Azimuth 77, Performance, 2006

 

 

 

Marcello Mercado and Sebastián Sánchez Zelada

Azimuth 77

21min. 26″, 4:3; stereo, color

Performance

2006

 

 

The performance project involved the extraction, transfer, and preservation of genetic material (DNA) from Arion rufus (commonly known as the red slug), along with samples of ferrous soil, under conditions of strict synchronization with the passage of satellites from the Iridium constellation. The project was designed as a series of material procedures governed by verifiable spatiotemporal parameters.

The Iridium constellation, originally deployed between 1997 and 2002, consists of 66 active low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites distributed across six orbital planes. Each satellite orbits at an approximate altitude of 780 kilometers, completing a full orbit every 100 minutes. This structure allows for full global coverage with low-latency communication capabilities. The predictability of satellite transit across any given terrestrial coordinate — with orbital data available through updated Two-Line Element (TLE) datasets — made it possible to calculate precise windows of satellite overpasses within a margin of seconds.

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Technical Framework

The artists employed real-time orbital tracking software and TLE datasets to calculate satellite passages. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) atomic clock systems, synchronized via GPS, were utilized to align terrestrial actions with orbital events. Software systems such as Heavens-Above and CelesTrak informed the exact timing and geographic positioning necessary for each phase of the performance. The satellites passage itself constituted a temporal anchor for terrestrial actions.

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Material Considerations

Ferrous soil was selected as one of the two primary materials due to its naturally occurring iron (Fe) content, which varies depending on geological composition but can reach concentrations of 3–7% in many terrestrial environments. Although no chemical analysis was performed during the performance cycle, the assumption of a significant iron content framed the soil not merely as passive matter but as a material with intrinsic magnetic and electronic properties. The speculative alignment of iron’s magnetic susceptibility with the electromagnetic presence of passing satellites introduced a technically plausible, yet deliberately unmeasured, layer of interaction between earthbound materials and orbital infrastructures.

Similarly, the choice of Arion rufus DNA introduced a biological material characterized by its resilience, moisture dependency, and environmental adaptability, The slug’s genetic material was treated purely as a carrier of biological data within the transfer system.

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The performative sequence of Azimuth 77 was structured in seven distinct phases, each articulated through specific material and technological interactions:

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1. Biological Imprint Recording

The performance commenced with the capture of biological traces. Live Arion rufus specimens were placed on a flatbed scanner, allowing their mucus trails and bodily movements to be directly registered as photographic imprints. This phase formalized an empirical, non-illustrative documentation of biological material displacement.

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2. Sculptural Systems Development

Following the initial recordings, the artists constructed sculptural devices functioning simultaneously as antennas and archival machines. These physical structures operated as speculative technological extensions, mediating between the reception of atmospheric signals and the material archiving of biological information.

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3. Fluid Dynamics Animation and Sonic Environment Creation

An animation was developed to simulate internal fluid circulations within the slug’s physiology, emphasizing the viscoelastic properties of its biological systems. Concurrently, a sonic environment was assembled, incorporating emissions from mobile phones and Iridium satellites. The acoustic sequence began with signals linked to Iridium 52, establishing a layered, real-time interaction between terrestrial and orbital communications.

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4. DNA and Ferrous Water Transfer Operations

Transitioning from studio-based activities to field interventions, the artists transported DNA extracted from Arion rufus through a rugged terrain adjacent to a lake. Utilizing rubber tubing, funnels, and balloons as temporary containment units for slug DNA and ferrous-enriched water, they enacted a mobile biological transfer. A custom-fabricated copper staff—a tool constructed with conductive material—was used to rupture the balloons at designated points.

The choice of ferrous water (rich in iron oxides) established an implicit dialogue with the magnetic properties of the Earth and with the operational principles of satellite geolocation systems, speculatively connecting the micro (biological fluids) with the macro (planetary metallic cores and magnetic fields).

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5. Satellite-Synchronized Rupture Event

At precise orbital timings, the artists coordinated the rupture of the DNA-laden balloons to coincide with the overhead passage of Iridium satellites. This synchronization anchored the performance not only in terrestrial geography but also in the temporality of global satellite infrastructures, linking biological fragility with technological constellations under conditions of environmental flux, temperature shifts, and broader climate change indicators.

