inuigenous peoples in Biazil shoulu not be attiibuteu exclusively to the agency.
Its main causes lay much ueepei, the authois contenueu, foi the piactices anu
policies of F0NAI weie in fact the iesult of a laigei "global scheme."
Su
By the teim
"global scheme," they iefeiieu to what was then known as the "Biazilian Nouel,"
a uesignation useu by economists to uesciibe the aiticulation between state in-
centives, inteinational aiu, anu piivate capital that foimeu the tiiangulai base foi
the uevelopment piogiam being implementeu by the militaiy iegime. The violent
scenaiio that the combination of those actois anu foices unleasheu in Amazonia
was also uenounceu in anothei impoitant uocument of this peiiou, !"# ?&')0)*2 &I
%#-&*)@# 5(5)-20 0"# 9-@)5-2 &I E,5C)'> which began ciiculating in Septembei 1974
at an acauemic symposium in Nexico City. Foi the Biazilian anthiopologists who
wiote this iepoit, whose names weie not ievealeu because they feaieu iepiession,
the post-F0NAI politics of pacification launcheu by the militaiy amounteu to acts
of genociue as uefineu in inteinational law, anu theiefoie they calleu on the 0niteu
Nations to conuuct a fully fleugeu ciiminal investigation into the piactices of the
Biazilian State.
S1
It was in this context that !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A# was publisheu
two yeais latei. While pointing to the paiticipation of multinational coipoiations
anu inteinational financial institutions in the "global scheme" that sustaineu the
uictatoiship, Bavis anu Natthews sought to asseit theii shaie of iesponsibility foi
what the Biazilian anthiopologists claimeu to be a genociual campaign, but which
they uesciibeu with a slightly uiffeient conceptethnociue.
"uenociue assassinates people in theii bouies," wiote the Fiench anthiopologist
Pieiie Clasties, "ethnociue kills them in theii souls."
S2
Although closely ielateu anu
to a laige extent insepaiable, these concepts weie cieateu to give name to uiffeient
foims of violence, each oiiginating in ielation to a specific histoiical context. Coineu
by juiist Raphael Lemkin in 1944 to uesciibe the systematic exteimination of the
Euiopean }ews by the Nazi iegime, genociue was maue an inteinational ciime
in 1948 aftei the Nuiembeig Tiials.
SS
In Lemkin's oiiginal uefinition, genociue
iefeiieu to an oveiall stiategy intenueu to uestioy in whole oi in pait a national,
iacial, ieligious oi ethnic gioup; that is, the concept was inventeu to nominate
a foim of violence that was uiiecteu towaius a collective P+5 collective. As the
scholai Biik Noses points out in a thoiough analysis of the unpublisheu ieseaich
notes left by Lemkin, his eaily attempts to uefine genociue incluueu both physical
anu cultuial annihilation, violence against the bouy anu the soul. "Physical anu
biological genociue aie always pieceueu by cultuial genociue," Lemkin wiote, "oi
by an attack on the symbols of the gioup oi by violent inteifeience with ieligious oi
228
cultuial activities."
S4
The juiist consiueieu "cultuial genociue" an essential aspect of
the ciime he was tiying to name, but uue to a seiies of political compiomises anu
uiveiging inteiests of uiffeient nation-states, anu uespite the fact that some uiafts
of the 1948 0N uenociue Convention uiu incluueu the teim, cultuial genociue was
eiaseu fiom the coues of inteinational law. This histoiical outcome, Noses aigues,
"auvantageu states which sought to assimilate theii inuigenous populations anu
othei minoiities aftei Woilu Wai II."
SS
By the eaily 197us, while new iesouice fiontieis weie expanuing thioughout the
"isolateu" teiiitoiies of the Thiiu Woilu, militant ethnologists staiteu to employ
the concept of ethnociue to uesciibe the uimension of cultuial violence that hau
been left outsiue the legal uefinition of genociue. Not necessaiily involving physical
annihilation but equally committeu to the uestiuction of otheiness, ethnociue
was the woiu inventeu to name what the Biazilian militaiy calleu "integiation." It
was the anthiopologist Robeit }aulin who contiibuteu most to uefining the teim,
paiticulaily in the book !"# B")0# ?#5*#. 9-0,&@+*0)&- 0& <0"-&*)@# (197u)S While
conuucting fielu-woik among the Baii people on the boiuei between Colombia anu
venezuela, }aulin witnesseu the campaign of assimilation to which the they weie
being foiceu to succumb, similai to the situation in Biazil, caiiieu out by aimeu
foices anu civilizing missionaiies in oiuei to open up lanu foi multinational oil
companies. "Integiation is the iight to life gianteu to the othei with the conuition
that they become who we aie," he concluueu, "but the contiauiction of this system is
piecisely that the othei, uetacheu fiom himself, uies."
S6
Wheieas genociue expiess-
es the total negation of the othei with the aim of physical uestiuction, ethnociue
is a foim of violence that tiansfoims that negativity into a positive, humanitaiian
intent. As Pieiie Clasties wiote, "the spiiit of ethnociue is the ethics of humanism,"
a peiveise ethos which has been histoiically mobilizeu, anu is still, on behalf of
establishing the "white peace."
S7
Fig. 18 !"# 4")0# 8#5*#. sample pages of a iepoit uiscloseu fiom the aichives of F0NAI uesciibing a mission con-
uucteu in noithwestein Amazonia to "pacify" the Waimiii-Atioaii.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 229
Fcocide
"Aftei the enu of Woilu Wai II, anu as a iesult of the Nuiembeig Tiials, we justly
conuemneu the wilful uestiuction of an entiie people anu its cultuie, calling this
ciime against humanity genociue. It seems to me that the wilful anu peimanent
uestiuction of enviionment in which a people can live in a mannei of theii own
choosing ought similaily to the consiueieu as a ciime against humanity, to be
uesignateu by the teim #*&*)@#S"
S8
Noith-Ameiican botanist Aithui W. ualston, a
pioneei inventoi of uefoliants anu one of theii haishest ciitics, maue this statement
uuiing a panel titleu "Technology anu Ameiican Powei: The Changing Natuie of
Wai," at a confeience oiganizeu in Washington in 197u to uebate the wai ciimes
that weie being committeu by the 0S Aimy in vietnam.
S9
Woius come into being to
nominate existing phenomena that have not yet been given a piopei uesciiption,
enabling us to uiaw new unueistanuings of the past anu the piesent, anu peihaps
to pioject uiffeient futuies. As with genociue anu ethnociue, the concept of ecociue
was inventeu to uesciibe a foim of violence which, although not completely new,
achieveu unpieceuenteu intensity uuiing the scoicheu-eaith campaign that the 0S
militaiy foices ueployeu against the foiests of Inuochina. Ceitainly, the mobiliza-
tion of natuie as a weapon of wai is as olu as the histoiy of human conflict itself.
But what the conflict in vietnam maue visible was a heietofoie unseen uestiuction
of entiie ecologies in a shoit peiiou of time, painfully uemonstiating the potential
implications of the "enviionmental violence" intiinsic to the techno-scientific ap-
paiatus being uevelopeu in suppoit of the Colu Wai, whethei applieu in militaiy
oi civilian inuustiies. Bence, ualston concluueu his statement with the following
woius: "I believe that most highly uevelopeu nations have alieauy committeu au-
to-ecociue ovei laige paits of theii own countiies. At the piesent time, the 0niteu
States stanus alone as possibly having committeu ecociue against anothei countiy,
vietnam, thiough its massive use of chemical uefoliants anu heibiciues. The 0niteu
Nations woulu appeai to be an appiopiiate bouy foi the foimulation of a pioposal
against ecociue."
4u
Amiust the buigeoning uebate about the uegiauation of the
global enviionment by civilian offshoots of the wai inuustiy, thioughout the 197us
the concept of ecociue was wiuely uebateu by legal scholais, many of whom au-
vocateu that the 0N shoulu inueeu follow ualston's pioposal anu incoipoiate acts
of "uelibeiate enviionmental uestiuction" into the list of ciimes against peace.
41

Since then, uiscussions on whethei oi not to incluue ecociue into the fiamewoiks
of inteinational law have continueu, but no iesolutions have been implementeu to
uate.
42
The novel methous anu the unpieceuenteu biutality of the violence unleasheu
since WWII foiceu the cieation of new concepts anu uefieu establisheu ethical anu
legal coues. In the context of Amazonia, this new lexicon of uestiuction coalesceu
into a single spatial stiategy. Whethei oi not the Biazilian militaiy iegime was com-
plicit in acts of genociue against its inuigenous populations is a highly contioveisial
question which is only now being piopeily investigateu aftei the much uelayeu
tiuth commission of Biazilthe CNv, :&=)22u& 35*)&-5' @5 N#,@5@#was finally
2Su
establisheu in eaily 2u11. Recent uisclosuies of militaiy state-aichives, as well as
the appeaiance of pieviously unheaiu testimonies, aie unveiling new eviuences of
the human-iights violations committeu by state agents uuiing the uictatoiship. It
has been aigueu, foi example, that uuiing the constiuction of the BR-174 highway
in noithwest Amazonia, an estimateu two thousanu Waimiii-Atioaii Inuians weie
killeu, a figuie two times gieatei than the (contesteu) cuiient official accounts
of the numbei of muiueieu anu uisappeaieu peisons by the militaiy iegime in
Biazil.
4S
What is beyonu uoubt is that the militaiization of the politics of pacifica-
tion attenuing 0peiation Amazonia was baseu on the logic of ethnociue, that its
implementation on the giounu leu to the physical uestiuction of hunuieus if not
thousanus of Inuians anu, no less impoitant, that this piocess was accompanieu by
wiuespieau ecological uestiuction.
Befoie 0peiation Amazonia, most of the lanu in Amazonia lackeu piopei legislation
anu was uefineu as 0#,,52 @#A&'+052, a foim of piopeity inheiiteu fiom the colonial
peiiou which, although belonging to the state, has no uefineu public use, thus ie-
maining common but available foi piivate appiopiiation. As ioaus openeu up these
unlegislateu aieas foi colonization, massive uefoiestation followeu. The piouuction
of pastuielanus tuineu out to be one of the most effective means useu by speculatois
to claim anu secuie lanu titles, engenueiing a mechanism of "enclosuie-by-uestiuc-
tion" that iesulteu in a vicious cycle of ecological anu social violence that continues
touay. 0piooteu by the expansion of soya plantations in the South anu sugai-cane
latifunuia in the Noitheast, hunuieus of thousanus of lanuless peasants migiateu to
the fiontiei zones of Amazonia to settle neai the highways, only to be expelleu by
poweiful lanuowneis. Lacking auequate technical anu financial suppoit fiom the
goveinment to piouuce in the haish climatic anu euaphic conuitions of the iain-
foiest, laige contingents opteu to move to uiban centies. Aiounu the sites wheie
laige-scale extiactive inuustiies weie installeu anu uams weie constiucteu, olu anu
new towns giew uncontiollably, tuining Amazonia in one of the fastest giowing
uiban fiontieis in the woilu. Bespite the gianu planning stiategies of the geneials,
cities spiawleu without the necessaiy infiastiuctuie anu facilities to accommouate
uemogiaphic inciease. As Nike Bavis shaiply obseiveu, in Amazonia "uibanization"
anu "favelization" became piactically synonymous.
44
In the miu-198us, when Biazil was enteiing into a piocess of giauual "tiansition to
uemociacy" anu the ecological ciisis hau become an issue of bioauei public concein,
Amazonia was tuineu into a poweiful symbolic space of the uefence of the global
enviionment. While the uecaues-long uevelopment iueology was fiactuieu by the
new paiauigm of "sustainability," the iemote sensing technologies intiouuceu by
RABAN weie now being useu to tiy to make sense of the scale of enviionmental
uestiuction causeu by the planning schemes implementeu uuiing the uictatoiship.
The uigent quest to monitoi anu pieseive ecosystems became one of the most
impoitant uebates insiue the new foiums of enviionmental politics, both because
of the thieat of biouiveisity loss anu because climate change was emeiging as a
contentious pioblem. Tiopical foiests peifoim a ciucial function in global climate
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 2S1
iegulation, iemoving laige amounts of C0
2
fiom the atmospheie anu locking it up
in a uynamic cycle of vegetation giowth anu uecay. Amazonia is a giant ieseivoii of
caibon, containing ioughly one-tenth of the global total.
4S
When buineu, it is also
a poweiful souice of gieenhouse gases emissions. In 199u, two yeais befoie the
fiist 0N Eaith Summit was conveneu in Rio ue }aneiio anu months aftei a piesi-
uential election was helu in aftei moie than twenty yeais of militaiy uictatoiship,
the Space Reseaich Institute of Biazil publisheu the fiist uetaileu quantification
of the scale of uefoiestation in Legal Amazonia. Thiough an analysis of LANBSAT
imageiy, ieseaicheis uemonstiateu that between 197u anu 1989 neaily 4uu,uuu
squaie kilometies of the oiiginal foiest covei of the Biazilian Amazon hau been
cleaieu, at an aveiage iate of 22,uuu kilometies pei yeai, equaling an aiea the size
Poitugal anu Italy combineu.
46
Patteins of enviionmental uegiauation in Amazonia
followeu the bluepiint elaboiateu by the militaiy anu its planneis, moving ueepei
into the jungle thiough the new highways anu expanuing in centiifugal movements
fiom the sites wheie so-calleu uevelopment polls weie installeu. 0ften poitiayeu
as a chaotic piocess iesulting fiom lack of goveinmental contiol, the "ecociue" that
spieau ovei the Biazilian Amazon was in fact piouuceu by uesign. Conceptualizeu
anu implementeu at the conjunction between the natuial anu legal Amazonia, these
spatial stiategies implieu foims of state-inteivention at the scale of basin-wiue
ecological uynamics, thus making the bounuaiies between enviionmental anu
political foices piactically inuistinguishable. As such, insofai as Amazonia plays an
impoitant function within the laigei Eaith-system, it also necessaiily containeu the
potential of unleashing ecological consequences of global scope.

<-A),&-=#-05' A)&'#-*#. befoie (197S) anu aftei (2uu1) satellite images showing patteins of uefoiestation at
one of the "uevelopment poles" at southwestein Amazonia (image analysis by 0NEP). Patteins of enviionmen-
tal uegiauation in Amazonia followeu the bluepiint elaboiateu by the militaiies.
Fig. 19
2S2
The lrchoeology of \iolence
Although the pioposeu uate maiking the passage fiom the Bolocene to the
Anthiopocene was set to coinciue with the inuustiial ievolution in Euiope, an
event to which we must auu the paiallel movement of massive colonial enclo-
suies anu the consequential changes in lanu-use patteins that swept thioughout
the Thiiu Woilu as the non-Euiopean peasantiy was foicibly integiateu into the
global maiket,
47
the Colu Wai aiguably stanus out as a iauical anu uecisive tuining
point in the histoiical iecoius of stiatigiaphy. At the scale of Eaith's ueep time, the
late twnetieth centuiy is compaiatively just a tiny, insignificant fiagment. But if
measuieu in uegiees of intensity, these shoit but extiemely violent uecaues may
be seen as a moment of exponential geochionological acceleiation. Potentializeu
by the singulai combination of the aims-iace anu iesouice-iush that chaiactei-
izeu the Colu Wai, mouein technology anu science ieacheu pieviously unknown
uomains in theii Piomethean attempt to mastei planetaiy ecological uynamics,
tiying to uomesticate iemote ueseit anu foiest lanus, conqueiing polai ice caps
anu ocean floois, alteiing atmospheiic layeis anu inteivening into pieviously
unchaiteieu layeis of the Eaith's ciust. The capacity of anthiopogenic-inuuceu
enviionmental mouifications incieaseu significantly as the alliance between tech-
no-science, mouein inuustiy anu militaiism pusheu innovations beyonu the limits
of the imaginable. Infoimeu by the uoctiines of uevelopment anu secuiity, anu the
theoiies of moueinization anu unlimiteu economic giowth, scientists, technicians,
planneis, anu stiategists auvocateu foi gianu schemes that sought to manipulate
bio-geo-physical uynamics at a planetaiy scale, fiom uiveiging the cuiients of the
open seas to chemically alteiing vast tiacts of soils, puiposefully inuucing weathei
mouifications oi cieating an aitificial Neuiteiianean at the miuule of the Amazon
Basin.
48
These geo-engineeiing uesigns weie encouiageu anu legitimizeu by the
geopolitics of Colu Wai's bi-polai woilu oiuei, anu to a laige extent oui cuiient
peiception of the natuie of the globe is the piouuct of epistemic mouels that weie
foigeu unuei this uialectic of enmity. Within this bellicose iueology, the ultimate
casualty was the Eaith itself. "We so-calleu uevelopeu nations aie no longei fighting
among ouiselves," philosophei Nichel Seiies wiote in 199u, in the afteimath of
the conflict, "togethei we aie all tuining against the woilu. Liteially a woilu wai."
49
The global Colu Wai was fought at an enviionmental scale. At the same time, it
was a peiiou uuiing which states-of-exception anu political violence tuineu into
the noimalizeu foim of goveining, chiefly at the maigins of the Thiiu Woilu, wheie
coup-enfoiceu militaiy iegimes weie iesponsible foi wiuespieau killings anu
uisappeaiances of innocent civilians. Nost often, violence uiiecteu towaius human
collectives anu ecological uestiuction weie conuenseu as two-siues of the same ia-
tionale. Bence the paiauigmatic impoitance of the attacks ueployeu by the 0S Aimy
against the foiests of Inuochina, which weie stiategically conceiveu in teims of eco-
logical metaphois such as "uiaining the watei to kill the fish" oi "scoicheu-eaith."
Insofai as the ciucial question poseu by the Anthiopocene thesis iefeis piecisely
to the impossibility of maintaining the uivisions between natuial anu social foices
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 2SS
that infoim Westein philosophy anu politics, one of the ciucial questions that we
must ask is how the histoiies of powei have influenceu, anu have been influenceu
by, the natuial histoiy of the Eaith. The ie-shaping of the natuie of Amazonia
that took place uuiing the militaiy uictatoiship in Biazil was the piouuct of the
entanglements between political anu enviionmental violence, the funuamental
engines of by which the "geological impeiative" coulu be enfoiceu on the giounu.
The collateial effects that ensueu can be felt in the alteiations of the global climatic
uynamics that we expeiience touay, tiansfoimations that aie as much natuial as
social-political. The Anthiopocene, inueeu, is the piouuct of militaiy *&+82 @1F050S
%#&('78"2> 5- +,H5- I&,#20. iecent aicheological eviuences uncoveieu on uefoiesteu aieas in Amazonia leu to
a iauical change in the peiception of the natuie of the foiest. Laige tiacts of Amazonia aie touay consiueieu
"human-maue."
Fig. 2u
2S4
***
In 1999, while flying ovei the south-westein euges of the Amazonia, one of the ie-
gions that hau been most seveiely affecteu by the colonization schemes implement-
eu uuiing the 197us anu 198us, the Biazilian palaeontologist Alceu Ranzi noticeu
tiaces of vaiious geometiic eaithwoiks of laige uimensions scatteieu thioughout
the uefoiesteu aieas of laige cattle-ianches. The /=5C&-)5- (#&('78"2, as these
stiuctuies became known, tuineu out to be one of the most significant aichaeolog-
ical uiscoveiies of iecent times in Amazonia, foi they aie completely ieconfiguiing
the ways by which we unueistanu both the natuie anu histoiy of the iainfoiest.
Befoie 0peiation Amazonia, they weie hiuuen unueineath the vegetation covei. As
the foiest was cleaieu out anu this iegion tuineu into a vast savannah lanuscape,
the eaithwoiks became incieasingly visible. Because of the enoimous size of the
excavations, anu also because they aie filleu with iecent seuimentation, it is haiu
to uistinguish the geoglyphs when looking fiom the giounu. 0bseiveu fiom the sky,
howevei, it is possible to iuentify theii uimensions anu teiiitoiial patteins of uistii-
bution. 0sing iemote sensing technologies, aichaeologists have locateu moie than
21u geometiic eaithwoiks uistiibuteu ovei an aiea coveiing 2Su km
2
in westein
Amazonia. They aie shapeu in peifect ciicles oi iectangles of 9u to Suu meties in
uiametei anu sculpteu by uitches of appioximately eleven meteis wiue anu ioughly
one to thiee meteis ueep, which aie suiiounueu by eaithen walls up to one metei
high. Some of these giant stiuctuies aie linkeu by walleu ioaus, anu most of them
aie locateu neai heauwateis, stiategically placeu at elevateu plateaus above majoi
iivei valleys fiom wheie it is possible to visually embiace the suiiounuings in a
panoiamic peispectives. Aichaeologists aie still uebating on the function of these
stiuctuies, some suggesting that they weie ceiemonial enclosuies oi uefensive
foitifications, otheis aiguing that the uitches coulu have been useu as iesouice
management systems, foi example, to stoie watei oi cultivate aquatic fauna foi
human consumption. Rauiocaibon analysis of soil samples uate to the yeai 12S8,
coinciuing with the peiiou of iapiu uibanization of the meuieval towns in Euiope.
ueo-aichaeological uata of this soit uemonstiate that only as Suu yeais befoie the
aiiival of the Euiopeans colonizeis, substantial populations inhabiteu this iegion
of Amazonia. The aichaeologists who leu this ieseaich contenu that many moie
similai stiuctuies aie buiieu beneath the foiests that iemain stanuing, anu esti-
mate that only ten pei cent of the total of possible existent geoglyphs have been
iuentifieu. These impiessive aichitectuial foims aie inteipieteu as eviuences of
the ancient piesence of "complex societies" that foi centuiies mouifieu an enviion-
ment that until now we thought to be piistine. The consequent conclusion is that
Amazonia's ueep histoiy is not natuial, but human.
Su
0ntil the 197us, the ielations between natuie anu society in Amazonia weie
fiameu by scientific uesciiptions uominateu by socio-evolutionist theoiies, which
poitiayeu the iegion as a hostile enviionment populateu by uispeiseu anu ue-
mogiaphically ieuuceu tiibes, constiaineu by haish enviionmental ueteiminants
anu theiefoie unable to oveicome a piimitive stage of social-political oiganization
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 2SS
anu uevelop laigei polities. Buiing the following uecaues, anu incieasingly so
in the last ten yeais, a seiies of aichaeological finuings such as the geoglyphs,
oi the iuentification of many sites containing 0#,,5 8,#05Zanthiopogenic
black-soils that aie iich in caibon compounus anu highly feitileoi the incieu-
ible uiban clusteis mappeu out by aichaeologist Nichael }. Beckenbeigei at the
0ppei Xingu Rivei Basin aie iauically tiansfoiming this image of Amazonia.
