After discussing the thesis draft with key ITP folks, I moved forward with Magic Mapping (Holes for Sale). 

I will approach the landscape elements, including soil (a vital/ endangered resource) and rocks (with their micro endoliths) as kin to humans in opposition to the anthropocentrism of progress-driven modern society.

Holes are ontological parasites; they are immaterial and are defined only by their relation to something else. I plan to sell holes, possibly using NFTs (non-fungible tokens). Most NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain running via a “Proof of Work” algorithm, which has an enormous carbon footprint but PoS (proof of stake) and eco-alternatives with lower energy consumption are in the works.

I want to present the materiality of landscape/surroundings, layers of time, and the ephemeral, confused presence of humans enacted by the sale of holes.

Figuring out the form that will manifest my topic has been difficult. It is both inspiring and intimidating to see the wonderful explorations that my colleagues are doing with various libraries/ frameworks.

 

TRAVELS:

Always exciting!… google earth travels afford me supernatural encounters in the form of digital artifacts, human and non-human. Recent ones:

 

Promotional image from a seaside hotel in Libya. It is set up as a picnic photo but looks like an altar, especially with pastries directly on the ground.
Promotional image from a seaside hotel in Libya. It is set up as a picnic photo but looks like an altar, especially with pastries directly on the ground.

 

In Namibia, a woman seems moved by the presence of a dried up plant entity.
In Namibia, a woman seems moved by the presence of a dried up plant entity.
Rock entity merging with a young boy.
Rock entity merging with a young boy.

 

PLANNED FIELDWORK:

My plan is to do more soil/ hole explorations via borescope recordings. 

Also, I will be transporting a rock across a body of water to ponder:

    1. the idea of rocks’ movements (“slow” deep time moving + “fast” spirit entity moving)
    2. human hubris (moving rocks)
    3. endolithic ecosystems and their “geobiological processes that shape the current biosphere and potentially provide clues to life’s history on Earth and where to seek life elsewhere in the Solar System”