I have been reading about ‘ruling abstractions’

of ‘nature’, climate, food systems

nutrients within foods is predicted to continue to drop, not only because of conventional agriculture but also because of rising CO2 in the atmosphere

• Minerals like iron sink calcium and magnesium and proteins and Vietminh b and diminishing in soil exposed to increasing amounts of co2 because plants grow faster in these conditions and have less time to absorb nutrients 
• – George Monboit in Regensis

without these nutrients, humans can become highly deficient, especially girls, women and pregnancy.

where else will we have to get nutrient from? woollen garments? e-waste? how can we re-extract these vital elements from waste products ?

what is the relationship between between ‘detoxifying’ myths and fads and supplements and pseudo medical concepts to counter toxins entering our body VS the real health deficiencies from conventional farming and soil degradation and climate change

• Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University, “there are two types of detox: one is respectable and the other isn’t.” The respectable one, he says, is the medical treatment of people with life-threatening drug addictions. “The other is the word being hijacked by entrepreneurs, quacks and charlatans to sell a bogus treatment that allegedly detoxifies your body of toxins you’re supposed to have accumulated.”

Modern alchemy ?

•  The word is a European one, derived from Arabic, but the origin of the root word, chem, is uncertain. Words similar to it have been found in most ancient languages, with different meanings, but conceivably somehow related to alchemy. In fact, the Greeks, Chinese, and Indians usually referred to what Westerners call alchemy as “The Art,” or by terms denoting change or transmutation.
• metallurgy, art and science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying the metals for use. Metallurgy customarily refers to commercial as opposed to laboratory methods. It also concerns the chemical, physical, and atomic properties and structures of metals and the principles whereby metals are combined to form alloys.
• History of metallurgy
• The present-day use of metals is the culmination of a long path of development extending over approximately 6,500 years. It is generally agreed that the first known metals were gold, silver, and copper, which occurred in the native or metallic state, of which the earliest were in all probability nuggets of gold found in the sands and gravels of riverbeds. Such native metals became known and were appreciated for their ornamental and utilitarian values during the latter part of the Stone Age.

i would like to find a solid mythological starting point

• “Transmutation” is the key word characterizing alchemy, and it may be understood in several ways: in the changes that are called chemical, in physiological changes such as passing from sickness to health, in a hoped-for transformation from old age to youth, or even in passing from an earthly to a supernatural existence. Alchemical changes seem always to have been positive, never involving degradation except as an intermediate stage in a process having a “happy ending.” Alchemy aimed at the great human “goods”: wealth, longevity, and immortality.
• Alchemy was not original in seeking these goals, for it had been preceded by religion, medicine, and metallurgy. The first chemists were metallurgists, who were perhaps the most successful practitioners of the arts in antiquity. Their theories seem to have come not from science but from folklore and religion. The miner and metallurgist, like the agriculturalist, in this view, accelerate the normal maturation of the fruits of the earth, in a magico-religious relationship with nature. In primitive societies the metallurgist is often a member of an occult religious society

transmutation –

the action of changing or the state of being changed into another form.”the transmutation of the political economy of the post-war years was complete”

• PHYSICSthe changing of one element into another by radioactivedecay, nuclear bombardment, or similar processes.
• HISTORICAL•BIOLOGYthe conversion or transformation of one species into another.

I think this is a topic that really speaks to me because it is both intensely necessary in a state of planetary crisis and it can be reflective if places in the right context…

I hope this can lead me to explore ‘making’ with the living systems that remediate

this is not diverging too far from an extraction investigation because extraction leaves behind a mark that need remediating… also I am excited to touch back on invasive/remediation topics 5 years on from when I first looked at them.

how can fashion intersect with remediation? how can fashion repair? and restores and regenerate…

I want to make textiles from plants

I want to sculpt objects from toxic clay and paint on remediating bacteria that eat the toxins and can then be harvested and returned to the soil, rich in nutrients…. I want to create systems and show how they can be a cycle

wax from bees is used to cast silver from electronics to be the parts of an object that don;t get remediated…

REFLECTIONS ON MY PRACTICE

I want to work with organic forms, grown and biological and chemical and lab based… tech can come into this as a tool to exhibit and explain concepts and 3d and visual design can be used to take us on a journey…

think about companies that would be working in this area…. ponda – what would I want to do for ponda?

Types of remediating organisms:

1. Microorganisms:
   • Pseudomonas putida: Known for its ability to degrade a wide range of pollutants, including hydrocarbons, solvents, and pesticides.
   • Bacillus subtilis: Effective in breaking down organic pollutants and promoting soil health.
   • Rhizobium: Forms symbiotic relationships with leguminous plants, fixing atmospheric nitrogen and improving soil fertility.
2. Plants:
   • Helianthus annuus (Common Sunflower): Accumulates heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and uranium in its tissues, aiding in phytoremediation efforts.
   • Salix spp. (Willows): Known for their ability to absorb and accumulate contaminants such as heavy metals, organic solvents, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
   • Pteris vittata (Chinese Brake Fern): Hyperaccumulator of arsenic, commonly used in phytoremediation of arsenic-contaminated soils.
3. Mycorrhizal Fungi:
   • Glomus intraradices: Forms arbuscular mycorrhizal associations with plant roots, enhancing nutrient uptake and promoting soil health.
4. Earthworms:
   • Eisenia fetida (Red Wiggler Worm): Commonly used in vermicomposting to break down organic waste and produce nutrient-rich compost.
5. Microalgae and Macroalgae:
   • Chlorella vulgaris: Widely studied for its ability to remove nutrients, heavy metals, and organic pollutants from wastewater.
   • Macrocystis pyrifera (Giant Kelp): Large brown algae that can absorb carbon dioxide and other nutrients from seawater, contributing to ocean carbon sequestration efforts.
6. Insects:
   • Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier Fly): Larvae of this fly species feed on organic waste and can significantly reduce waste volume while producing nutrient-rich frass.
   • Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm Beetle): Larvae of this beetle species can consume polystyrene foam and other forms of plastic waste.
7. Marine Organisms:
   • Mytilus edulis (Blue Mussel): Filter-feeding bivalve mollusk that can remove pollutants and improve water quality in marine ecosystems.
   • Crassostrea virginica (Eastern Oyster): Oysters are known for their ability to filter large volumes of water, removing suspended particles and pollutants in the process.
8. Lichens:
   • Lobaria pulmonaria (Lungwort Lichen): Sensitive to air pollution, particularly sulfur dioxide, making it useful as an indicator species in air quality monitoring programs.

REFLECTIONS ON REMEDIATION

• it’s interesting what can be made from remediatory organisms
• I think it would be cool to frame this investigation in a future where we needed to harvest from plants that could survive in negative future climate conditions

book – ‘limits to growth 1972!

Sand, glass

Feldspar
– https://cargocollective.com/materialnarratives/DISQUIET-LUXURIANS
– The resulting collection focuses on the material feldspar – the world’s most prevalent mineral which makes up 60% of the Earth’s crust. In designing a scenario in which it gains uniqueness, Emilie has transformed this otherwise meaningless rock into a series of Post-Luxurian artifacts, and in doing so challenged the gilded concept of rarity.

steel

copper – electronics

cobolt

uranium

neodymium – rare earth minerals

magnets….

Why do I want to look at metal extraction? how does it relate t mythic matter? how is a project driven by morality? where is the morality in this starting point? Do we ultimately need to stop extracting metal? is it as simple as that? find instances of heavily negative extraction politics. who would this work be for? the more than humans in the ground? miners? nation trust and environmentalists? communities around specific sites of extraction? consumers of fashion and textiles? those who want to better understanding of the issue?

I think metal is interesting in a mythic matter way because it is painstakingly found and taken from the earths crust for its physical/inherent qualities (strength, structure, alchemy) but also because of reasons that are contextual and mythical… (things like value,

THINGS TO RESEARCH ONLINE

• i must look into the temporal contexts of different ores, what is the history of when they were made in earths systems, are they thought to be from different planets and stars
• how do microorganisms interact with metal? what does a worm or a nematode do if it finds it in the soil?
• the historical context of mining steel (iron+coaking coal?) + the making of stainless steel, silver
• how do people in the uk’s heritage relate to these material’s extraction?
• steel is 100% recyclable. copper as well is highly recycled.
• history of alchemy – to use magic to turn lead into gold!
• carbon dating can date anything alive within 50,000 years ago
• the term prospect.. what other mining terms are there that could be interesting entry points?
• why was it used as money?
• why is it used for electical wires
• how are magnets used and what is their function in electronics and products?
• find instances of heavily negative extraction politics – silver in Peru? Singapore? any closer to home.

BOOKS

• ‘a short history of nearly everything’ by bill bryson
• wear next
• history of extraction / pick a metal to start the search
• alchemy

‘Prospect’, though seemingly a colloquial term, found widespread use in the world of mining in the mid-19th century.
‘Prospect’ refers to a piece of land with mineral value that has not yet been determined (but with the implication that there is indeed some value). A product of colonialism, the term was used to describe the hopeful settlers of the gold rush era–‘Prospectors’–as they pushed westwards in search for minerals, often accompanied by violence and exploitation of the native peoples.
By contrast, term’s Latin origins (‘prospectare’) refers to the act of looking outward and forwards. Its use from the 16th century onwards has come to imply ideas of optimism and the future.
This dual meaning–one of hope, and one of exploitation–mirrors ideas we have today in regards to progress and the need for extractive modes of production to sustain it.

REFLECTIONS

maybe I am most interested in how we relate to the materials we wear? how can we make the deep time framework of materials tangible to us?

• very interesting project. what else could i make from extracted metals from electronics

It’s really only just dawning on me as to how much this brief suits me and my practice. the things that make me feel something are those instances when I am taken outside of myself and am shown a new reality. a new formation of this reality.

‘latent‘ – existing in hidden or dormant form.

latent’s etymology comes from the latin ‘to lie hidden’.

the underneath. the underground!

I am interested in things that are myths in that they are out of view.

I want to bring that which is beyond out senses into the experienceable.

I think see this project as an opportunity to explore the visual artists side of my practice. the side that wants to make translations of ecology , to make feelings of ecology and relationship to deep time ‘present to hand’.