Can humanity survive the threat of its own short-sightedness?
In short: Conceptual artist Katie Paterson explores 'deep time'—the history of Earth over millions of years—to challenge our limited human perspective. She shares how her art, from melting glaciers to unread manuscripts, attempts to bridge the gap between our fleeting lives and the vastness of geological history.
Paterson argues that human short-sightedness is a primary threat to our species. To combat this, she utilizes art to engage with deep time, creating works like a telephone line connected to a melting glacier and maps of dying stars.
Her latest project, the Future Library, is a forested room containing manuscripts from famous authors. These works are intentionally withheld from publication or reading until the year 2114, forcing a confrontation with a timeframe far beyond a single human lifespan.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Mind-Bending Art of Deep Time | Katie Paterson | TED
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