Block Out the Noise?

BLOCK OUT THE NOISE?

ON

THE INTERSECTIONALITY OF MEDIA THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GLITCH

Gemmie Wimolrat Poolsiri

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“There is noise in the subject, there is noise in the object.

There is noise in the observed, there is noise in the observer.

In the transmitter and in the receiver, in the entire space of the channel.

There is noise in being and appearing.

It crosses the most prominent divisions of philosophy and makes a mockery of its criteria.

It is in being and in knowing.

It is in the real, and in the sign, already.1”

0 A PROLOGUE IN 3 THOUGHTS

Figure 1

Figure 2

SHUSHHH Noise stands as an anomaly within systems, laws, and societies—an often-vilified presence.

Efforts to control, categories, and eradicate it are manifested through regulations, technological devices, and the constructed environment. The UK government exemplifies this disciplinary approach by classifying noise based on intrusion levels and prescribing preventative measures.2 Noise finds itself on the wrong side of legality, even in a workplace, Health and Safety laws prescribe thresholds to distinguish between healthy and harmful noise levels for workers.3 Physical embodiments of the repulsion of noise are evident in noise-cancelling headphones and concrete barriers erected along motorways. These spatial interventions aim to filter out undesirable sounds. Through a radical removal of noise from our structures, spaces and society, a provocative question arises: Can noise be perceived in a different light?

Figure 3

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AN ERROR Similarly, a glitch is an unintended external disturbance that disrupts a system, often perceived as an error. To illustrate, consider Google Maps’s 360-degree view sphere, a feature that compiles panoramic images from users uploaded images4. When these images are stitched together, unexpected anomalies may arise, such as a person appearing with a missing head or three arms. This phenomenon extends to road imagery, where glitches can obstruct individuals from comprehending spatial layouts, potentially resulting in missed turns and confused navigational instructions.

While technological devices are typically designed to correct glitches for a seamless system operation, another perspective emerges: What if glitches aren’t merely errors but instead unveil new and intriguing information? This raises questions about the potential insights that glitches could offer beyond their conventional association with system malfunctions.

WHAT IF...

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Consider this: What if a glitch isn’t an error but rather an opportunity? What if noise, often perceived as a disturbance, is not an intrusion but simply sound? What if sound and noise are inseparable, intertwined elements? Delve into the essence of sound, and there lies noise. What if noise is merely an element attempting to communicate, much like the sounds of our existence or the rhythmic “murmur of the sea?5”

Why silence these voices?

1 INTERFERENCE / NOISE / GLITCH / PARASITE

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In communication theory from Shannon and Weaver, noise is an anomaly that interrupts the signal, potentially distorting the message as it travels from the information source to its destination6. The communication channel is typically guided by a homogenized entity, ensuring smooth transmission. A glitch can be seen as an external source of noise. It functions as an unexpected signal that interferes with both the transmitting and receiving ends of the communication process. Essentially, this interference acts as a parasitic external intrusion, introducing disturbances that can impact the clarity and fidelity of the intended message.

Hence, the system is designed to correct and filter out noise. ‘noise, through its presence and absence, the in ter mi tte n c e of the signal, produces the new system7’ However, in Cary Wolf’s Bring the Noise: The Parasite and the Multiple Genealogies of Posthumanism8, noise is portrayed as an opportunity to reinvent the system and a chance to reveal new knowledge. The “presence, absence and intermittence9” of the signal through glitches and noise can change our understanding of film, photography and music. By refraining from filtering noise out and allowing uncertainty and messiness in the case of glitches to come through, it shifts our understanding of mediums by revealing new information.

