There are three main types of rock on earth; sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rock. Sedimentary rock forms from the gradual accretion of sediment in water, and igneous rock forms through volcanic processes. Metamorphic rock is a little different: it is formed from other rock types through the application of immense heat and/or pressure, usually through tectonic activity deep within the earth. Thus, metamorphism refers to processes and forces of geological change.

This project explores the possibility of understanding slag as both metamorphic and igneous, and human activity as a new form of metamorphic change. The slag samples seen in this project have been submitted to a wide array of processes which culminate in a furnace which musters the power of a volcano: macro-photography and focus-stacking, infrared photography, photogrammetric scanning, XRF and XRD analysis and, finally, crushing, smelting and re-casting into the slag ingots on display.

The forces we exert upon the earth are immense, but they are frequently rationalized within narratives of technological progress or economic necessity. While anti-mining activism uses public action and protest to draw attention to the negative environmental and social effects of resource extraction, this project takes a different approach, seeking new ways to manifest and image the changes wrought upon the earth by human activity.