Transient Edifice: The Illusion of Permanence Amidst the Sands of Time.
As the sands slowly reclaim their territory, covering the man-made asphalt roads, a profound commentary on our relationship with nature unfolds. Through this work, I wish to invoke the philosophical paradox of the ship of Theseus, a thought experiment that explores the idea of identity and change. The city of Dubai, with its skyscrapers piercing the azure sky and its roads traversing the endless desert, is a modern-day Theseus' ship.
As the desert sands gradually alter the urban anatomy, the city, like the ship, experiences a slow transformation. But does this change in physical attributes equate to a change in identity? Is a city being swallowed by the desert still the same city we once knew?
I am thinking of 'memento mori' – a reminder of our inevitable mortality and the transient nature of all things. The sands encroaching on the city's roads symbolise the relentless passage of time that even the most formidable human creations cannot escape. It poses an essential question – are our attempts to dominate nature ultimately futile? Or is it this very struggle that defines our existence and ingenuity?
The accelerating climate crisis, epitomized by French philosopher Bruno Latour's notion of 'Gaia,' asks us to rethink our anthropocentric perspective and acknowledge the living earth's agency. The slowly invading sand can be seen as a response, a quiet act of resistance by nature itself, against untrammelled urbanisation.
At its core, this aerial essay is a meditation on humanity's audacious aspirations, our ceaseless struggle against the natural world, and the transient nature of all our endeavours. It is a testament to our architectural triumphs and our respect for the unforgiving desert. However, it also poses a potent question about the sustainability of such endeavours, calling on us to imagine a future that harmoniously coexists with nature, rather than dominating it.
— Moe Louanjli, December 2012.