Human in the Anthropocene
Background
The Land Art movement of the 1960s and 1970s was made up of artists whose canvas was the natural landscape itself. While artists Andy Goldsworthy and Robert Smithson focused on the creation of art outside of the commercialized art galleries, the underlying feature of these works is man’s capacity to leave their mark on the world. It is with this in mind that we emerge into the contemporary concept of the Anthropocene: the proposed geological epoch that demarcates the significant impact human beings have on the natural landscape and its ecosystems. We are entering an age where the awareness of our ties with the Earth are becoming more apparent to us.
Introduction
As I looked more into the concept of the Anthropocene, it felt like there could be many different avenues of approaching the subject and the many issues that are discussed. However, I find that pursuing one single framework is not enough to bring to light issues of human impact on the environment and their political implications. I think it would be more valuable to create a piece of media that mixes the fictional and the non-fictional in order to best engage with formulating new ways humans, and their societies, relate to the natural landscape. By merging fictional and non-fictional narratives, I hope to challenge current beliefs about the disconnect between human societies and the landscape. This personal reflection will allow people to reflect on the type of stewardship that best serves the needs of their local community.
Methods
The media that I am most drawn to for this project is a combination of text, photographs, and video. I will set out to complete a video essay. The length of this video essay will be about 15 minutes.
To begin, I will narrow down my research to current artists, journalists, and video essayists that have tackled this topic in some capacity. If there are any local artists, I will reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to have a chat with me to share information over Zoom.
Then, I will set out to compile content and separate them into designated folders. I will be using elements of science fiction, current events, and true stories throughout. Most images, photographs, and videos will be produced by me. I will be using archival footage or historical documents if appropriate. I will be focusing the photographs and footage on what is available to me locally: urban garden sites, historical landmarks, and forest preserves. If possible, I would also use audio recordings for the video essay for the non-fiction and fictionalized elements of the video.
In order to complete the project, I will have to spend a great deal of time editing. A midway point would be to compile all the content and create a short version of the video essay. I will edit using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.
Alongside the video essay, I hope to produce a book as a physical publication that can be shared with others. The book would be 8×8 and include all photographs and some pieces of writing. This will be produced through InDesign. The midpoint of this portion of the project would be to establish a layout of the photographs as well as the sequence.
Outcomes
The final outcomes of this project will include two video essays: Metanoia and Eudaimonia. The first will be from the perspective of the cruelest of human capacities. The latter will be from the perspective of the compassion that humans are capable of. The book will be the synthesis of the two films, revealing the spirit that animates every human being. The formal outcomes of this project will be to showcase the video at the IDEA end of the year show. I think it would also be interesting to enter it into any video competitions online which I will research in the coming weeks. I think the video essay and publication will not only be an addition to my portfolio but something that can start a conversation with others. I think that would be a successful project: to create conversations meaningful around these topics both in-person and online
