The concept of the Anthropocene promotes a narrative of a powerful humanity dominating the planet.
Yet this image obscures the unequal distribution of Anthropocene effects across time and different places.
Many of its environmental symptoms intensify in particular regions, notably the global South,
while other areas and populations remain better positioned to mitigate and withstand the impacts.
Whether formally recognized or not, reducing humanity to a singular force within geological discourse
has provoked extensive responses across research fields beyond the earth sciences.
A particular echo was received in the form of anthropomemes — synonyms and new terms capturing varied
interpretations of the Anthropocene.
Since January 2015, I have actively collected these rewordings from both established scholars and colleagues.
This collection, ranging from serious to satirical, reveals terms aimed at addressing overlooked aspects
or offering specific interpretations, all with an intent to deconstruct and re-politicize the Anthropocene.
In this installation/mural I ask the audience to pause for a moment of contemplation,
then take a piece of coal, add their own anthropomeme to the wall,
and enter it togoether with their name into the catalogue.
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