THE EXHAUSTED LANDSCAPESFROM MINE - LANDS WITH LOVE

PATRYCJA PERKIEWICZ

A landscape is a complex system, similar to the human body. An organism that is affected by all of life’s effect. It breathes, grows, breeds and dies. It has the ability to memorize , to feel excitement as well as tiredness and disappointment. A system that due to human need of exploration and exploitation is wounded and suffers traumas. The mine as part of the landscape, is exposed to the same functions of life. Could we assume that the mine as well as the landscape could go through all different states of emotions? What it’s reaction to catastrophic events? People can adapt to critical situations. For centuries earth’s resources has been exploited, the landscape exposed to the depletion of the natural world. Due to personal experience we can prepare ourselves for uncertainty. Could we say the same about the landscape? The moment we step out of our safety zone and find ourselves in uncomfortable situations, could be a powerful force of creativity. People have a need to belong, to be part of something larger than ourselves. An identity that we can relate to, allow us to survive the destruction, the violence of any sort.

This drive to preserve the comfortable existence we inhabit, force us to treat the natural world as our very own smoeregos board. Very often this lead to the landscape being depleted voided. Eventually left broken and battered. A state it might never recover from. Observing the events, changes and trends in the mining industry similarities become very visible. Drilling is a traumatic event; human hunger and need of certain standard of living become a force for destruction and uncertainty. Mineral extraction takes away from landscape its identity.

The same area that could be a potential new finding is a home for others. This illustrates the complexity of the system, which has the ability to all affect others, although always remain under their influence. Exposed to every change, without the possibility to take part in the decision making process. The natural world is our silent bystander.

In a world where everyone has its own agenda. Could time heal all wounds? A statement that seems oddly relevant everything is affected by time. Even the unwanted voice has the same mandatory needs for existence. But for the time being our Landscapes immune system is failing. The natural world is being depleted on a faster pace than it can be replenished. Exhausted…. Can the landscape be re-activated or else it will start to “oppose“ human evolutionary needs “gadgets”?The disappearance of minerals from our earth’s crust will create an overall chaotic situation. The desperate response that follows will force radical changes on many levels. New political strategies must be created for society, as it exists today to have a chance at a future. Basics become the new key priorities distributing food, water, medicine, to provide shelter to those who need. Further exploitation of the already existing mines could create a dramatic landscape response. Kiruna’s situation proves it. The mine will not need the town any more. We should listen: to the voices that want to be heard. This begs the question can human hunger coexist with our natural world?! Is there a place for compromise? Traumatic events force changes, creative solutions. Therefore a situation which from one side could be regarded as catastrophic, can and does open windows of opportunities. Recreating the idea of safety allow for radical changes to take place. Mines require large amount of space. Due to that consequences very often are on the scale difficult to imagine. How can we transform the depletion of the landscape into driving force for new opportunities? Maybe an answer lies in what we are most afraid of: the lifespan.

Temporality could become an important part of future projections. Everything is affected by time. Why not to use the factor of the lifespan. Future “sites of trauma” should have an epheremental presence, the new mining villages” could and should move to where it’s needed a traveling circus of roaming landscape exploitation machines. At the end of an era when a mine is shutdown there should be no remnants but a hole in the ground. This could lower the chance of catastrophes like the situation currently found in Kiruna. Instead of being intruders, mining company would adopt the role of a visitor.

Guest that will disappear sooner rather than later, not claiming territory that does not belong to themselves. Not creating cities that are doomed to die and fade from the very beginning. In this time and age the last thing we need is wasteful resource management. With it comes another opportunity a responsibility really for reclaiming and reconstructing what has been lost in the sense of identity and belonging.Voices must be heard, futures must be considered, polices must be made. Views must be radically changed if these questions are not asked we might face a catastrophe that might, forever change human history.