2 WHIRRINGGGGG... / GLTCHNG... / INT-ERF--ERIN---G... / PI XEL ATI NG...

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Rather than being viewed as a disturbance, noise could create new understandings. It reveals the understanding of temporality, and adds multidimensionality, “the near and far, the past and present.10” It unravels the relationship between the subject and object.11 The connection between the performer and audience is unexpected, not as two separate entities but as an intersecting, swinging conversation, shifting back and forward. These new understandings blur the line between mediums, they no longer exist as photography, film, and performance but simultaneously being both and none, adding a layer of multi-dimensionality and “multiplicity.12” Noise and “the introduction of a parasite in the system immediately provoke a difference, a disequilibrium. Immediately, the system changes; time has begun.13” The essay aims to investigate how noise serves as a revealing element through the methods of whirringgg, gltchng, int-erf--eri---ng and pi xel ati ng in four examples.

Firstly, in Pierre Huyghe’s ‘De-extinction’, the “whirring14” noise of the photographic apparatus acknowledges not only the imagery but also the sound of the camera. By including the noise of the camera, it could be seen that this changes the relationship of the subject and object15 in the film by revealing the consciousness of the observer. Secondly, in John Cage’s ‘4’33’’,’ the existence of environmental noise, viewed as a glitch, changes our understanding of classical music and silence. In the piece, Cage encourages the spectators to generate, perform and listen to noise, thus shifting the relationship between the performer and audience. In the third example, ‘Time No Longer’ by Anri Sala, the restaging of the intermittence of sound changes one’s understanding of the linearity of time- time is no longer just present. The noise, in a form of interference, reveals the “presence of the near and far, the past and the present.16” Lastly, the pixelating plasma screen of ‘Glenlandia’ and ‘Fenlandia’ by Susan Collins parasites the landscape through the methods of “manipulat(ion), disrupt(ion), and preserv(ation).17” Thus, noise, in the form of a glitch, reveals and conceals non-human and human entities traveling in time.

By viewing each example through the lens of noise, each piece becomes a two-sided conversation rather than a one-sided relation. These new understandings show that noise can alter the comprehension of each medium, intersecting performance, film, music, photography and architecture. Noise parasites the message in each piece, and reveals itself as more than mere interruption—the system reinvents noise into music, an opportunity, and perhaps even a manifestation of life itself.

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WHIRRINGGGGG...

Figure 5

At first glance, the imagery presented in Pierre Huyghe’s 3’44” video, ‘De-Extinction’ depicts a microscopic view of insects encased in amber stone. The video captures the moment when vitality and death intersect. Fossilised tree resin hosts a microcosm dating back millions of years, a ghostly world seemingly untouched by time. The close-up and panning of the gold palette filling the screen not only feels mesmerizing and almost three-dimensional but also obscures the scale of the stone. The title of the piece hints at ongoing scientific research into the de-extinction of prehistoric species, bridging the past and speculative future. This is because insects inhabit a state of mutation, from organic beings to minerals, from flesh to stone18.

At a closer inspection, the whirring sound of the motion control camera and the shifting soundtrack of the lens could also be heard. Sounds of the camera slow panning, zooming in for close-ups, and blurred focus leave a trace of the usage of photographic apparatus, thus unveiling the presence of the observer. Here, not only the imagery of the camera but also the sound of the camera becomes significant. The audio recalls the mechanical shuttle – which normally in documentaries is filtered out. The presence of noise, perceived as a glitch or an entity attempting to speak adds complexity to our understanding of photographic technology. It alters the relationship between observer and observed, subject and object, making the audience feel like they are a part of the discovery.

Figure 6

The presence of noise is vital as it is something that is discriminated against and thus is not included in documentaries. For example, in David Attenborough’s ‘Planet Earth,’ animals are captured flawlessly without any acknowledgment of the human observer or non-human element of the camera. Therefore, in Huyghe’s case, simply including the sound of a working camera means an acknowledgment of another entity that has always been present. The act of suspension of control changes the dynamic of a documentary-style film. It shifts the documentary style towards a Serrian attitude. Michel Serres’s argument of noise could be used to analyse the presence of the camera. He states: “noise, you see, is also the trace of the observer.19” This suggests that noise is metaphysical, the ground of our being, an incomprehensible backdrop of our existence. By including noise, it could be argued that it adds another dimension to our understanding of the medium. “As soon as a phenomenon appears, it leaves the noise.20” Not only the presence of sound but also how the sound shifts according to the function of the camera, creates this element of unpredictability. Noise could be viewed as an opportunity to experiment.

