For our introductory project, we each gathered images documenting human interference with a natural system and natural interference with a human/artificial system. As we discovered at the beginning of class, this leads to a broader engagement with the theme of the Anthropocene Epoch, the period of time in which human activity makes the biggest impact on the natural world.
This first image shows human interference with a natural system. This is a packaged “ham and cheese loaf” found at a supermarket. On a basic level, humans interfered with nature (pigs) to source the meat in this product. If we think of killing animals for food as part of the natural world for millennia, that leads to the next point. The supermarket is symbolic of humans interrupting this natural order of food gathering and preparation. Here, a huge company has done the dirty work, chopped, sorted, and processed it, added specs of cheese for good measure (also processed/artificial), and packed it neatly into a square container. Artificial preservatives halt its decay and lengthen its shelf life. It is treated as another commodity, sold under the same roof and with similar packaging as products ranging from laundry detergent to school supplies.
The second image is a detail shot of a metal beginning to rust. Humans forged and cut the metal and constructed this exterior door. Through a chemical reaction, nature has started to leave its mark on the metal. On a formal level in this composition, the hard right angles, perfect circles, and lattice pattern are contrasted with the organic texture of the rust.
As I began narrowing down what I captured, I had two reoccurring thoughts:
- When looking for examples of natural interference with human/artificial systems, I always found strong reasons to flip that interpretation. Almost everything built by humans is interfering with the natural world in some way.
- What exactly is interference? Is there a spectrum with obstruction/inconvenience on one end and destruction/devastation on the other?