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

Submitted: March 21, 2025 | Accepted: May 22, 2025 | Published July 21, 2025 | Language: en

Keywords SurfacesToxic chemicalsVerticalityTranslucenceAmber