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Figure 7

visual and noise of the camera

In John Cage’s 4’33”, the presence of environmental noise can be perceived as a spatial glitch, disrupting the apparent silence. While the piece may initially seem devoid of sound, Cage’s perspective challenges this notion, “there is no space without noise, as there is no noise without space.21” He incorporates the ever-shifting elements of time, people, dust, and air—reflected in the ambient noise of the hall—as integral to his writing of the performance.

The noise, like a spatial glitch, emerges as a dynamic element interrupting the perceived silence.

The audience, often unaware of the intentional performance, unwittingly becomes part of the artistic expression. This transforms our understanding of the relationship between performer and audience, eroding the distinction between the stage and the audience. The movements in the hall, from the subtle stirrings of air to the drifting of dust and the activities of the sky like rain and thunder, become integral components of the performance.

Figure 8

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This departure from traditional notions of music blurs the line between composed music, noise and the act of performance. The noise becomes music. This music intertwines with the unfolding performance, creating a unique and ever-evolving piece with each rendition. Cage’s assertion - “whenever we are, what we hear is mostly noise22” underscores the significance of acknowledging and embracing the surrounding soundscape. In 4’33,’’ the accidental soundtrack of ambient noise becomes an opportunity for attentive listening, encouraging an engagement with the elements attempting to communicate.

These chance elements, not pre-composed but naturally occurring, result in non-authorial music that simply exists. Cage’s 4’33’’ thus thrives on the spontaneous interplay between intentional performance and the ambient soundscape, challenging conventional notions of music and inviting us to sit with the fascinating melody of the present moment.

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Figure 16

Figure 17 Similarly, the restaging of intermittence in Anri Sala’s ‘Time No Longer’ produces a new way to understand music by breaking down the linearity of time. ‘Time No Longer’ is a restaged computer-generated imagery (CGI) of an LP player playing two songs. The CGI depicted a historical event of an African American clarinet and saxophonist, Ronald Mcnair, in a space shuttle mission. The main objective of this event was that, for the first time, music would be heard and recorded in space. Unfortunately, the space shuttle exploded during the mission and the mission abruptly ended. McNair never made it back to Earth. This piece therefore acts as an ode to the astronaut.23

INT-ERF--ERIN---G...

mu-sic-mu-----------sic

There are multiple layers to ‘Time No Longer’. Two clarinet pieces were picked for the piece.

One of the two had a historical significance as it was written by Henri Akola, a prisoner of war in Poland. Akola’s curation could be seen as his last breath of freedom during his incarceration.

The combination of the incarcerated rendition being played in the LP player in space explored the theme of the intermittence and temporality of sound. Sala chose to depict the event in the form of a sound device instead of a person playing the instrument. He was exploiting the very limitation of the LP player as the main idea of his musical performance. As the LP player was in space, the stylus lifted up and down from the record, creating an interval between the song.

The gap in between can be seen as a parasitic glitch which creates a new understanding of music. Unlike Cage, it doesn’t rely on a chance element but plays with the limit of the LP player in gravity. This creates a new type of music that is not only performative but also explores a new relationship with time.

Figure 18

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Gravity in space acts as a threshold and as a new possibility within the new apparatus. Unlike Cage, Sala portrays the idea that noise is a subject, not just a chance element that is excluded from the objective system. Through the work of ‘Time No Longer,’ noise can be made by the subject by recognising the limit within the operative systems.

Time no longer is Serrian. The use of the glitch acts as a parasite which creates something “quite unpredictable yet predictable.24” In this case, the interference of noise can be seen as part of the music. This idea is considered parallel with Michel Serres’s in Genesis: Figure 20

“This interference, this parasite, passes and dies…It increases, multiplies, occupies space, there’s only it. The work of the parasite changes system, it mithridatizes them, vaccinates them, changes noise into music.25” mu-----------sic

Figure 21

The presence of the parasite changes our understanding of the linearity of time, challenging the notion of music that must be perceived continuously.