S1
In
a seminal aiticle publisheu in 1989, anthiopologist William Bale estimateu that
laige poitions of uplanu foiests weie human-maue, concluuing that "insteau of
using the 'natuial' enviionment to explain cultuial infiastiuctuies in the Amazon,
piobably the ieveise shoulu be moie apt."
S2
The usual ethnological anu ecological
peiception of Amazonia is laigely ueiiveu fiom the eighteenth centuiy, foigeu
at a moment when the majoiity of population hau alieauy been wipeu out by the
violence of colonial conquest. An impoitant fact suppoiting these views was the
lack of physical inuexes showing tiaces of uibanization. Beckenbeigei's iecent
aichaeological excavations pioviue eviuence that in the 0ppei Xingu iegion theie
existeu highly populous societies, spatially oiganizeu in iegional netwoiks of
foitifieu villages, foiming a pattein that he calls "galactic uibanism." Because of
the sophisticateu iesouice management system uevelopeu by these societies in
ielation to the ecological uynamics of tiopical foiests, he compaies the Xinguano's
"iegional planning" anu moues of settlement anu lanu-use with Ebenezei Bowaiu's
mouel of the uaiuen City. "Nuch of the lanuscape was not only anthiopogenic in
oiigin but intentionally constiucteu anu manageu," Beckenbeigei explains, fuithei
!#,,5G8,#05. Black-eaith soils, anthiopogenic in oiigin, supply some of the most significant eviuences
that the natuie of Amazonia was giauually shapeu by human inteifeience. As aichaeologist Nichael
Beckenbeigei aigues, "Nuch of the lanuscape was not only anthiopogenic in oiigin but intentionally con-
stiucteu anu manageu." Touay, we cannot assume that any pait of Amazonia is piistine "without a uetaileu
examination of the giounu."
Fig. 21
2S6
claiming that touay we cannot assume that any pait of Amazonia is piistine "with-
out a uetaileu examination of the giounu."
SS

0p to now, Amazonia has been the quintessential iepiesentation of what Westein
civilization calls "natuie." New aichaeological finuings anu stuuies aie showing
that, in fact, this image is the piouuct of colonial violence. The Amazon Basin was
conceiveu as ahistoiical because of the multiple genociues anu ethnociues that
iavageu the iegion, anu it was this conception of piistine anu viigin natuie, anu the
social-evolutionist imaginaiy that suppoiteu it, that legitimateu the uevelopmental
schemes uesigneu by the Biazilian militaiy iegime. }ust as patteins of uefoiestation
iegisteieu in Amazonia pioviue eviuences of the social anu enviionmental violence
of the politics of integiation implementeu by the militaiy uuiing the Colu Wai, the
eaithwoiks unveileu by this piocess of ecological uestiuction pioviue eviuence of
a moment in which the political violence of colonialism was immeuiately ielateu
to iauical social-enviionmental tiansfoimations. Theii histoiies aie sepaiateu
by hunuieus of yeais, yet they aie also entangleu by a histoiical continuum that
collapses two uiffeient time-scalesthe ancient anu the iecent tempoiality of
Amazonia, the aichaeological anu the histoiical, coloniality anu moueinitywhich
conveige into a novel natuial-political teiiitoiy that challenges pie-conceiveu
notions of both natuie anu politics. The violence of the Colu Wai alloweu us see
the ueep histoiy of Amazonia, exposing the tiaces of an unknown ueep past. While
we look back anu leain fiom it, we may theiefoie concluue that human collectives
have been shaping the natuial histoiy of the Eaith long befoie the "Anthiopocenic
tuin," albeit in iauically uiffeient uiiections. Amazonia's ueep geochionology en-
ables us to fiame the Colu-Wai's ecociues anu genociues as an impoitant chaptei
of the histoiical piocess by which geo-poweithiough violence, uestiuction, anu
ueathcame to piouuce a completely new natuial teiiain. Anu this is peihaps the
ciucial paiauox that the Anthiopocene has biought to light: uiffeient iegimes of
powei will piouuce uiffeient natuies, foi natuie is not natuial; it is the piouuct of
cultivation, anu moie fiequently, of conflict.
Noles
0 Shelton B. Bavis anu Robeit 0. Nathews, !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#. /-0",&8&'&(7 5-@
W#A#'&8=#-0 )- 0"# /=5C&- E52)- &I 6&+0" /=#,)*5 (Cambiiuge, Nass.: Anthiopology
Resouice Centie, 1976), 4.
H As, foi example, in the case of the stuuy conuucteu in 1964 by the aimy-sponsoieu Special
0peiations Reseaich 0ffice (S0R0) on the use of "witchciaft, soiceiy, anu magic" by iebel
militias in the Congo. See Baviu Piice, /-0",&8&'&()*5' 9-0#'')(#-*#. !"# W#8'&7=#-0 5-@
3#('#*0 &I /=#,)*5- /-0",&8&'&(7 )- 0"# 6#*&-@ B&,'@ B5, (Buiham: Buke 0niveisity
Piess, 2uu8), anu "Bow the CIA anu the Pentagon Bainesseu Anthiopological Reseaich
uuiing the Seconu Woilu Wai anu Colu Wai with Little Ciitical Notice," }ournol of
/-0",&8&'&()*5' L#2#5,*" 67, no. S (2u11): SSS-SS6. Piice aigues that the alignment
between anthiopology anu waifaie establisheu in the 194us was "noimalizeu" anu to
a laige extent silenceu by the seciecy appaiatus that suiiounueu militaiy-scientific ie-
seaich piogiams uuiing the Colu Wai.
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 2S7
5 See ueiaiu Colby anu Chailotte Bennett, !"7 B)'' E# W&-#. !"# :&-P+#20 &I 0"# /=5C&-
(New Yoik: BaipeiCollins, 199S).
N 0n }ulian Stewaiu's commitment to waitime ethnogiaphy, see Piice, /-0",&8&'&()*5'
Intelligence, 11S. 0n the influence of his woik on Amazonian ethnology, see Euuaiuo
viveiios ue Castio, "Images of Natuie anu Society in Amazonian Ethnology," /--+5'
L#A)#4 &I /-0",&8&'&(7 2S (1996): 79-2uu.
? 0n the iole playeu by anthiopologists in the application of moueinization-uevelopment
piogiams that foimeu pait of 0S "low-intensity" countei-insuigency policies uuiing the
Colu Wai, anu the ielation between Walt W. Rostow's iueas anu the woik of anthiopol-
ogists, see Baviu Piice, "Subtle Neans anu Enticing Caiiots: The Impact of Funuing on
Ameiican Colu Wai Anthiopology," :,)0)P+# &I /-0",&8&'&(7 2S, no. 4 (2uuS): S7S-4u1.
Y Foi example, in the case of the 0niteu States, ethnogiaphic intelligence has been useu by
the 0S Aimy since the Ameiican Inuian Wais.
O uuatemala, Biazil, anu Chile aie notable examples of "coipoiate-militaiy" coups. 0n the
histoiy of 0S inteiventionism in Latin Ameiica uuiing the Colu Wai, see uieg uianuin,
<=8),#12 B&,;2"&8. O50)- /=#,)*5> 0"# R-)0#@ 6050#2 5-@ 0"# L)2# &I 0"# 3#4 9=8#,)5')2=
(New Yoik: Bolt, 2uu6), anu Baviu Slatei, %#&8&')0)*2 5-@ 0"# ?&20G:&'&-)5'. L#0")-;)-(
3&,0"G6&+0" L#'50)&-2 (Lonuon: Blackwell, 2uu4). The oiigins of 0S impeiialism ovei
the hemispheie can be tiaceu back to the nineteenth-centuiy Nonioe Boctiine. Between
1889 anu 19S4, Baviu Slatei counteu moie than thiity 0S militaiy inteiventions in Latin
Ameiica.
Z Bavis anu Nathews, !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#, 9. What Napoleon Chagnon left outsiue his
poitiait of the Yanomami as a pie-contact society whose moue of life was ueteimineu by
natuial laws was in fact the veiy histoiical context within which his ieseaich was being
caiiieu out. The patteins of violence that Chagnon witnesseu among the Yanomami anu
uiffuseu thiough his films anu texts weie exaceibateu, if not causeu by, the iapiu expan-
sion of mining fiontieis into theii lanus, as well as, by the piesence of Changon himself
anu objects such as axes anu machetes that he intiouuceu into the villages in exchange foi
ethnogiaphic infoimation. Chagnon also allegeuly collaboiateu in bio-genetic ieseaich
sponsoieu by the 0S State Bepaitment conuucteu with the Yanomami. Bis woik is now
counteu as one of the most infamous episoues of ethical misconuuct in the histoiy of
mouein anthiopology. Foi a uetaileu account on Chagnon's piactice, see Patiick Tieiney,
Borkness in Fl BoroJo: Eow Scientists onJ }ournolists BevostoteJ tbe Amozon (New Yoik:
W. W. Noiton & Company, 2uu2). Naishal Sahlins wiote an impoitant ieview of this book:
"}ungle Fevei," B52")-(0&- ?&20 E&&; B&,'@, 1u Becembei 2uuu, http:anthioniche.com
uaikness_uocumentsu246.htm. Chagnon was iecently appointeu to the 0S National
Acauemy of Sciences, piompting Sahlins to iesign in piotest.
K Bavis anu Nathews, !"# %#&'&()*5' 9=8#,50)A#, S.
0^ Feinanuo Belanue Teiiy, ?#,+12 Q4- :&-P+#20 (Lima: Ameiican Stuuies Piess, 196S).
00 Baiino Castio Rebelo, !,5-25=5Cw-)*5. )-0#(,5iu& #= =5,*"5 (Biasilia: Ninistiio uos
Tianspoites, 197S).
0H Waltei B. Pawley, 9- 0"# ]#5, oqnq. !")-;)-( 3&4 5H&+0 0"# 3#D0 :#-0+,7 K52 E#*&=#
9=8#,50)A#, Ceies: FA0 Review 4 (}uly-August 1971): 22-27. The aiticle is a conuensation
of Pawley's book K&4 :5- !"#,# E# 6#*+,#@ J&&@ I&, /''Z9- !")2 5-@ 0"# 3#D0 :#-0+,7\
(FA0, 1971).
05 uolbeiy uo Couto e Silva, %#&8&'t0)*5 @& E,52)' (Rio ue }aneiio: Liviaiia }. 0lympio, 1967),
4u.
0N Clauuio R. Sonnenbuig, QA#,A)#4 &I E,5C)')5- L#=&0# 6#-2)-( /*0)A)0)#2> L#8&,0 0& 0"#
3/6/ :#-0#, I&, /#,&285*# 9-I&,=50)&- c:/69d (NASAAINPE, August 1978).
0? }. K. Peteisen, K5-@H&&; &I 6+,A#)''5-*# !#*"-&'&()#2 (CRC Piess, 2u12).
