3. Yucca Mountain
This speculative project piles collected cultural symbols of death to pair with a narrative about the possibility and ultimate futility of continued conversation across geological time. Each image pairs with a short fictional description of an atomic priesthood tasked with keeping people away from the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Site for 10,000 years. The project posits three types of collective memory in an effort at extending the possibility of communication as far into the future as possible: Symbolic, Institutional, and Geological. The pile is designed to operate symbolically in the short term, institutionally in the midterm, and geologically in the long term. As the flippant symbols of death become obsolete, the institutional drive toward “collection” will remain behind, ultimately creating a human sedimented layer of material that leaves a stratigraphical layer between the future human and the current nuclear waste.
2050 C.E.
The Yucca Mountain priesthood is founded alongside parallel priesthoods at sister sites across the world. The early history of accumulation is marked by local symbolism as the priesthood establishes its pedigree as an international institution.
2050 C.E.
The Yucca Mountain priesthood is founded alongside parallel priesthoods at sister sites across the world. The early history of accumulation is marked by local symbolism as the priesthood establishes its pedigree as an international institution.
4305 E.o.A.
Perfect Formosus rejects the proposals put forward at the 75th International Conjunction of Collators and removes the Yucca Mountain delegation—now known as the Mori Valley Collective—from the international priesthood. Over the following years, the Mori Valley Collective withdraws into the collected mountain and completely cuts off all contact with the outside world.
Perfect Formosus rejects the proposals put forward at the 75th International Conjunction of Collators and removes the Yucca Mountain delegation—now known as the Mori Valley Collective—from the international priesthood. Over the following years, the Mori Valley Collective withdraws into the collected mountain and completely cuts off all contact with the outside world.
9798 E.o.A.
Despite reformations after the Corruption, the priesthood begins a slow decline. The last Perfect dies alone deep in the collection.
Despite reformations after the Corruption, the priesthood begins a slow decline. The last Perfect dies alone deep in the collection.