Contemplating the rare earth minerals that generate the “magic” of our smartphones, Speculative Geologies is a collection of more than 350 virtual rocks and minerals associated with the attributes and actions of our digital devices. “Speculative Geologies calls focus to the rapid planetary metamorphoses that science, art, and the geologic imagination have set underway—largely without intention—in the digital Anthropocene.”*
(your) future talisman, installed at Neon Heater, organizes Speculative Geologies’ rocks and minerals, now physically manufactured as highly stylized plastistones, into several powerful divining grids. Each talisman is arranged to harness specific powers to guide, protect or empower the user.
From folklore and superstition to organized religion and spirituality, magic’s divine power can often be harnessed through the use of rock and minerals- such as crystals, hag stones, or pi stones. This elevated use of material stands in stark contrast to Western culture’s history of exploitation and extraction of natural resources, many of which power our digital devices. The organic gridded forms of (your) future talisman are akin to natural coral structures or virtual gaming inventories, allowing combinations of rocks and minerals to create powerful intentions and actions..
*Bonny, Sandy. Reflecting on Speculative Geologies, hybrid arts, and the geologic imagination. Online. May 2023.