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6. Terminal Release at the Lacustrine Site

Arriving at the lakeside endpoint, the artists performed the final rupture of all remaining ferrous-water and DNA-filled balloons, employing the copper staff as the release mechanism. This action finalized the material transfer process, distributing organic and ferrous elements into the landscape.

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7. Winter Revisitation and Temporal Closure

Several months later, during the winter season, the artists returned to the original site, now covered in ice and snow. The revisitation was scheduled to coincide with the passage of the last active Iridium satellite in that orbital sector. This temporal closure reaffirmed the procedural nature of Azimuth 77, emphasizing cyclical environmental transformations and the persistence of satellite surveillance infrastructures.

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Artistic Contextualization

This performance series situates itself between process art, systems-based practices, and contemporary engagements with infrastructural materialities. The performance privileges execution, proposing a field of operations grounded in verifiable technical realities and material interactions.

This approach affirms the autonomy of procedural temporality and material specificity as valid domains of artistic action in contemporary practice.

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Supplementary Materials

 

A. Technical Data on Iridium Satellites

1. Constellation Overview: 66 active communication satellites + 9 in-orbit spares.
2. Orbit Type: Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
3. Orbital Altitude: ~780 km above Earth’s surface.
4. Orbital Period: Approximately 100 minutes per orbit.
5. Inclination: 86.4 degrees (near-polar orbit, enabling global coverage).
6. Pass Visibility: Bright satellite flares («Iridium flares») were visible due to their reflective antenna arrays, with magnitude up to -8, but these were a visual side effect, not a structural focus of the performance.
7. Electromagnetic Emissions: Communication frequencies operated primarily between 29.1–29.3 GHz (uplink) and 19.4–19.6 GHz (downlink), within Ka-band spectrum.
8. Initial Launch Period: 1997–2002.
9. Key Satellite for Start of Performance: Iridium 52..

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B. Biological Properties of Arion rufus (Red Slug)

1. Taxonomic Classification:
2. Phylum: Mollusca
3. Class: Gastropoda
4. Family: Arionidae
5. Physical Characteristics:
6. Size: Up to 15 cm in length.
7. Body Composition: High moisture content; protective mucus secretions.
8. Genetic Material:
9. DNA-rich epithelial and mucosal secretions.
10. Epithelial tissues and secreted mucus contain abundant nucleic acids recoverable via low-impact collection.
11. Environmental Adaptations:
12. Requires humid environments; highly sensitive to temperature and soil composition.
13. Associated behaviorally with wet summers, especially in Western and Central Europe.
14. Speculative Role in the Project:
15. Moisture and ionic content of mucus may hypothetically interact with surrounding electromagnetic fields, although this remains speculative and was not instrumentally verified.

 

 

C. Ferrous Soil Characteristics (Western Germany)

1. Soil Type: Predominantly Luvisols and Cambisols in the region around Brühl, NRW.
2. Iron Content:
3. Natural iron oxides present, primarily goethite (α-FeO(OH)) and hematite (Fe₂O₃).
4. Iron concentrations typically range between 2–6% depending on locality.
5. Magnetic Properties:
6. Ferrous minerals contribute to weak magnetic susceptibility.
7. No specific measurements of soil magnetism were taken during the performance.
8. Relevance to Performance:
9. The ferrous soil samples were selected for their physical characteristics (coloration and density), assumed to have conductive or magnetic relevance at a microphysical level.
10. Introduced an earthbound material with inherent, albeit unmeasured, magnetic potential.

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4. Geophysical Conditions (Brühl, Germany, 2006)

1. Seasonal Context:
2. Summer 2006, characterized by higher-than-average precipitation.
3. Environmental conditions favored an abundance of Arion rufus populations.
4. Magnetic Field:
5. The local geomagnetic field intensity for Western Germany averaged around 48,000 nT (nanoteslas) in 2006, as per International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) models.
6. Satellite Visibility:
7. Minimal light pollution at the outskirts of Brühl facilitated easier visual tracking and time coordination.