Link to interactive page:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1S0X9FZzLoL077d4PI3m5SKVlPR_Iju8n
Reflection:
As a collective, although we had our own individual interpretations of the concept, our group had a shared understanding of entanglement as an “ever-evolving weave” (Ingold, 2011) that is continuously able to link things such as ideas, concepts and relationships together. Putting this understanding into practice, we attempted to replicate this through both the conceptual entanglement of; activism, sustainability, surfing culture and environmentalism as well as the physical (or virtual) entanglement of technologies and media formats of; video, audio and written work. In navigating the projects clear instructions to creating a single page format to display the media works, we discovered a few initial limitations – as no one in the group really had any substantial experience with Adobe InDesign or any similar programs. Initially, this did slightly stump me personally as it was difficult to envision the finished format without past examples. Although moving forward, after we delegated media modes for group members to focus on and I saw the single page format slowly form I gained a greater clarity and understanding of the task. In delegating our groups tasks, I received the focus on text/ written media. I found working with text media to be slightly trickier than anticipated, as it is a medium that can sometimes be innately less engaging than video or auditory media.
Particularly in considering our concept for the work (Oil drilling in The Bight) was quite serious and literal rather than abstract, it was a struggle to depict written media that was informative without being too dense. Looking past these perceived limitations of written media, I did find it to be effective in its entanglement with the mediums of photo, video and audio within our project – as text can create context, substantiate ideas and initiate further meaning. There is also the added complexity and perhaps entanglement within written media forms as they can require more research than other formats. Again, particularly regarding our topic, I found my research into the Bight as such a biodiverse and “geographically unique” (Sorokin, Fromont and Currie, 2007) attraction juxtaposed with the risks of oil drilling and previous disasters and “government oversights” (Dril, 2011) within these operations almost further entangled my understanding of the issue – considering further implications and stakeholders.
In additional reflection on entanglement and the making itself of our chosen media, I found myself drawing unexpected similarities between entanglement theories and the whole oil drilling scenario in the Bight. From one perspective, the whole situation is entangled with stakeholders such as; Equinor, councils, government, protestors, locals and the media – like many links or pieces of a bigger picture. Looking forward, these groups may well find themselves with a moral dilemma, pondering extricating themselves from “assemblages whose trajectory is likely to do harm” (Bennett, 2010). In unpacking this idea relating to the project, Bennett’s ideas that it’s unlikely for one individual or thing to directly equate to another thing/ effect really resonated with me. No one person will be responsible if the drilling goes ahead, it’s trajectory or fate is shaped by many. In an unusual parallel, no one person or idea is responsible for our finished assignment, by it is shaped by many ideas and individuals – that is the beauty of entanglement.
Whilst working on and particularly when researching this issue for this project, we found questions arose about surrounding the opposing side of the debate. We wondered what the effects and implications were if the plans went forward with no issues and there was no spill. This led us to wonder about the oil and gas that would be provided, that admittedly our group members do all use (e.g. driving cars). In considering these queries, some ideas we’d like to explore in future projects would be oil consumption more generally, the sustainability of said consumption and even looking critically at our own personal consumption – considering if we are entangled in a larger problem.
References:
- Sorokin, S., J. Fromont, and D. Currie (2007) “Demosponge Biodiversity in the Benthic Protection Zone of the Great Australian Bight.” Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 131.2: 192-204. Web. <https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.rmit.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/03721426.2007.10887083?needAccess=true>
- Dril (2011) National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Offshore. DEEP WATER The Gulf Oil Disaster and the Future of Offshore Drilling. Perseus Distribution Digital, Web. <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/rmit/reader.action?docID=679968>
- Bennett, J (2010) The Agency of Assemblages. In Vibrant Matter. A Political Ecology of Things. Durham, London: Duke University Press, pp. 20–38. (page 37)