0Y Sonnenbuig, QA#,A)#4 &I E,5C)')5- L#=&0# 6#-2)-( /*0)A)0)#2, 16.
2S8
0O Seveial aiticles appeaieu in the inteinational piess, such as "Killing of Biazilian Inuians
foi theii Lanus Chaigeu to 0fficials," 3#4 ]&,; !)=#2, 21 Naich 1968, anu "Biazil uets
Inquiiies on Allegeu Inuian Slayings," O&2 /-(#'#2 !)=#2, 29 Naich 1968. Tianslations
of Noiman Lewis's iepoitage weie publisheu in the Fiench newspapei O1<D8,#22, "Le
Nassacie systematic ues inuiens>Y Apiil 1969, anu in the ueiman weekly news magazine
W#, 68)#(#', "Sie weiuen alle ausgeiottet," Novembei 1969. Foi a moie uetaileu account,
see Shelton B. Bavis, N)*0)=2 &I 0"# M),5*'# (New Yoik: Cambiiuge 0niveisity Piess, 1977).
0Z Noiman Lewis, %#-&*)@#. J,&= J),# 5-@ 64&,@ 0& /,2#-)* 5-@ E+''#02> :)A)')C50)&- K52 6#0
6)D M)'')&- 9-@)5-2 0& <D0)-*0)&-, !"# 6+-@57 !)=#2, 2S Febiuaiy 1969, S4-48.
0K Baicy Ribeiio, "A Inteiveno piotecionista"> in Q2 inuios # 5 *)A)')C5iu& (So Paulo:
Companhia uas Letias, 1996), 148.
H^ Beiman von Iheiing, "A antiopologia no Estauo ue So Paulo," L#A)205 @& M+2#+ ?5+')205 7
(19u7): 21S. See also Ribeiio, "A Inteiveno piotecionista."
H0 Beimann von Iheiing, "A Questo uos nuios no Biasil>" L#A)205 @& M+2#+ ?5+')205 8
(1911): 112-4u.
HH Antonio Cailos ue Souza Lima, 6&H,# )-@)(#-)2=&> 5+0&,)05,)2=&> # -5*)&-5')@5@#. *&-2)@G
#,5ix#2 2&H,# 5 *&-20)0+)iu& @& @)2*+,2& # @5 8,l0)*5 @5 8,&0#iu& I,50#,-5' -& E,52)' (Rio ue
}aneiio: PhB Thesis, Nuseu Nacional, 1987).
H5 Baicy Ribeiio, "As Etapas ua Integiao"> in Q2 inuios # 5 *)A)')C5iu& (So Paulo: Companhia
uas Letias, 1996): 2S4-29S. 0iiginally publisheu as :+'0+,52 # Ot-(+52 9-@t(#-52 @& E,52)',
Euucao e Cicias Sociais (Rio ue }aneiio, 19S7): 1-1u2. A shoitei veision of this aiticle
appeaieu as pait of a iepoit publisheu by 0NESC0 in 19S7, "Cultuies en vie ue uispaii-
tion," E+''#0)- 9-0#,-50)&-5' @#2 6*)#-*#2 6&*)5'#2 9, no. S (19S7), anu was latei tianslateu
in B. Boppei, 9-@)5-2 &I E,5C)' )- 0"# !4#-0)#0" :#-0+,7> (Washington, BC: Institute foi
Cioss-Cultuial Reseaich, 1967).
HN See Ribeiio, "As Etapas ua Integiao," anu specially Cailos ue Souza Lima, 6&H,# )-@)G
(#-)2=&> 5+0&,)05,)2=&> # -5*)&-5')@5@#.
H? As stateu in the fiist aiticle of the statute of F0NAI, these piogiessive measuies incluueu:
"iespect to tiibal institutions"; the "guaiantee to the peimanent possession of the lanus
inhabiteu by Inuians anu the exclusive use of natuial iesouices anu all existing utili-
ties theiein"; anu the commitment to guaiu against "the spontaneous accultuiation of
the Inuian so its socioeconomic evolution pioceeus safe fiom suuuen change." See the
Legislative Beciee 62.196, S1 }anuaiy 1968, available at: http:www6.senauo.gov.bi
legislacaoListaTextoIntegial.action.iu=17S88S&noima=19SSS7.
HY Inteinational Committee of the Reu Cioss, L#8&,0 &I 0"# 9:L: M#@)*5' M)22)&- 0& 0"#
E,5C)')5- /=5C&- L#()&- (ueneva, 197u); Robin Banbuiy-Tenison, / L#8&,0 &I 5 N)2)0 0&
0"# 9-@)5-2 &I E,5C)' (The Piimitive Peoples Funu & Suivival Inteinational, Lonuon, 1971).
See also the iepoit 6+872l+5. / W&*+=#-05,7 L#8&,0 &- 0"# :&-@)0)&-2 &I 9-@)5- ?#&8'#2 &I
E,5C)' (INBIuENA anu Ameiican Fiienus of Biazil, 1974).
HO Thomas E. Skiumoie, Tbe Politics of Hilitory Rule in Brozil, 1964-198S (New Yoik: 0xfoiu
0niveisity Piess, 1988).
HZ See Cailos Fausto, lnimiqos jiis: bistrio, querro e xomonismo no Amoznio (So Paulo:
Euusp, 2uu1), 89-9S.
HK Law No. 6uu1, 19 Becembei 197S, available at http:www.funai.gov.biquemlegisla-
caoestatuto_inuio.html.
5^ Peuio Casaluliga et al., Y-}uco Piromo, o inJio: oquele que Jeve morrer, (197S), 1S.
50 / 8&'t0)*5 @& (#-&*t@)& *&-0,5 &2 inuios @& E,52)' (Poito: AEPPA, Associao ue Ex-piesos
Politicos Antifascistas, Naich 1974).
5H Pieiie Clasties, /,P+#&'&()5 @5 A)&'r-*)5 (So Paulo, Cosac & Naify, 1974), 8S.
55 Raphael Lemkin, /D)2 L+'# )- Q**+8)#@ <+,&8#. O542 &I Q**+850)&-> /-5'72)2 &I %&A#,-=#-0>
?,&8&25'2 &I L#@,#22 (Washington BC: Cainegie Enuowment foi Inteinational Peace,
The ueological Impeiative | Paulo Tavaies 2S9
1944). uenociue was establisheu as ciime in inteinational law by the Convention on the
Pievention anu Punishment of the Ciime of uenociue auopteu by the ueneial Assembly of
the 0niteu Nations in 1948.
5N A. Biik Noses, "Raphael Limkin, Cultuie, anu the Concept of uenociue>" in !"# QDI&,@
K5-@H&&; &I %#-&*)@# 60+@)#2, eu. Bonalu Bloxham anu A. Biik Noses (0xfoiu: 0xfoiu
0niveisity Piess, 2u1u), S4.
5? Noses, "Raphael Limkin, Cultuie, anu the Concept of uenociue>" S8.
5Y Robeit }aulin, O5 ?5C H'5-*5. )-0,&@+**)[- 5' #0-&*)@)& (Buenos Aiies: Euitoiial Tiempo
Contempoianeo, 197S), 1S. 0iiginally publisheu as O5 85)D H'5-*"# (Paiis: Euitions uu
Seuil, 197u).
5O Clasties, /,P+#&'&()5 @5 A)&'r-*)5, 84.
5Z Aithui ualison, as quoteu in Eiwin Knoll anu }uuith Nies NcFauuen, B5, :,)=#2 5-@ 0"#
/=#,)*5- :&-2*)#-*#> (New Yoik: Bolt, Rinehait anu Winston, 197u), 71.
5K Knoll anu }uuith Nies, B5, :,)=#2 5-@ 0"# /=#,)*5- :&-2*)#-*#, 68.
N^ Ibiu.
N0 See, foi example, the pioposal foi an "Ecociue Convention" maue by legal scholai Richaiu
Falk in 197S. See Falk, "Enviionmental Waifaie anu Ecociue: Facts, Appiaisal, anu
Pioposals," E+''#0)- &I ?#5*# ?,&8&25'2 1 (197S).
NH William A. Schabas, %#-&*)@# )- 9-0#,-50)&-5' O54 (Cambiiuge: Cambiiuge 0niveisity
Piess, 2uuu), 464-468..
N5 See the fiist iepoit publisheu by the Tiuth Commission of the State of Amazonas, !"#
%#-&*)@# &I 0"# B5)=),)G/0,&5,) ?#&8'# (Nanaus, 2u12). 0n the contioveisial numbei of
political assassinations anu foicibly uisappeaieu, see the aiticle publisheu at the uaily
newspapei J&'"5 @# 6u& ?5+'&, Lucas Feiiaz, "Lista oficial ue moitos pela uitauuia poue
sei ampliaua" |"0fficial List of Killeu by the Bictatoiship Can Be Enlaigeu"j, 1 August
2u12, http:www1.folha.uol.com.bipouei112948S-lista-oficial-ue-moitos-pela-uit-
auuia-poue-sei-ampliaua.shtml.
NN Nake Bavis, ?'5-#0 &I 6'+=2 (Lonuon: veiso, 2uu6), 17.
N? Nikolas Kozloff, 3& L5)- )- 0"# /=5C&-. K&4 6&+0" /=#,)*512 :')=50# :"5-(# /II#*02 0"#
<-0),# ?'5-#0> (New Yoik: Palgiave Nacmillan, 2u1u), 2-4.
NY Philip N Feainsiue, Antonio Tebalui Taiuin anu Luiz uylvan Neiia Filho, W#I&,#2050)&-
L50# )- E,5C)')5- /=5C&-)5 (Nanaus: INPE, 199u).
NO See Nike Bavis, O50# N)*0&,)5- K&'&*5+202 (Lonuon: veiso, 2uu1).
NZ Foi an impoitant initiative to fiame the histoiy of the Colu Wai in ielation to enviionmen-
tal histoiies, see }. R. NcNeill anu Coiinna R. 0ngei (eus.), <-A),&-=#-05' K)20&,)#2 &I 0"#
:&'@ B5, (New Yoik: Cambiiuge 0niveisity Piess, 2u1u).
NK Nichel Seiies, !"# 350+,5' :&-0,5*0 , tians. Elizabeth NacAithui anu William Paulson
(Ann Aiboi: 0niveisity of Nichigan Piess, 199S), S2.
?^ Naitti Pissinen, Benise Schaan anu Alceu Ranzi, "Pie-Columbian ueometiic Eaithwoiks
in the 0ppei Puius: A Complex Society in Westein Amazonia," /-0)P+)07 8S (2uu9):
1u84-1u9S; anu Benise Schaan, Naitti Pissinen, Alceu Ranzi anu }aco Csai Piccoli,
"ueoglifos ua Amaznia ociuental: eviuncia ue complexiuaue social entie povos ua teiia
fiime>" L#A)205 @# /,P+#&'&()5 2u (2uu7): 67-82.
?0 Foi a ciitical oveiview of the histoiy of aicheology in Amazonia, see Pissinen, Schaan
anu Ranzi, "ueoglifos ua Amaznia occiuental"; anu Nichael }. Beickenbeigei, !"# <*&'&(7
&I ?&4#, (New Yoik: Routleuge, 2uuS).
?H William Bale, "The Cultuie of Amazonian Foiests," /@A5-*#2 )- <*&-&=)* E&05-7 7
(1989): 1-21.
?5 Beickenbeigei, !"# <*&'&(7 &I Powei, 2S.
!.,$"#CF$."/
<&C#' 1+)*4 is a contem poi aiy visual aitist, wiitei, anu cuiatoi. Bis woiks have
been piesen teu intei na tion ally, incluu ing at The 2u12 Taipei Biennale, Baus uei
Kultuien uei Welt in Beilin, The Centie foi Possible Stuu ies Seipent ine ualleiy,
Reson ance FN, CCA ulas gow, Notting ham Contem poi aiy, no.w.heie, South Asian
visual Aits Centie (SAvAC) in Toionto, anu the Royal ueogiaphic Soci ety. Be has
wiitten foi !"),@ !#D0 anu HeJio IielJ }ournol. Be is co-founuei of Call & Response, a
sounu ait collect ive anu cuiat oiial pioject baseu in Lonuon. Be is cuiiently a Ph.B.
canuiuate in Reseaich Aichitectuie at uolusmiths 0niveisity of Lonuon wheie he
also teaches. Be lives anu woiks in Lonuon.
@*-+&, 1"%+*" cuiiently woiks as a uesignei at Payette Associates in Boston. She
was euucateu at Taubman College of Aichitectuie anu 0iban Planning, 0niveisity
of Nichigan, wheie she giauuateu with a Nasteis in Aichitectuie in 2u12 with high
uistinction. Bei inteiests lie in uesign that opeiates on multiple scales anu engages
the public iealm, fiom infiastiuctuie, to installation ait. Neghan has seiveu on
aichitectuial uesign ieviews at seveial colleges, anu has leau youth piogiams on
aichitectuie in the Boston metio aiea.
14&) [.CC*$$* is a ieseaichei, wiitei anu uesignei baseu in Bong Kong with
tiaining in lanuscape aichitectuie, philosophy, anu cultuial stuuies. Be cuiiently
teaches at the 0niveisity of Bong Kong. Be has publisheu wiuely anu his woik
has been incluueu in exhibitions at the Canauian Centie foi Aichitectuie, uiaham
Founuation, Aichitectuial Association, Stoiefiont foi Ait anu Aichitectuie, anu
Eyebeam, among otheis. Cuiiently, his ieseaich focuses on inteinational com-
paiative histoiies anu theoiies of civic infiastiuctuies anu the uiban ecologies of
contingency, caie, anu uangei. Be is woiking on a monogiaph about the histoiy of
aii in Inuonesia. Be is a co-founuei anu euitoi of the jouinal 6*58#(&50. /,*")0#*0+,#
y O5-@2*58# y ?&')0)*5' <*&-&=7S
8)#'J !+*,- lives in Toionto, Canaua, wheie she uesigns aichitectuie, objects, anu
giaphics. www.emcheng.com
L*&$+*" 7&D#/ is a ieseaichei, wiitei, anu community-baseu aitist fiom Nontieal.
She is cuiiently a FQRSC postuoctoial fellow in the Bepaitment of Women's Stuuies
at Buke 0niveisity, wheie she is woiking on a pioject which tiaces the ethology of
plastic as a mateiialization of the philosophic uivision of the subject anu object.
She completeu hei Ph.B. in the joint piogiam in Communication at Concoiuia
0niveisity in 2u11 on the political potential of community-baseu ait. In 2u1u, she
was a visiting scholai with the Bemispheiic Institute of Peifoimance anu Politics at
NY0 anu the Bepaitment of Women's anu uenuei Stuuies at Rutgeis 0niveisity. She
exploies anu paiticipates in expanueu ait piactices that biing togethei ieseaicheis,
activists, anu community membeis to enact social change. She is the co-founuei of
242
0uveit0pen, an ait anu activist collective which seeks to ie-envision public space
anu ciiculation in Nontieal anu is an active membei of Kabane 77, a iauical ait,
film anu euucation collective. She has wiitten about the inteisection of ait, politics,
anu community engagement foi J)H,#*+'0+,#, ?+H')*, ?&')0)*2 5-@ :+'0+,#, :5-5@)5-
Womens StuJies }ournol, !"# <-*7*'&8#@)5 &I 6&*)5' M&A#=#-0 M#@)5, 3& M&,#
?&0'+*;2, 6*58#(&50 anu L#A)#42 )- :+'0+,5' !"#&,7.
P&"& 7*&, is an aichitectuial anu giaphic uesignei in the Betioit aiea, anu the
uesignei of /,*")0#*0+,# )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#. Bei woik examines the implications
of uigital methouologies on uesign anu activism piactices. She has a Nastei of
Aichitectuie anu a Nastei of Science in Besign Reseaich fiom the 0niveisity of
Nichigan. Some of hei woik can be founu at www.linch-pin.oig
P*$+ 7*,#_*, is a uesignei anu ieseaichei tiaineu in lanuscape aichitectuie anu
evolutionaiy biology. Since completing ieseaich on the sexual behavioi of small
Tiiniuauian fish, his woik has focuseu on the aesthetics of scientific iepiesenta-
tion, mauness anu public paiks, the political ecology of ueseitification, anu most
iecently the uesign of taxonomies foi the mapping anu histoiical analysis of uiban
soil. Be cuiiently lives in Bong Kong, wheie he teaches in the Bivision of Lanuscape
Aichitectuie at Bong Kong 0niveisity.
@&"2 7.""#&, holus the Foibes Chaii in Aichitectuie at the 0niveisity of Euinbuigh
anu is Co-Biiectoi of the ait, aichitectuie anu uibanism ateliei Netis. Bis books
incluue (with Auiian Bawkei) M#0)2. R,H5- :5,0&(,58")#2 (2uu2), (with uillian
Rose) W#0#,,)0&,)5')250)&-2. L#A)2)&-)-( O5-@2*58#2 5-@ ?&')0)*2 (2uuS), (with }ane
Renuell, }onathan Bill anu Nuiiay Fiasei) :,)0)*5' /,*")0#*0+,# (2uu7), B5,2C545.
?,&U#*02 I&, 0"# ?&20G6&*)5')20 :)07 (2uu9), anu (with Fiuiic Pousin) N+#2 5F,)#--#2.
6#)C# F0+@#2 8&+, +-# ")20&),# *+'0+,#''# (2u12). Recent essays incluue 'Clouus of
Aichitectuie', L5@)*5' ?")'&2&8"7 144 (2uu7), 'The Way the Woilu Sees Lonuon' in A.
viulei, eu, /,*")0#*0+,# E#04##- 68#*05*'# 5-@ R2# (2uu8), 'Tianscoueu Inuexicality',
O&( 12 (2uu8), 'The Aeiial Image: veitigo, Tianspaiency anu Niniatuiization', 85,G
5''5D 1S(4) (2uu9), 'Falling 0pon Waisaw: the Shauow of Stalin's Palace of Cultuie',
Tbe }ournol of Arcbitecture 1S (1) (2u1u), '0n uoogle Eaith', 3#4 %#&(,58")#2, 4
- Scales of the Eaith (2u11), anu 'Auventuie on the veitical', :5H)-#0 44 (2u1112).
Be is membei of the auvisoiy boaiu of the Institute foi Auvanceu Stuuies in the
Bumanities at the 0niveisity of Euinbuigh, wheie he is oiganizing a ieseaich theme
on 'Atmospheies anu Atmospheiics.' www.iash.eu.ac.ukthemes.atmospheies.html
8'#_&C*$+ M"./_ is }ean Fox 0'Baii Women's Stuuies Piofessoi in Tiinity College
of Aits anu Sciences at Buke 0niveisity. She is the authoi of :"5&2> !#,,)0&,7> /,0S
W#'#+C# 5-@ 0"# J,5=)-( &I 0"# <5,0" (Columbia 0niveisity Piess, 2uu8) anu has
wiitten wiuely on Fiench Philosophy.
U#/& L#")*" is an aitist, wiitei, anu uesignei baseu in uuelph, Canaua. Bei woik can
be uiviueu between two main piactices, though the thematic oveilap is significant:
Contiibutois 24S
she is an emeiging photogiaphei anu wiitei piouucing woik that ieflects hei
backgiounu in aichitectuie anu is piimaiily conceineu with examining mateiial
tiaces founu in complex lanuscapes, especially those that act as eviuence of unseen
foices. She is also a co-founuei anu piincipal of BouoLab, an expeiimental aits-
baseu piactice that has been piouucing innovative public ieseaich anu socially
engageu piojects since 2uu9. BouoLab's woik is focuseu on investigating, engaging
anu iesponuing to the public's ielationship with contempoiaiy issues. Biimei has
a Nastei of Aichitectuie fiom the 0niveisity of Wateiloo.
Q&,* LF$$., is a lanuscape aichitect anu Assistant Piofessoi in Lanuscape
Aichitectuie at the Baivaiu uiauuate School of Besign. She is uiiectoi of the uSB
Nateiials Collection in the Fiances Loeb Besign Libiaiy, anu hei ieseaich focuses
on the expanueu ielations of constiuction mateiials useu in lanuscape aichitectuie.
In 2u1u, she cuiateu <,,50)*2. / %#-#5'&(7 &I L&*; O5-@2*58#, an exhibition that
lookeu at the cultuial anu scientific anteceuents to contempoiaiy uesign's inteiest
in geology.
8'*&,." g&FA)&, is piofessoi of Compaiative Liteiatuie, English, anu Fiench
anu Fiancophone Stuuies at the 0niveisity of Califoinia, Los Angeles. She is the
authoi of !"# W#'),)+= &I ?,5)2#. E505)''#> E'5-*"&0> W#'#+C#> J&+*5+'0> b'&22&42;)
(}ohns Bopkins, 2uu1), W#'#+C#> 0"# W5,; ?,#*+,2&,. W)5'#*0)*> 60,+*0+,#> E#)-(
(}ohns Bopkins, 2u12), anu /0 Q@@2 4)0" E5@)&+. ?&')0)*2> W)5'#*0)*2> 5-@ L#')()&-
I,&= 65,0,# 5-@ W#'#+C# 0& O5*5- 5-@ /(5=H#- (foithcoming, Columbia 0niveisity
Piess); anu co-euitoi of W#'#+C# 5-@ %+5005,). 3#4 M588)-(2 )- ?&')0)*2> ?")'&2&8"7>
5-@ :+'0+,# (Ninnesota, 1998).
1)J !&$&,#& gF'G*" is an assistant piofessoi of aichitectuie at the 0niveisity
of Nichigan Taubman College of Aichitectuie anu 0iban Planning, wheie she
teaches theoiy anu uesign. Foi the 2u1u-2u11 acauemic yeai she was the Steelcase
Reseaich Piofessoi at the 0niveisity of Nichigan's Bumanities Institute, woiking
on a book manusciipt entitleu I==5-#-0 350+,#2. !"# O5H&,50&,7 52 5 ?5,5@)(=
I&, /,*")0#*0+,#12 <D8#,)=#-05' ?,5*0)*#2. She is a thiee-time iecipient of the
Bonna N. Salzei Awaiu foi teaching excellence. Kulpei is the Besign Euitoi of
the }ournol of Arcbitecturol FJucotion (}AE). Bei publications appeai as chap-
teis in <D8#,)=#-02. /,*")0#*0+,# E#04##- 6*)#-*#2 5-@ 0"# /,02 euiteu by kos
Noivansky anu Albeit Kiichengast; anu 9-0)=50# M#0,&8&')2. R,H5- 6+HU#*02 )- 0"#
M&@#,- :)07 euiteu by Biana Peiiton anu vittoiia ui Palma. Bei aiticles appeai in
the }ournol of Arcbitecture, ConJiJe: }ournol of Arcbitecturol KnowleJqe, anu J)#'@.
