Ineffable absences, irrefutable presences

TL;DR

This essay explores how everyday objects can reveal stories of extinction and loss, urging a deeper reflection on ecological and cultural erasure.

Contribution

It proposes a Museum of Extinction and emphasizes creative engagement with artifacts as a means to confront absences and inspire change.

Findings

Everyday objects carry embedded histories that reveal damaging extractive practices and ecological loss.

A speculative Museum of Extinction can highlight contrasts between natural remnants and constructed environments.

Creative engagement with artifacts fosters reflection and motivates material interventions for ecological and cultural preservation.

Abstract

This speculative essay examines the concepts of extinction and (de)extinction through the lens of quotidian objects, emphasizing that each material artifact tells a story about its ingrained elements and the “absence” it signifies. Situated within the framework of the Anthropocene, this reflection draws inspiration from a recent exhibit at the Peale Museum, showcasing artifacts retrieved from sites along the Jones Falls River and the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, MD. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach that contemplates futuristic visions of place and the embedded histories within objects, such as dolls, calculators and soda cans, the essay envisions a Museum of Extinction that interrogates the stark contrasts between tangible remnants of the natural world and living organisms in constructed environments. These objects embody haunting stories of damaging extractive practices and ecological and cultural erasure, serving as poignant reminders of the subtle presence of vanished lives and species, compelling us to deepen our understanding of the intricate dynamics of production, consumption and loss. It contends that, although a single or definitive “formula” for de-extinction is unattainable, poetic and creative engagements with everyday artifacts can serve as powerful testimonials to absences and material interventions. Such acts of writing not only foster a profound understanding of ecological and cultural entanglements but also motivate active material interventions. They transform the act of writing about objects into a reflective practice – an invocation of remembrance and a catalyst for potential change, sparking a quiet insurrection in how we perceive and care for the world.

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