Nothing is unknown to Imagination was created as a part of Bruno Latour design competition Give a voice to the North Sea organized by the Embassy of the North Sea, the DesignLab / PhilosophyLab of the University of Twente and the International Spinoza Prize Foundation. The aim of the competition was to design an instrument or method in the interest of non-humans in response to three urgent North Sea cases, whereby a relationship is established between technology, human / non-human and society.

My work was part of the Voice for the Eel case.

Initiating my project with a question of how to place myself in the mind of an eel and be acquainted with them, I implemented a strategy of unearthing similarities between our species. As we propel into our existence by the act of unity between an egg and a sperm, if ‘lucky’ to lead a good life, we both have approximately similar life expectancy of around 80-85 years. We arrive, we leave, and in between our intention is the same – to lead a good life.

To jump across all uncertainties, I tried to establish a direct relationship with Eel via a genuine letter. I imagined that I know exactly enough to engage in this quest of an encounter, where ”we are never alone in carrying out a course of action”, we are both in the equival positions of shared agency and unconditioned with previous experiences. What if I (we as humans) set aside my Western colonial mind that pushes to know more and allow myself to rest in already eminent wisdom?

In the spirit of Bruno Latour’s teaching where ”all the actors do something and don’t just sit there”, I imagined that Eel doesn’t just wait there buried in the mud of Amsterdam water, waiting for me to dive 20 meters and test my interpersonal skills. No! We agreed on connecting many one-on-one intercommunication to unwrap the concept of the unknown.

The audio meditation incites an audience to test suggested “instant messaging” design and the visual sculptural component of the artwork offers them to share their thoughts on a paper; so, we can co-create this new period of an eel-human geography.

Thank you Eel,
Thank you Human.