}ournol for Arcbitecture. Kulpei holus masteis' uegiees fiom both the 0niveisity of
Pennsylvania anu Cambiiuge anu a Ph.B. in the histoiy anu philosophy of aichitec-
tuie fiom Cambiiuge 0niveisity. She is cuiiently co-euiting a special issue of the
}ournol of Arcbitecture on the subject of 'City Aii.'
!'#,$ U&,-*D#, anu 1)J <.""#/ co-founueu the ieseaich anu uesign stuuio
Captains of Inuustiy aftei completing piofessional uegiees in aichitectuie at the
244
0niveisity of Toionto in 2u11. The stuuio investigates the pioblems anu potentials
of oui inuustiial heiitage. Theii woik has been exhibiteu inteinationally at the
2u12 Inteinational Aichitectuie Biennale Rotteiuam anu Aiup's Phase 2 ualleiy
in Lonuon, anu featuieu in publications such as Q-6)0# L#A)#4 29: ueology, N&'+=#
#S1: uuilty Lanuscapes, anu the foithcoming EL/:b<! |at extiemesj. Theii most
iecent woik incluues an installation at Toionto's Baibouifiont Centie as pait of
the exhibition titleu L58)@ L#28&-2# G /,*")0#*0+,# ?,#85,#2 I&, W)2520#,, wheie they
exploieu the ielationship between human activity anu natuial ecosystems, anu oui
own complicity in the occuiience of natuial uisasteis. www.captainsofinuustiy.ca
@#%+&*' !! U#, is a Toionto-baseu uesignei woiking in the fielu of Aichitectuie &
Besign. Baving giauuateu fiom 0niveisity of Toionto with a Nastei of Aichitectuie,
anu fiom the 0niveisity of Wateiloo with a Bacheloi of Aichitectuial Stuuies,
Nichael is embaiking on a long jouiney in a meuium that engages anu challenges
him continuously in new anu exciting ways. Bis Nastei of Aichitectuie Thesis,
/-0",&?5,;, is a laboui of love boine fiom Nichael's passion foi stoiies, films, ait,
anu philosophy ovei the couise of his stuuies. /-0",&?5,; won the Kuwabaia-
}ackman Aichitectuie Thesis uolu Neual (2u12), was featuieu in 6*58#(&50 jouinal
(2u12), anu was exhibiteu in K#,# E# M&-20#,2 (2u12), as well as inspiiing vaiious
commissions. Woiking with 0mai Aljebouii unuei the alias **&==5 @#2)(-, the uuo
has exhibiteu woik such as :5H)-#0 &I :+,)&2)0)#2. !&,&-0& <D8#@)0)&- qqV (2u11-
2u12), testing the theme of iuentity anu the city. www.anthiopaik.com
Teiiitoiial Agency is establisheu by Q.+, >&')*/#,. anu 1,,TP.A# Ib,,/2.-.
Teiiitoiial Agency is an inuepenuent oiganisation that piomotes anu woiks foi
integiateu sustainable teiiitoiial tiansfoimations. Its woiks combine analysis,
contempoiaiy aichitectuie anu uibanism, auvocacy anu action. Piojects incluue
the /-0",&8&*#-# QH2#,A50&,7, M+2#+= &I 9-I,520,+*0+,5' R-*&-2*)&+2, 3&,0",
0njinisboble Horkermeer, b),+-5, !5)45- ?,&U#*0, !"# :&520 &I <+,&8#. They con-
vene Biploma unit 4 at AA Aichitectuial Association School of Aichitectuie, Lonuon
anu have initiateu the AA Think Tank. They aie ieseaich fellows at the Centie foi
Reseaich Aichitectuie, uolusmiths, 0niveisity of Lonuon, wheie }ohn also con-
venes the NA stuuio seminai anu ieseaiches foi his PhB. Be has been Reseaich
Auvisoi at the }an van Eyck Acauemie, Naastiicht, anu pieviously leu the ieseaich
activities of ETB ZuiichStuuio Basel - Contempoiaiy City Institute, anu he is a
founuing membei of Nultiplicity. Ann-Sofi has been a ieseaichei at ETB Zuiich
Stuuio Basel - Contempoiaiy City Institute. She is a ieseaich fellow at AB0 0slo
School of Aichitectuie.
!+*/$*" I*,,#* woiks as a uesignei at Public Woik, a Toionto-baseu uesign stuuio
engageu in builuing the contempoiaiy city.
S"&,f.#/ I.%+* is the piincipal of New-Teiiitoiies (R&Sie(n) |eIfbttcj). Be is
baseu mainly in Bangkok, |eIfbttcj, sometimes in Paiis, R&Sie(n), anu uuiing
the Fall in New Yoik, with his stuuio of ieseaich at uSAPP, Columbia 0niveisity.
Contiibutois 24S
Thiough these uiffeient stiuctuies, his aichitectuial woiks anu piotocols seek to
aiticulate the ieal anuoi fictional, the geogiaphic situations, anu naiiative stiuc-
tuies that can tiansfoim them. Bis aichitectuial uesigns anu piocesses have been
show at, among othei places, Columbia 0niveisity (New Yoik, 1999-2uuu), 0CLA
(Los Angeles, 1999-2uuu), ICA (Lonuon, 2uu1), Noii Ait Nuseum (Tokyo, 2uu4),
Centie Pompiuou (Paiis, 2uuS), NAN Nuse u'Ait Noueine (Paiis, 2uuS, 2uu6),
the Tate Nouein (Lonuon 2uu6) anu 0ilansAichiLab (1999, 2uu1, 2uuS). Woik
by R&Sie(n), New-Teiiitoiies weie selecteu foi exhibition at the Fiench pavilion
at the venice Aichitectuie Biennales of 199u, 1996, 2uuu anu 2uu2 (they iejecteu
the invitation that yeai), anu foi the inteinational section in 2uuu, 2uu4, anu 2uu8,
anu, in 2u1u, foi both the Inteinational anu Austiian Pavilion; in 2u12, foi Baik
Siue Cuiating, Slovenian Pavilion, anu Wiiting Aichitectuie. Among the teaching
positions helu by Roche ovei the last uecaue aie guest piofessoi at the Baitlett
School in Lonuon in 2uuu, the vienna T0 in 2uu1, the Baicelona ESARQ in 2uuS-u4,
the Paiis ESA in 2uuS, the 0niveisity of Pennsylvania in Philauelphia in 2uu6, the
Angewangue in vienna in 2uu8, the 0SC-Los Angeles in 2uu9-1u-11 anu cuiiently
Columbia, uSAPP eveiy Fall since 2uu6. In 2u12, Fianois Roche was the guest
euitoi of O&( #2S, NY Ciitical Revue, foi the issue ieleaseu in }uly 2u12 ,#*'5)=
,#2)2c')#-*#d205-*e. www.new-teiiitoiies.com
:/&C*''* P$*,-*"/ (b. 1949) teaches philosophy at the 0niveisit Libie ue
Biuxelles, in Biussels, Belgium. She began hei caieei in collaboiation with Nobel
Piize Lauieate Ilya Piigogine, co-authoiing O5 3&+A#''# /'')5-*#, which piesents
physics as a passionate auventuie iathei than as the tiiumph of objective knowl-
euge. She has giauually extenueu hei appioach, iesisting a mouel of scientific ob-
jectivity that silences the uiveiging multiplicity of scientific piactices. Insteau, she
emphasizes the neeu foi these piactices to cultivate the iisks of ielevance, uevelop-
ing the concept of an active ecology that embeus scientific piactices in uemociatic
anu politically uemanuing enviionments. She is the authoi of numeious books,
many of which have been tianslateu into English, incluuing Q,@#, &+0 &I :"5&2 with
Ilya Piigogine, / :,)0)P+# &I ?27*"&5-5'70)*5' L#52&- with Lon Cheitok, / K)20&,7
&I :"#=)20,7 with Beinauette Bensauue-vincent, ?&4#, 5-@ 9-A#-0)&-. 6)0+50)-(
6*)#-*#, !"# 9-A#-0)&- &I M&@#,- 6*)#-*#, :58)05')20 6&,*#,7. E,#5;)-( 0"# 68#'' with
Philippe Pignaiie, :&2=&8&')0)*2 9 5-@ 99, anu !")-;)-( 4)0" B")0#"#5@.
>&F'. 9&D&"*/ is a Biazilian aichitect anu uibanist baseu in QuitoLonuon. Be is
cuiiently ueveloping a pioject on the violence of planning anu the politics of ecol-
ogy in Amazonia at the PhB Piogiamme of the Centie foi Reseaich Aichitectuie,
uolusmiths, 0K. Tavaies teaches aichitectuie at the 0niveisiuau Catolica ue
Ecuauoi - Facultau ue Aiquitectuia, Biseo y Aite, Quito, anu pieviously helu teach-
ing posts at the Centie foi Reseaich Aichitectuie - uolusmiths, anu at the visual Lab
of the NA in Contempoiaiy Ait Theoiy, also at uolusmiths, 0K. Wiitings appeaieu
in many publications woiluwiue anu his woik has been exhibiteu in vaiious venues
incluuing CCA: Centie foi Contempoiaiy Aits - ulasgow, Baus uei Kultuien uei
Welt - Beilin, Poitikus - Fiankfuit anu the Taipei Biennial 2u12.
