'Under these Vast Skies: The Anthropocene Epoch': Picturing: Eco ruin – Focusing on the ‘wrong’ picture

McIntyre, Lesley (2021) 'Under these Vast Skies: The Anthropocene Epoch': Picturing: Eco ruin – Focusing on the ‘wrong’ picture. UNIXYZ Inc., New Delhi, India.

Preview	Image (Sólheimajökull Glacier’s retreating snout, and resulting Lagoon, highlights that within the next century many of Iceland’s glaciers will become extinct. This Lagoon shouldn’t be here.) EcoRuin_01_SolGlacier.jpg - Published Version Download (3MB) | Preview
Preview	Image (Blast Beach is a time-capsule showcasing the history of place in the shape of landscape. From the significantly eroded magnesian limestone cliffs (from the corrosive soda crystals and magnesia from a Chemical works, 1865) to the iron-stained pools (from t) EcoRuin_02_BlastBeach.jpg - Published Version Download (3MB) | Preview
Preview	Image (Rutshellir (Rútur's Cave) is thought to be the oldest extant man-made residence in South Iceland and evidences the architectural wisdom and determination of first settlers to survive in inhospitable environments. It is mentioned in a Register of Estates c) EcoRuin_03_Rutshellir.jpg - Published Version Download (5MB) | Preview
Preview	Image (Hverageroi, often called ‘Earthquake Town’ or ‘Hot Spring Town’, is a geothermal landscape of hot springs and (growing) houses. Food can be cooked by being buried; however, the residents often deal with hot springs opening in their homes. The fear of a po) EcoRuin_04_Hverageroi.jpg - Published Version Download (2MB) | Preview
Preview	Image (The Mundane Monument: Transmission. In transit through the ever-changing Icelandic landscape, the Plyon is a constant. Not specific to this place, but very explicit in this place, could these pylons be considered as Monuments? Are they mundane? Perhaps, h) EcoRuin_05_Monument.jpg - Published Version Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

A Photographic Essay Competition: Currently Shortlisted

At first glance, these scenes seem surreal and almost magical. However, in terms of the Anthropocene Epoch, there is a sinister narrative at play. Human activity is having a significant impact on the planet’s landscape, climate, and ecosystems.

Robert Smithson was ‘convinced that the future is lost somewhere in the dumps of the non-historical past.’ Under these Vast Skies set the uncovering of such moments at the heart of its adventure. Across scale, this collection of photographs from sites across Iceland and NE England, lays bare the impression that climate change, human behaviour and political motivations have had on shaping our world, our landscapes, and our lives.

The concept in weaving these images together is: These Landscapes shouldn't look like this. As an interactive collection, the viewer’s gaze is captured by a beautiful element of the scene, such as the vibrant colours of the iron-stained pool in ‘Blast Beach’, before undertaking a deeper introspective analysis and contemplation.

Subtle, tragic, and very sad, these ‘capsules of deep-time’ are each a recording of landscape in 2021.

A note to the future: We are currently living within the restrictions of a World-wide Pandemic. These photographs were made possible because of a vaccine that enabled a window of time of permitted travel. These photographs were all taken on a phone, whilst wearing a facemask and in various speeds of transit. They were taken at opportune, often mundane, moments from a bus journey through Iceland and a dog walk on the coast of Durham, England.

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