Lagoonscapes

The Venice Journal of Environmental Humanities

Translucence

Some Notations on Sediments, Amber, Toxic Chemicals, and the Possibility of Returns

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Abstract

The ongoing repercussions of a permanently and persistently polluted planet present a critical juncture that requires new analytical engagements. This article uses translucence as a conceptual vehicle to explore chemical pollution by comparing amber with a buried chemical waste depot. These two modes of submergence animate discussions about time, existence, desirable and undesirable futures, and pasts. Translucence – light passing through a semi-transparent object and thus becoming transformed – helps conceptualize epistemes that diffusively alter perspectives rather than being clear or opaque. The article combines text and sound (https://doi.org/10.30687/LGSP/2785-2709/2025/01/006/mmedia/001) to explore experiences of pollution and landscape across dual media interfaces.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Presentato: 21 Marzo 2025 | Accettato: 22 Maggio 2025 | Pubblicato 21 Luglio 2025 | Lingua: en

Keywords Surfaces • Toxic chemicals • Verticality • Translucence • Amber

Copyright © 2025 Sebastian Lundsteen, Korana Jelača. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

Permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/LGSP/2785-2709/2025/01/006