246
8$#*,,* 9F"G#, is the uiiectoi of anexact office, a uesign ieseaich piactice com-
mitteu to multiuisciplinaiy uiban activism, aitistic anu cuiatoiial expeiimentation,
anu applieu philosophical inquiiy. Etienne is also a vice Chancelloi's Postuoctoial
Reseaich Fellow with the SNART Infiastiuctuie Facility, Faculty of Engineeiing
& Infoimation Sciences, anu an Associate Fellow with the Institute foi Social
Tiansfoimation Reseaich, Faculty of Law, Bumanities, anu The Aits, 0niveisity
of Wollongong, Austialia. With the suppoit of this joint appointment, Etienne is
living anu woiking in }akaita, Inuonesia, wheie his ieseaich helps piouuce stiat-
egies foi community iesistance anu iesilience among infoimal settlements of the
uiban pooi facing the combineu violence of climate change anu iapiu uevelopment.
www.anexact.oig
8J&' 6*#_)&, is an aichitect, Piofessoi of Spatial & visual Cultuies, anu uiiectoi
of the Centie foi Reseaich Aichitectuie at uolusmiths, 0niveisity of Lonuon. Since
2u11, he also uiiects the Euiopean Reseaich Council (ERC) funueu pioject - Foiensic
Aichitectuie - on the place of aichitectuie in Inteinational Bumanitaiian Law. Since
2uu7, he is a founuing membei of the aichitectuial collective BAAR in Beit Sahoui
Palestine. Weizman has been a Piofessoi of Aichitectuie at the Acauemy of Fine Aits
in vienna anu has also taught at the Baitlett (0CL) in Lonuon, at the Stuelschule
in Fiankfuit, at the Beilage Institute in Rotteiuam, anu is a Piofesseui invit at
the Ecole ues hautes tuues en sciences sociales (EBESS) in Paiis. Be lectuieu,
cuiateu, anu oiganiseu confeiences in many institutions woiluwiue. Bis books
incluue M#-(#'#12 6;+'' (with Thomas Keenan at Steinbeig Piess 2u12), J&,#-2)*
/,*")0#*0+,# (u0C0NENTA1S notebook, 2u12), !"# O#520 &I 5'' ?&22)H'# <A)'2
(Nottetempo 2uu9, veiso 2u11), K&''&4 O5-@ (veiso, 2uu7), the co-euiteu / :)A)')5-
Q**+850)&- (veiso, 2uuS), the seiies !#,,)0&,)#2 V> o 5-@ `, ]#''&4 L"70"=2 anu
many aiticles in jouinals, magazines, anu euiteu books. Be has iealizeu a numbei
of aichitectuial anu uesign commissions incluuing the Ashuou Nuseum of Aits, set
uesign foi Electia (with Rafi Segal), the installation Page in Beilin (with Zvi Beckei
anu Nich 0llman), anu a peimanent pavilion foi uwangju, South Koiea, amongst
othei piojects. Weizman is a iegulai contiibutoi anu an euitoiial boaiu membei foi
seveial jouinals anu magazines incluuing %,#7 L&&=, K+=5-)07, lnjlexions, ?&')0)*5'
:&-*#802, anu :5H)-#0 wheie he is an euitoi at laige, anu has also euiteu a special is-
sue on Foiensics (Issue 4S, 2u11). Be has woikeu with a vaiiety of Nu0s woiluwiue
anu was membei of B'Tselem (the laigest Isiaeli human iights oiganization) boaiu
of uiiectois. Be is cuiiently on the auvisoiy boaius of the Institute of Contempoiaiy
Aits (ICA) in Lonuon, the Buman Rights Pioject at Baiu in NY, as a juiy membei foi
aichitectuie at the Akauemie Schloss Solituue anu of othei acauemic anu cultuial
institutions. Weizman is the iecipient of the }ames Stiiling Nemoiial Lectuie Piize
foi 2uu6-2uu7, a co-iecipient of the 2u1u Piince Claus Piize foi Aichitectuie (with
Sanuy Bilal anu Alessanuio Petti foi BAAR), anu was inviteu to uelivei many key
note auuiesses anu memoiial lectuies foi Nelson Nanuela (Bob Bawkes Piime
Ninisteiial Centie, Auelaiue), Euwaiu Saiu (0niveisity of Waiwick), Rusty Beinstein
(0niveisity of The Witwateisianu), Paul Biist (Biikbeck College), the Euwaiu B.
Benenson Lectuies (Buke), anu the Nansoui Aimaly (NESA), amongst otheis. Be
Contiibutois 247
stuuieu aichitectuie at the Aichitectuial Association in Lonuon anu completeu his
Ph.B. at the Lonuon ConsoitiumBiikbeck College.
Q&,* 6.'AA is associate piofessoi anu foimei uiiectoi of the lanuscape aichitec-
tuie piogiamme at the Baniels Faculty of Aichitectuie, Lanuscape, anu Besign,
0niveisity of Toionto. She was euucateu as a uocumentaiy filmmakei anu lanu-
scape aichitect at Baivaiu 0niveisity. Ns. Wolff's ieseaich inteiests ueal with the
hybiiu lanuscapes foimeu by inteiactions between natuial piocess anu cultuial
inteivention. The authoi of Belto Primer: o jielJ quiJe to tbe Colifornio Belto, she is
a paitnei in the %+00#, 0& %+'I initiative, which pioviues infoimation about uiban
infiastiuctuie anu ecology in New 0ileans thiough its website, www.gutteitogulf.
com. Bei cuiient piojects incluue an exhibit at the Exploiatoiium of San Fiancisco
on the cultuial lanuscape of San Fiancisco Bay anu initial stuuies foi an atlas of
Toionto's lanuscape as infiastiuctuie. In auuition to hei acauemic woik, she also
seives as a membei of the Besign Review Boaiu of Wateifiont Toionto anu on
the boaiu of the Lanuscape Aichitectuie Founuation. Ns. Wolff's woik has been
suppoiteu by two Fulbiight scholaiships anu by ieseaich giants fiom the Baivaiu
uiauuate School of Besign, the uiaham Founuation, the uieat valley Centei, the LEF
Founuation, the 0hio State 0niveisity, the 0niveisity of Toionto, the Exploiatoiium
anu the Seeu Funu of San Fiancisco. In 2uu6, she was Beatiix Faiianu uistinguisheu
visiting piofessoi at the 0niveisity of Califoinia, Beikeley.
MFJ h#))*")&, is a playwiight anu uiiectoi, anu has seiveu as the aitistic uiiec-
toi of Pauua Playwiights in Los Angeles since 2uu1. 0nuei his uiiection, Pauua has
stageu ovei SS piouuctions of new plays, moving seveial to venues in New Yoik
City, Atlanta anu abioau, anu gaineiing a host of LA Weekly, 0vation, uailanu, anu
Los Angeles Biama Ciitics Ciicle awaius anu nominations. As a playwiight, his
ciitically acclaimeu woik incluues the plays O5 :'5,)05, Tbe lnsiJe }ob, N5(,5-0, anu
!"# E'5*; %'522, which openeu at the Ballhaus 0ST in Beilin in Febiuaiy 2u1S. Be is
also the Supeivising Euitoi of Pauua Piess, which has publisheu six anthologies of
new woik by such nationally piominent playwiights as Naiia Iiene Foines, Nuiiay
Neunick, }ohn Steppling anu }ohn 0'Keefe. Bis essays about film, theatie, ait, anu
politics have appeaieu in !"#50#, J&,+=, O/ B##;'7, O/ !"#50#, M5(5C)-#, 0"# O/
:)0)C#-, anu !)=#2 g+&0)@)5-, wheie he seives as Associate Euitoi. Zimmeiman
ieceiveu a BA in Bistoiy fiom the 0niveisity of Pennsylvania; he is cuiiently com-
pleting a uoctoiate in Biama anu Theatie at 0C Iivine.
248
>*")#//#.,/
1,$+".>&"2; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ @#%+&*' !X!X U#,
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
I&4#%&' @*$*.".'.-J; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ <&C#' 1+)*4
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
9+"** L.'*/E :, $+* M*.'.-#%&' >"*/*,$; *//&J CJ P*$+ 7*,#_*,
Fig. u1. <- *&-20,+**)[- (R-@#, :&-20,+*0)&-), uiiecteu by }os Luis uueiin (2uu1). Couitesy of 0viueo Tv.
Fig. u2. Biioshi Sugimoto, Q,@&A)*)5- ?#,)&@ ?"&0& (1994). Photo 81 x 71 cm. Biioshi Sugimoto,
couitesy Pace ualleiy.
Fig. uS. Biioshi Sugimo, <5,')#20 K+=5- L#'50)A#2 (1994). Photo 81 x 71 cm. Biioshi Sugimoto, couitesy
Pace ualleiy.
Fig. uS. }. C. Faiman, B. u. uaiuinei anu }. B. Shanklin, "Laige Losses of Total 0zone in Antaictica Reveal
Seasonal Cl0
x
N0
x
Inteiaction," 350+,# S1S (Nay 198S): 2u7-21u.
Fig. u7. Fiom F. A. Fallou, ?#@&'&()# &@#, /''(#=#)-# +-@ H#2&-@#,# E&@#-;+-@# (Biesuen: Schoenfelu,
1862), in Alfieu E. Baitemink, "The Bepiction of Soil Piofiles since the Late 17uus," :50#-5 79 (2uu9):
11S-127.
Fig. u9. venezia 2uuS, Societa Italiana ui ueologia Ambientale. Scale = 1:Su,uuu.
Fig. 1u. Seth Benizen, "Auams Family Seiies," <)("0" /88,&D)=50)&-. R,H5- 6&)' )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#
(NLA Thesis: 0niveisity of viiginia, 2u12). Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
Fig. 11. Seth Benizen, "Robeit Noses Seiies," <)("0" /88,&D)=50)&-. R,H5- 6&)' )- 0"# /-0",&8&*#-#
(NLA Thesis: 0niveisity of viiginia, 2u12). Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
8G#/.4*/ A".) & L#/$."J .A P%&'*'*//,*//E 6#''#&) Q*".)* L&""#/., &,4 M*.'.-#%&' >+.$.-"&G+J;
*//&J CJ 14&) [.CC*$$*
Fig. u1. B.T. Biluage, "Nining 0peiations in New Yoik City anu vicinity,T" in !,5-25*0)&-2 &I 0"# /=#,)*5-
9-20)0+0# &I M)-)-( <-()-##,2 (New Yoik: Institute of Nining Engineeis, 19u8), S92, Fig. 18.
Fig. u2. u. Bingley, E5'@#,2H7 ?5,;> -#5, !"),2;S O5,(# E&+'@#, &I :5,H&-)I#,&+2 %,)0, 1891. Couitesy of the
Biitish ueological Suivey. NERC. All iights ieseiveu.
Fig. uS. Fiom }ohn A., Biessei anu T. C. Benis, %#&'&(7 &I g+#H#* (Quebec: Ruempti, 1944), Plate v.
Fig. u4. William }eiome Baiiison, 6"#,)-("5= E#5*"S ?5,5=&+@,5 )- :"5';, 1886. Couitesy of the Biitish
ueological Suivey. NERC. All iights ieseiveu.
Fig. uS. William }eiome Baiiison, E##20&- E#5*"S ?5,5=&+@,5, 1886. Couitesy of the Biitish ueological
Suivey. NERC. All iights ieseiveu.
Fig. u6. William }eiome Baiiison> BS &I 6"#,)-("5=S ?)--5*'# &I :"5';> #=H#@@#@ )- @,)I0, 1886. Couitesy of
the Biitish ueological Suivey. NERC. All iights ieseiveu.
:,RF#"#*/ &,4 :,$*"G"*$&$#.,/ !.,%*",#,- $+* BC/*"D&$#.,/ &,4 S#,4#,-/ A".) 1$)./G+*"*T
:,D*/$#-&$#,-; U&,4/%&G*T8VG'."#,-; W,#D*"/*T9"&%2#,- :,/$"F)*,$/; $+*#" 8VG*"#)*,$/; P$F4#*/;
8$%X; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ 8)#'J !+*,-
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
U&,4/%&G*/ .A P&, S"&,%#/%. [&JE >'&$*/ A".) [&J U*V#%.,; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ Q&,* 6.'AA
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
1"%+#$*%$F"*\/ U&G#4&"#F)E B, $+* U#D*/ .A M*.'.-#%&' PG*%#)*,/; *//&J CJ 1)J !&$&,#& gF'G*"
Fig. u2. Feiuinanu Cheval, ?5'5)2 9@F5' (1879-1912), Louis-Einest Baiiias, 350+,# R-A#)')-( K#,2#'I E#I&,#
6*)#-*# (1899), }ohn Colliei, ?,)#20#22 &I W#'8") (1891), Sii Euwaiu Coley Buine-}ones, 6)278"+2 (c. 187u).