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In the realm of post-photography, glitch photography prompts one to ponder upon a bigger question: “What’s the role of a photographer when everything has already been photographed?”26 Exploring factors like “mass surveillance,27” “mass-sousveillance,28” and the blending of different media forms, Visconti suggests that the traditional distinctions between photography, video, animation, 3D modeling, graphic design, programming, and architecture are no longer necessary.29 Figure 24

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XEL ATI NG...

Glitch photography situates itself in a larger apparatus of the production of the image and its relative networks. It is self-aware. It is aware that the subject whether physical or digital is captured within the apparatus in time. It reveals the method of producing images and its limitations. The subject can de-code how the image is “edited, corrected, colorized, airbrushed and exported;30” or how images are “stitched, composited, collaged or transformed into 3D scans; and how it is organized into pixels.31” The subject can decipher the limitation of not only the image itself but also the storage of the medium such as the screen, the graphics card and its internal memory.

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Figure 26 The ‘-landia’ series by Susan Collins depicts a series of images that challenge not only the representation of but also the notion of landscape, space, and photography in itself. Taken from 3 different locations in the East of England from an installed webcam camera, images were captured from sites located in Silicon Fen (East Anglia), Silicon Valley (M4 Corridor) and Silicon Glen (Scotland). Images captured over a thousand pixel by pixel for over 21.33 hours, top to bottom, left to right, in horizontal arrangements continuously.32 The images are a record of time; with the presence of different tonal horizontal strips representing the fluctuations in light and movement throughout the day. It records the changing of the colours in the sky in a day. Black horizontal strips record night-time. It records a cosmological glitch in the form of a non-human and human subject whether it is a bird, person, car or other unidentified object that has crossed the path in front of the webcam as the pixel was captured.33 Figure 27

Figure 28

The series explored the life of images. The transmission of the glitch breaks images in time, producing an image that is constantly remixed and recontextualized, or one could even argue, “becoming.34” The accumulation of pixels results in a landscape that asks questions. One becomes aware of the past, present and future through the tonal difference captured in one image. One image “manipulates, disrupts, and preserves time.35” It could be considered this element of multitemporal “simultaneously drawing from the obsolete, the contemporary, and the futuristic. An object, a circumstance, is thus polychromic, multitemporal, and reveals a time that is gathered, with multiple pleats.36” Due to the presence of the glitch, the photographic series challenges the idea of a photograph as it starts to operate in between photography and film.

Glenlandia is a powerful portrayal of landscape as it records time, light, weather and humans in constant motion, in flow, in flux.37 Where in traditional photography, the subject would not expect to experience this passing of time but a still image. Pixels and glitches shift the landscape, it can never again be “still.38”

In the symphony of noise, a revelation unfolds—opportunities emerge. By recognising noise as a dynamic catalyst instead of a disruptive element, our perception of mediums undergoes a transformative shift.

No longer confined to discrete categories, media intertwine in a dance of conjunction. In the ever-changing tapestry of society, where forces like air, dust, time, and both human and nonhuman entities are continuously ebbing and flowing, our media must mirror this perpetual state of flux. To exist between the border of film, photography, architecture, and performance is to mirror the essence of life itself.

Parasitic noise as a form of a glitch extends our grasp on temporality as it introduces a multidimensional perspective, incorporating the nuanced interplay of the “presence of the near and far, the past and present.39’” This extends to the intricate dynamics between subject and object. The unfolding relationship between the performer and the audience takes an unexpected turn. Media no longer exist as distinctive, they engage in a mutual exchange.

Through the attentive embrace of noise, the societal fabric is unraveled, allowing us to gain profound insights into media.

Engaging the media in a conversation with noise, a new prospect of in-between-ness blossoms.

Endnotes

1

Serres, Michel; Translated by Geneviève James and James Nielson. “Genesis” HathiTrust (1995): pg. 61. Accessed: 2 January 2023, https://babel.hathitrust.org/ cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015037848432&seq=6.

