When defining the amplitude of our research field in Jaeren, it is crucial to include a vast expanse of its seascape. The huge impact of the oil economy on the grounds of Jaeren, evident in large structures and infrastructures built for platform servicing, was already discovered in our first exploration, but its real scale is only disclosed when we expand our view offshore. Statoil-operated Sleipner field lies 240 Km west of Stavanger, and is the largest offshore system in the Nordsjoen area. Its licensed blocks occupy an area that is approximately 4 times the all Jaeren region. Inspired by Kelly Doran I have drawn several maps of the seascape of Jaeren, defined by its northern and southern borders projected offshore. These maps reveal that the all portion of seabed licensed to different oil companies covers a surface that is more than 600% if compared to the whole region. In our perspective of change, this figure means that an enormous amount of structures will soon become industrial waste, and inland and offshore landscapes will in a close future turn into dead topographies. But it also means that an ambitious landscape exploitation and manipulation has been going on for decades far from our awareness and perception, under the waters. This is part of a culture, which is strongly embedded in Jaeren’s local ecology. A culture that is there, and has to be understood and problematized. Landscape futures for both this culture and its environment are what we ask you to imagine. Alice Labadini/AL
No comments:
Post a Comment