Fig. uS. }oseph Nichael uanuy, /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@# (18S8).
Fig. u6. }oseph Nichael uanuy, fiom /,*")0#*0+,#. 902 350+,5' M&@# (18S8).
Fig. u7. }oseph Nichael uanuy, / 6#'#*0)&- &I ?5,02 &I E+)'@)-(2> ?+H')* 5-@ ?,)A50#> <,#*0#@ I,&= 0"# W#2)(-2
Peimissions 249
of }obn Soone (1818).
Fig. u9. uiovanni Battista Piianesi, J&+-@50)&-2 &I 0"# !"#50#, &I M5,*#''+2, fiom /-0)*")0k L&=5-# (17S6).
Fiom the Collection of the Toleuo-Lucas County Public Libiaiy.
Fig. 1u. Piianesi, "Nausoleum of Cecilia Natella," fiom /-0)*")0k L&=5-# (17S6). Fiom the Collection of
the Toleuo-Lucas County Public Libiaiy.
Fig. 11. Athanasius Kiichei, !"# <,+80)&- &I M&+-0 <0-5> Vm`n> fiom M+-@+2 6+H0#,,5-#+2 (1664).
Fig. 12. Basil valentine, The Twelve Keys (1678), Einst Rutheifoiu in his Laboiatoiy. Einst Rutheifoiu
anu Bans ueigei, Physics Laboiatoiy. Nanchestei 0niveisity, Englanu. Naisuen, Lauy }oyce: Assoiteu
photogiaphs anu negatives fiom the papeis of Sii Einest Naisuen. Ref: PA Coll-uu91-1-u11.Alexanuei
Tuinbull Libiaiy, Wellington, New Zealanu.
Fig. 1S. Athanasius Kiichei, uetail fiom ?)*0&,)5' 60&-#2 4)0" K+=5- J5*#2 (1664).
8""&$#% :)&-#,&"#*/E 9+#,2#,- U&,4/%&G* &/ 8D#4*,%*; *//&J CJ Q&,* LF$$.,
Fig. u1. Kiuston Lake Rocking Stone, Kiustone Lake, Nova Scotia. uaiunei Collection of Photogiaphs,
Baivaiu College Libiaiy.
Fig. u2. Pieiie ues Naimettes, fiom }ean Be Chaipentiei, <225) 6+, O#2 %'5*)#,2 #0 6+, '# !#,,5)- <,,50)P+#
@+ E522)- @+ L"&-# (Lausanne: Impiimeiie et Libiaiiie ue Naic Bucloux, 1841).
Fig. uS. Postcaiu, Pieiie ues Naimettes, (19uS) R. Beyiauut, Publishei, St. Nauiice, collection of vincent
Fianzen.
Fig. u4. Postcaiu, Rollstone Bouluei, Fitchbuig, Nassachusetts Petei Ciistofono collection.
Fig. uS. Babson Boulueis Nap. Couitesy of }ane Button.
Fig. u6. Babson Bouluei, Couiage, Bogtown, Nassachusetts. Couitesy of }ane Button.
Fig. u7. Neuicine oi Piayei Rock, Ipswich, South Bakota Photo couitesy of }. Stephen Conn.
Fig. u8. Postcaiu, Nassasoit Statue, Poitico ovei Plymouth Rock, The Nayflowei. 19Su-4S. The Tichnoi
Boitheis Collection, Boston Public Libiaiy.
Fig. u9. National Bay of Nouining plaque, Plymouth, Nassachusetts Photo couitesy of ueialu Azenaio.
P3#))#,- #, :$; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ !+*/$*" I*,,#*
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
S."$F,* L*&4 M*.'.-#*/; G+.$. *//&J CJ U#/& L#")*"
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
W$.G#& ., :%*E 9+* !'#)&$* &/ !.)).4#$J S."); *//&J CJ @&"2 7.""#&,
This essay is iepiinteu, with some mouifications, with the peimission of Cabinet magazine; it fiist
appeaieu in Issue 47 - Logistics, pp. 2S-S2.
Fig. u1. Piomotional image fiom the inuefinitely postponeu Sunny Nountain Ski Bome pioject, Bubai.
Fig. u2. Image fiom Buckminstei Fullei anu Shoji Sauao's "Clouu Nine" pioject, ca. 196u. Couitesy of the
Estate of Buckminstei Fullei.
Fig. uS. Rainmakeis Iiving Langmuii, vincent Schaefei, anu Beinaiu vonnegut at woik on clouu seeuing in
a uE Laboiatoiy. 1947.
Fig. u4. Piomotional Postei foi Bubailanu.
Fig. uS. Aiiboine Laputa piepaiing to menace the citizens of Balnibaibi. Fiom a 19Su euition of uullivei's
Tiavels |Whistlei Laputaj. Aitist Rights Society (ARS), New Yoik BACS, Lonuon.
1)G'#$F4* @.4F'&$#.,; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ @*-+&, 1"%+*"
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
:, $+* SF",&%* .A 7#/."#*,$&$#.,E 9"&-#% 7"&)& &,4 $+* U#$F"-#%&' S."%* .A @*$&'; *//&J CJ
MFJ h#))*")&,
Fig. u1. A. Ramage anu P. Ciauuock, b)-( :,&#2+2 %&'@> Aichaeological Exploiation of Saiuis Nonogiaph 11
(Cambiiuge, Nass.: 2uuu), Fig. 4.28. Aichaeological Exploiation of SaiuisBaivaiu 0niveisity.
Fig. u2. Aichaeoloical Reseaich at Aphiouisias in Caiia, 1994. R.R.R. Smith, Chiisophei Ratte, /=#,)*5-
}ournol of Arcbeoloqy, 1uu, no. 1 (}anuaiy 1996), Fig. 2S. Couitesy of Aichaeological Institute of Ameiica
2Su
Ameiican }ouinal of Aichaeology.
Fig. uS. A. Ramage anu P. Ciauuock, b)-( :,&#2+2 %&'@ Aichaeological, Exploiation of Saiuis Nonogiaph 11
(Cambiiuge, Nass.: 2uuu), Fig. 1u. 1. Aichaeological Exploiation of SaiuisBaivaiu 0niveisity.
Fig. u4. Aichaeoloical Reseaich at Aphiouisias in Caiia, 1994. R. R. R. Smith, Chiistophei Ratte, /=#,)*5
}ournol of Arcbeoloqy, vol. 1uu, No. 1 (}an., 1996), Fig. 2S. Couitesy of Aichaeological Institute of Ameiica
Ameiican }ouinal of Aichaeology.
Fig. uS. u. N. A. Banfmann, 65,@)2 I,&= ?,#")20&,)* 0& L&=5- !)=#2 (Cambiiuge Nass., 198S), fig. SS
(ieconstiuction). Aichaeological Exploiation of SaiuisBaivaiu 0niveisity.
9&" !"**2 PFG*"-"#4; 4*/#-, G".i*%$ CJ 1)J <.""#/ &,4 !'#,$., U&,-*D#,
Copyiight ietaineu by the authoiuesignei.
9+* M*.'.-#%&' :)G*"&$#D*E <.$*/ ., $+* >.'#$#%&'T8%.'.-J .A 1)&_.,#&\/ 7**G L#/$."J; *//&J CJ
>&F'. 9&D&"*/
Fig. u1. Still fiom the !"# /D J)("0> 197S. Couitesy of Bocumentaiy Euucational Resouices, Inc.
Fig. u2. Covei of the iepoit on Amazonia publisheu by Bavis Shelton anu Robeit Natthews, 1976.
Fig. uS. Q8#,50)&- /=5C&-)5. the oveilapping between natuial anu political teiiitoiies. Nap by Paolo
Tavaies.
Fig. u4. ual. uolbeiy uo Couto e Silva's influential teiiitoiial inteipietation of the National Secuiity
Boctiine.
Fig. uS. SLAR iemote sensing image of the south-cential iegions of the basin.
Figs. u6 - u9. Samples of the caitogiaphic inventoiy piouuceu by RABAN. Couitesy of IBuE - Biazilian
ueogiaphic Institute.
Fig. 1u. Continental uiban-matiix as planneu in the Plan foi National Integiation, 197u. Couitesy of
INCRA - National Institute foi Colonization anu Agiaiian Refoim.
Fig. 11. Tiansamaznica Bighway. Nanchete Nagazine, 197S.
Figs. 12 - 1S. Sample images of the RABAN catalogue uesciibing fielu-woik ieseaich. Couitesy of IBuE -
Biazilian ueogiaphic Institute.
Fig. 16. Fiist page of Noiman Lewis iepoitage publisheu in the Sunuay Times in 1969.
Fig. 17. Still fiames of the film aichive of the SPI. Couitesy of the Nuseu uo nuio, Biasil.
Fig. 18. The white peace: sample pages of a iepoit uiscloseu fiom the aichives of F0NAI.
Fig. 2u. ueoglyphs, an uiban foiest. Couitesy of Biego uuigel.
Fig. 21. !#,,5G8,#05: black-eaith soils, anthiopogenic in oiigin.
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Research regarding the signifcance and consequence of anthropogenic transformations of
the earths land, oceans, biosphere and climate have demonstrated that, from a wide variety
of perspectives, it is almost certain that humans have initiated a new geological epoch, their
own. First labeled the Anthropocene by the chemist Paul Crutzen, the consideration of the
merits of the Anthropocene thesis by the International Commission on Stratigraphy and the
International Union of Geological Sciences has also garnered the atention of philosophers,
historians, and legal scholars, as well as an increasing number of researchers from a range
of scientifc backgrounds. Architecture in the Anthropocene: Encounters Among Design, Deep
Time, Science and Philosophy intensifes the potential of this multidisciplinary discourse by
bringing together essays, conversations, and design proposals that respond to the geological
imperative for contemporary architecture scholarship and practice.
Although architecture has a sense of its place within broader socio-political and cultural systems, it has
not, until very recently, acknowledged itself as part of the earths geology, despite the fact that it is a forceful
geological agent, digging up, mobilizing, transforming and transporting earth materials, water, air and
energy in unparalleled ways. With the Anthropocene thesis, architecture is called to think itself as a
geological actor capable of radically transforming the earths atmosphere, surface morphology, and future
stratigraphy. Tis extraordinary and provocative collection of essays, design projects, and conversations
plots out what the planetary condition of the Anthropocene might mean for architecture, architectural
theory, and design practice.
Lindsay Bremner, Director of Architectural Research, University of Westminster
Te ground on which we standphysically, conceptually, even ontologicallyis becoming increasingly
unstable. Te same goes for our political, scientifc, and planetary atmospheres. Te histories of civilisation
and nature are crossing paths. But how to live up to the transformation called the Anthropocene? Vectors
of critical thought that align planetary politics with questions of the planning, organisation, the design
of physical space and the making of environments have become urgent. Tis volume brings leading and
emerging scholars and design practitioners together, allowing the most exciting edges of new research to
speak to each other. It is a major contribution to an emerging feld of study and will shape the direction of
the expanded feld in architectural and spatial research.
Anselm Franke, Head of Visual Arts and Film Department, Haus der Kulturen der Welt
Architecture/Philosophy
Series: Critical Climate Change
978-1-6u78S-Su7-7 18.uu