Edgar Martins: The Time Machine

In 2010, Edgar Martins was granted access to around 20 power stations facilities within Portugal so that he may photograph the interior and show the world. Many of those facilities were actually built between 1950 and 1970, "a time of hopeful prospects for rapid economic growth and social change" according to dissfussionfestival.org. They go on to speak of his work as a way of documenting a period in time of which the facilities' design was intentionally progressive as a way to testify to the scope and ambition of the original vision they were built to serve. 

(http://www.diffusionfestival.org/programme-item/the-time-machine/)

This work brings a sense of nostalgia to the industrial designs well known from 1970s science-fiction films and TV shows. The work, almost dated in itself, brings a sense of attempted harmony, but with a hint of neglect as the photo presents itself in isolation from any human operation.

As you can see above, the control room is readily available for use and operation, yet the contact and human interaction is almost nonexistent. The surfaces are clear, pristine, almost untouched. The centralised subject shows a cohesive look at the overall symmetry within the room, yet the cleanliness almost lends itself to being a novelty than a tool. The flooring shows it withheld the weight of many feet, and the steps have almost taken their toll whilst the tools show a binary opposite. This eerily opposing imagery is both aesthetically pleasing, and saddening. 

It's saddening to see that such a grand facility would be abandoned, the opportunities it has left behind, laying in the dust of the previous human presence. The ever-evolving has chosen against keeping this wonderful place from creating electricity for us. I think it's worth noting that all of these facilities are hydro-electricity power plants. Now, as a society, I believe we've not properly looked at the most opportunistic options for energy creation, and we aren't much further in finding a sustainable reliable source that can provide energy for us at a substantial rate. Hydro-electricity was a safe option for humans as the proximity of the water itself was no issue whatsoever, unlike the other nuclear options that many are exploring today. It isn't a criticism, it's more a reflection of my own opinion that as a world we haven't entirely found a solution that presents itself as safe that has great potential. 

The real beauty of Edgar Martins' "The Time Machine" is the symmetry, perfect dimensions, and overall order within his set of images that ominously sets it apart from the contrasting messiness that is human nature, and yet we created it. The centralisation of much of the imagery is visually pleasing, and is a great send-off for a place that served well, but didn't use up its time. The retrograde colouring is a tribute to a design era that we should be proud of. You can find the whole set of 64 photographs here on his website. (http://www.edgarmartins.com/work/the-time-machine-an-incomplete-semi-objective-survey-of-hydropower-stations-2011/)

Sparks of Interest

When I was figuring out what I wanted to write about, photograph, have an opinion on, I felt stumped right at the beginning of the year, I had no idea what I was going to look at for my Final Major Project. I was soon given a mini project task of finding an image that would be seen on the front of a newspaper, often because something special was to be happening with it. I thought it would be worth noting that my Major Project idea was sparked off of this miniature project where I had photographed the Battersea Power Station in all its remaining glory. 

I took this photo as a task which didn't present itself with a specific message needed, but more as an image that you may find in the newspaper for whatever reason. I wasn't aware however, that Battersea was under renovation to be created into a large complex of flats and shops, and this image certainly lent itself as something that may suggest this beautiful building was to becomes something more. I was also told of how this image was aesthetically pleasing, but didn't immediately suggest that it was related to energy. This sparked my interest to start looking into observing where modern society is with energy. 

The Facts and Politics of Non-renewables

The difficult position we have put ourselves in as a modern society is not to be taken lightly. Currently, the world is usurping resources that are not renewable, these are often referred to as Non-renewable energy. This consists of Fossil fuels and Radioactive fuels. Fossil fuels include Petroleum (crude oil) which is split up into several densities and types, Coal, which is the largest source of energy, and natural gas, which is fairly self-explanatory, originating from places where the creation of the gas excludes a man-made process.

These natural resources are of limited supply, a limited supply within our world, and the outcome of using these fuels as energy is wasteful and isn't ideal as a solution to our energy needs. Radioactive fuels are the other side of the coin, a same limited supply material, but completely different in context. Uranium is the material used, and has no other applicability, aside from being dangerous for humans in near contact. This makes it slightly more appealing as a fuel, since it is naturally harmful for our race. This creates the basis for a slightly more trustworthy fuel, despite it's non-renewable status. Many companies take advantage of uranium in nuclear power stations, but since there are dangers within the process and the waste product must be contained or disposed of in a correct manner, we are safer with coal, petroleum, and natural gases.

Petroleum, the finite resource used within many modern cars, is the substance behind many political debates. We rely heavily on oil companies to give us the fuel we need for our cars that take us everywhere, since walking isn't always an option, and driving is the easiest way to travel a great distance in a short amount of time. We have millions of cars in use, many of which are old, some people are still driving cars that are 20 years old and still serve as a tool to get from A to B. Unfortunately, the older models are expectedly worse for their emissions. Oilprice.com has a written piece surrounding the affects at which these oil companies do not wish to see their profits removed or change. In an article written late 2012, they are quoted saying:

"U.S. Rep. John Boehner, speaker of the House of Representatives, received nearly twice as much financial support from donors tied to the energy sector than did the next-closest recipient, a report from the National Wildlife Federation finds. The 20-page report highlights the role it says oil companies play in U.S. politics, stating energy companies are working behind the scenes on Capitol Hill to influence legislation in favour of oil, natural gas and coal policies. The NWF report finds that the current 112th U.S. Congress has voted one out of every five times against legislation drafted in favour of environmental issues."
[Taken from http://oilprice.com/Energy/Crude-Oil/Big-Oil-Funding-U.S.-Politics.html]

This shocking behaviour comes as no surprise to those within the political arena, those parties that battle it out within the American's Congress just to prolong the issues that are inevitably present - not just for American companies, but also worldwide. I wish to explore these political and environmental issues, not necessarily with the intention of being uniquely different in my approach, but to help rally up support for the warped wrongdoing of the companies producing the energy we all use, and the implications of their ignorance.

An Objective Look At Energy

Within my final major project, I will be expected to draw upon the skills and knowledge that I have developed over the past few years whilst being at UCA. I choose to look at something with real world value, a subject of great importance and significance to current society. My initial plan would be to look at the subject of Energy. It's purpose is intrinsic to every modern day activity, within electronic devices, cars, and major corporations. More specifically, I choose to focus on the issues surrounding energy creation, and the numerous ways in which it can be harvested.

For starters, coal has always been a standard fuel in which we burn to transform into the electricity we know, love, and depend on. This fuel is of limited supply, as is that of natural gases. Thus, we have chosen nuclear as an option too, which unfortunately is a dangerous subject to go down, and the current method produces a large amount of waste, only 1% of the product used for nuclear is actually usable in today's current methods.

CO2 is the gas we output most of in the world, as it serves to be fairly safe for human breathing as it's the same gas we exhale. But as the appetite of the world increases exponentially by the year, one has to question the use of non-renewable sources for our energy, and the destruction it may be causing in the long-term. I plan on delving deeper into this subject to find out just how this affects us, if and how it may affect the current generation's future.