2

“Noise,” GOV.UK, July 22, 2019, Accessed: 2 January 2023, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/noise--2.

3

“Noise: Employers Responsibilities - Legal Duties,” n.d., Accessed: 2 January 2023, https://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/employers.htm#:~:text=There%20are%20 also%20levels%20of,pressure%20of%20140%20dB(C).

4

D’Onfro, Jillian; “Artist Captures Bizarre Google Maps Glitches That Will Give You Nightmares | The Independent,” The Independent, February 22, 2016, Accessed 2 January 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/artist-captures-bizarre-google-maps-glitches-that-will-give-you-nightmares-a6889511.html.

5

Serres, pg. 20

6

Businesstopia, “Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication - Businesstopia,” Businesstopia, February 15, 2018, https://www.businesstopia.net/communica tion/shannon-and-weaver-model-communication.

7

Luhhman, Niklas cited in Wolfe, Cary “Bring the Noise:The Parasite and theMultiple Genealogies of Posthumanism.” (Media Theory, 2021) pg. 276, Standard Issue, 5(1), Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://hal.science/hal-03815588

8

Wolfe, Cary “Bring the Noise:The Parasite and theMultiple Genealogies of Posthumanism,” essay in Media Theory, 2021, Standard Issue, 5 (1), Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://hal.science/hal-03815588.

9

Ibid., pg. 276

10

Ibid., pg. 281

11

Barthes, Roland, “Operator, Spectrum and Spectator,” essay, in Camera Lucida (Vintage, 1993), pg. 10.

12

Deleuze, Gilles; Guattari, Félix and Massumi, Brian; “Introduction: Rhizome,” essay, in A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia (Minneapolis, London: University of Minnesota Press, 1987), pg. 8.

13

Serres, Michel; “Cows Eat Cows: Theory of the Line,” essay, in The Parasite (Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2007), pg. 182

14

“De-Extinction.” Anna Lena Films. Accessed January 2, 2024. https://www.annalenafilms.com/films/de-extinction..

15

Barthes, pg. 10

16

Wolfe, pg. 281

17

Visconti, Sabato; “Glitch Photography as a Practice in the Age of Post-Photography,” Sabato Visconti | Official Artist Website |, July 3, 2017, Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://www.sabatobox.Wcom/glitch-photography.

18

Riboca Digital, accessed January 2, 2024, https://riboca.digital/en/artworks/16.

19

Serres, Genesis, Pg. 61.

20

Ibid, Pg. 14.

21

Ibid, Pg. 61.

22

Cage, John; “THE FUTURE OF MUSIC: CREDO ,” essay, in Silence: Lectures and Writings (London: Marion Boyars, 1994), pg. 3.

23

“Anri Sala Time No Longer at Bourse de Commerce, Paris,” YouTube, November 11, 2022, Accessed: 2 January 2023, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=3EQHxoi8Bzk.

24

Serres, Genesis, Pg. 59.

25

Serres, Genesis, Pg. 57.

26

Visconti, https://www.sabatobox.Wcom/glitch-photography.

27

Ibid.

28

Ibid.

29

Ibid.

30

Ibid.

31

Ibid.

32

Collins, Susan, “Glenlandia,” accessed January 2, 2024, http://www.susan-collins.net/glenlandia/index1.html.

33

Bernath, Doreen, “Scrolls of Elapsum: Coincidences of journey, astronomy and pixel-topography in Susan Collins -landia series,” essay in AArchitecture 41, (AA School of Architecture, 2020-2021), pg. 10

34

Deleuze et al., pg. 10

35

Visconti, https://www.sabatobox.Wcom/glitch-photography.

36

Wolfe, pg. 282

37

AArchitecture 41, (AA School of Architecture, 2020-2021), pg. 0

38

Bernath, pg 11

39

Wolfe, pg. 281

Bibliography

Serres, Michel; Translated by Geneviève James and James Nielson. “Genesis” HathiTrust (1995) Accessed: 2 January 2024 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015037848432&seq=6.

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“Noise: Employers Responsibilities - Legal Duties,” n.d.

Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://www.hse.gov.uk/noise/employers.htm#:~:text=There%20are%20also%20levels%20of,pressure%20of%20140%20dB(C) Wolfe, Cary. “Bring the Noise:The Parasite and theMultiple Genealogies of Posthumanism.” (Media Theory, 2021) pg. 276, Standard Issue, 5(1), Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://hal.science/hal-03815588 D’Onfro, Jillian. “Artist Captures Bizarre Google Maps Glitches That Will Give You Nightmares | The Independent,” The Independent, February 22, 2016 Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/artist-captures-bizarre-google-maps-glitches-that-will-give-you-nightmares-a6889511.html.

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“De-Extinction.” Anna Lena Films.

Accessed January 2, 2024. https://www.annalenafilms.com/films/de-extinction.

Deleuze, Gilles; Guattari, Félix and Massumi, Brian; “A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia,” Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1987 Serres, Michel, “The Parasite,” Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2007 Visconti, Sabato. “Glitch Photography as a Practice in the Age of Post-Photography.” Sabato Visconti | Official Artist Website | July 3, 2017 Accessed: 2 January 2024 https://www.sabatobox.com/glitch-photography.

Nedkova, Iliyana. “Read More: Issue 5: Jan 08: Glenlandia: Susan Collins.” Issuu, April 12, 2009 Accessed: 2 January 2024 https://issuu.com/horsecrossarts/docs/readmoreissue5susancollins.

AA School of Architecture. “The 2023 Mark Cousins Annual Lecture with Anri Sala,” YouTube, November 30, 2023 Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYaldmu4UcM. Cage, John; “The future of music: Credo,” essay, in Silence: Lectures and Writings, London: Marion Boyars, 1994 Riboca Digital, accessed January 2, 2024 Accessed: 2 January 2023 https://riboca.digital/en/artworks/16.

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Accessed: 2 January 2023

Figure Bibliography

Figure 1

D’Onfro, Jillian. “Artist Captures Bizarre Google Maps Glitches That Will Give You Nightmares | The Independent.” The Independent, February 22, 2016.

Accessed: 2 January 2024

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/artist-captures-bizarre-google-maps-glitches-that-will-give-you-nightmares-a6889511.html.

Figure 2

D’Onfro, Jillian. “Artist Captures Bizarre Google Maps Glitches That Will Give You Nightmares | The Independent.” The Independent, February 22, 2016.

Accessed: 2 January 2024

https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/artist-captures-bizarre-google-maps-glitches-that-will-give-you-nightmares-a6889511.html.

Figure 3

Alcorn, Stan. “Apple’s Mesmerizing Map Glitches Show How Its Maps Differ From Google’s.” Fast Company, June 23, 2013.

Accessed: 2 January 2024.

https://www.fastcompany.com/2682456/apples-mesmerizing-map-glitches-show-how-its-maps-differ-from-googles.

Figure 4

Businesstopia. “Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication - Businesstopia.” Businesstopia, February 15, 2018.

Accessed: 2 January 2024.

https://www.businesstopia.net/communication/shannon-and-weaver-model-communication.

Figure 5-7 Huyghe, Pierre. “De-Extinction” n.d.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. https://www.annalenafilms.com/films/de-extinction.

Figure 8-15 Berliner Philharmoniker. “John Cage: 4’33’’ / Petrenko · Berliner Philharmoniker,” November 3, 2020.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWVUp12XPpU. Figure 1 6-22 AA School of Architecture. “The 2023 Mark Cousins Annual Lecture with Anri Sala,” November 30, 2023.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYaldmu4UcM. Figure 23-25 Zoledz, Magdalena. “You Are Only an Image to Me” 2018.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. https://magdalenazoledz.com/You-Are-Only-an-Image-to-Me-2018.

Figure 26-27 Collins, Susan. “Glenlandia” 2007.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. http://www.susan-collins.net/glenlandia/index1.html.

Figure 28 Collins, Susan. “Fenlandia” 2004.

Accessed: 2 January 2024. http://www.susan-collins.net/fenlandia/index1.html.