“this time, this place… beyond open circulation closed reciprocity… closed hydration spheres wrought cast smithed… this is what we are, what we eat…”
Iron is the most common metal on earth. It forms much of the molten core of the planet, which in turn generates the magnetic poles. The red soils of the world are rich with oxidised iron. Iron is essential for human life: haemoglobin makes our blood red and transports oxygen around the body. In the societal domain, iron is essential for manufacturing, electricity generation, and much more.
Filmed mostly in the Southern Flinders Ranges, South Australia, in the midst of a multi-year drought, the video imagines a damaged future when commentary is generated by legacy computer code drawing on the language of geology, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, and metallurgy. The landscape is red with ancient ironstones that overlie the Ediacaran fossil beds, dating back 570 million years and containing some of the oldest known multi-cellular organisms. Amongst them are mysterious organisms exhibiting body plans that no longer exist. Meanwhile, rusted iron artefacts of failed human attempts to master the environment are strewn around, gradually returning to the earth.
Despite the aura of death and decay, many organisms are well-adapted to survive such harsh conditions. Even the bones and dust themselves are replete with thriving micro-organisms. Indeed, certain bacteria can derive energy for life by directly oxidising dissolved iron compounds in the presence of light, accelerating the breakdown of solid iron. More generally, oxidative energy production in all multicellular life depends on intracellular structures (mitochondria) that have evolved from symbiotic bacteria. Furthermore, most creatures, including humans, gain significant nutrients from the metabolic activity of symbiotic and commensal micro-organisms within their gastro-intestinal tracts.
As anthropogenic climate change threatens iron-oxidising bacterial communities, perhaps our descendants, Homo ferrovorus, the Ferrovores, the Iron Eaters, will host their descendants, the Ferrochemotrophs, as mutually beneficial symbionts, living off the rusting remains of a lost civilisation.
“just dry blood, red and blown… as if not yet in our grasp, not yet out of our reach…”
Ian Gibbins
Author / Performer / Director
—South Australia
Text of The Ferrovores
.title .basename {set: text=ferrovores; reset @article=the;
lang1=eng; lang2=univ; lang3=default; style=icaps allbold;
}
//** The Ferrovores **//
.timecode .timescale .timepoint {set: input1=rand; input2=pos; lib=hum(var(01)*input1); style=quotetext;
loop @lib @timevar call lib=hum(var(02)*input2(exp arcsin);
}
//** this time
this place **//
.core .access {def: chemmode(1)=inorganic; chemmode(2)=organic;
textcore(1)=ferr(-ic -ous);
textcore(2)=haem(-crit -globin -lymph -lysis -stat);
}
//** beyond open circulation closed reciprocity
closed hydration spheres wrought cast smithed **//
.seekinfo .search(1) .search(2) {def: user(1)=ex(var_x);
if x=primord dir=formove;
if x=randreal dir=stay;
else dir=mod(acc_rate);
}
//** reanimate sunlight as dayshift weekshift
on longperiod oscillation on moebius orbit frameshift
record wavelength overhead unfiltered indigo twin crimson
unless strangeity or circumflexure or expaquelessness
unless waterfall downfall crestfall
record options intermesh intertwine intervene **//
.setvox .setlang=lang(1-3) {call: comment=live reset @vox=live;
person=1;
n=z(z>1);
timecode=t(t>0);
timepoint=p(p rel);
run(vox());
}
//** we hunger thirst elements raw simple unalloyed
we gather beside we aggregate congregate sound
our names our attraction call to other to self
our need to extract transfer to self to energise **//
.setvox {set: reset @vox=live;
run();
}
//** magnetite haematite
ediacara wilpena burra **//
.setvox {set: reset @vox=live;
run((1));
}
//** such as ferromagnetic anti-ferromagnetic
for example we count valency two three six
for example we count oxygen hydrogen carbon
for example oxide carbide bicarbonate compounded
such as this is what we are what we eat **//
.seekinfo .search(1) .search(2) {def: user(2)=ex(var_x);
if x=primord dir=jumpmove;
if x=randreal dir=recirc;
else dir=mod(acc_rate(1)*acc_rate(2));
if sum(dir)=0 set x=0;
overwrite=on;
reset all;
run @vox=live;
}
//** away from home heat our seekline to dig
to grind to dust to devour to take in
to take further away from metabolic inertia
our logfiled source material anticipation **//
.nametest .brandtest {set: brandname(1)=randlist(n);
brandident(1)=tradelist(n);
filter(fam)=on;
filter(opt)=suff(-e -iliar -ilarity -ily -ous);
reset=off;
}
//** for example general motors ford hatch ute wagon
grip of jaws wings calls wrung loose of clench
spin spread flock flocked flocking precipitation **//
.status {set: @codecheck=scan(1);
errormode=codefix;
voxmode(1)=formfix;
reset=iter(reset(1));
loop=off;
}
//** no **//
.status {set: @codecheck=scan(2);
errormode=codefix;
voxmode(1)=formfix;
reset=iter(reset(2));
loop=off;
}
//** no no **//
.interrupt .sidepane .save {set: source=prime;
dir=root;
data(1)=geo(axis(1-3));
data(2)=temp(axis(4));
voxmode(2)=resetlib(1);
voxmode(3)=quote;
runmode=safe;
run;
}
//** as if feeding natural pure extract direct directly into
abundance extensive unsought riches ex-gangue ex-galena
as if we no longer buddle leach vann froth smelt blast
our approach but build coherence at positive equilibrium
as if our enzymatic catalysis of electromotive potential **//
.endpage .footer .sendform {set: textvar=max; reset @current;
searchclass=final;
searchcase=divest(all);
searchverb=end(1);
else continue;
voxmode=mono;
run @vox=live @end;
}
//** time just this
place just this
fear of rust
we do and not
or we eat all
and none now
with no air
clear or blue
no rare earth
just dry blood
red and blown
on high wind
as if not yet
in our grasp
not yet out
of our reach **//
.endtitle {set: text=null @end;
run(vox) @vox=off;
stopcode=on;
}
//** **//
Notes and further reading:
1. Incertae sedis indicates the uncertain taxonomic status of the species.
https://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/ediacara
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ediacaran_biota
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiogenesis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosymbiont
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloroplast