Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition

MARINA ABRAMOVIC´ / DOUG AITKEN / DARREN ALMOND / ARANDA/LASCH / JULIUS VON BISMARCK / ANGELA BULLOCH / LOS CARPINTEROS / JULIAN CHARRIERE / PHIL COLLINS / CONSTANT DULLAART / OLAFUR ELIASSON / MICHAEL ESPOSITO / OSCAR FIGUEROA / JOHN GERRARD / KAI GREHN / NOEMIE GOUDAL / CARL MICHAEL VON HAUSSWOLFF / ALEX HODA / TREASURE OF LIMA: A BURIED EXHIBITION PIERRE HUYGHE / ANTTI LAITINEN / SHARON LOCKHART / LUCIA MADRIZ / CARSTEN NICOLAI / OLAF NICOLAI / RAYMOND PETTIBON / FINNBOGI PETURSSON / LARI PITTMAN / JON RAFMAN / ANDREW RANVILLE MATTHEW RITCHIE / ED RUSCHA / HANS SCHABUS / CHICKS ON SPEED / DANIEL STEEGMANN / RYAN TRECARTIN / SUZANNE TREISTER / JANAINA TSCHÄPE / CHRIS WATSON / LAWRENCE WEINER / JANA WINDEREN

TREASURE OF LIMA: A BURIED EXHIBITION EDITED BY FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / MARKUS REYMAN / NADIM SAMMAN WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY JULIAN CHARRIÈRE / CONSTANT DULLAART / OLAFUR ELIASSON / PEPE MONGE GARCIA / FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / BRADY MACDONALD / FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES NADIM SAMMAN / ANDREW RANVILLE

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TREASURE OF LIMA: A BURIED EXHIBITION EDITED BY FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / MARKUS REYMAN / NADIM SAMMAN WITH CONTRIBUTIONS BY JULIAN CHARRIÈRE / CONSTANT DULLAART / OLAFUR ELIASSON / PEPE MONGE GARCIA / FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / BRADY MACDONALD / FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES NADIM SAMMAN / ANDREW RANVILLE

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CONTENTS 6 PREFACE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG 16 DESIGNING THE FIND BENJAMIN ARANDA 20 SEEK, DON’T FIND CONSTANT DULLAART 24 A BURIED EXHIBITION NADIM SAMMAN 42 B/LOGBOOK INTERVIEWS 126 JULIAN CHARRIÈRE 132 CONSTANT DULLAART 140 OLAFUR ELIASSON 148 PEPE MONGE GARCIA 155 FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES 161 ANDREW RANVILLE 169 APPENDIX 180 COLOPHON

CONTENTS 6 PREFACE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG 16 DESIGNING THE FIND BENJAMIN ARANDA 20 SEEK, DON’T FIND CONSTANT DULLAART 24 A BURIED EXHIBITION NADIM SAMMAN 42 B/LOGBOOK INTERVIEWS 126 JULIAN CHARRIÈRE 132 CONSTANT DULLAART 140 OLAFUR ELIASSON 148 PEPE MONGE GARCIA 155 FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES 161 ANDREW RANVILLE 169 APPENDIX 180 COLOPHON

4 TREASURE OF LIMA: A BURIED EXHIBITION

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition engages the narrative and legal identity of Isla del Coco, contrasting ­historical legends of buried treasure with the island’s real status a natural treasure worthy of protection. In so doing the project embellishes the ‘treasure island’ imaginary by interrogating models of spectatorship and property rights, while venturing the question ‘How can an exhibition create its own legend?’

An intervention on Isla del Coco – the paradigmatic ‘treasure island’: A vacuum sealed container containing numerous works by forty leading artists, buried at a secret location and left behind. This ‘exhibition architecture’ (a contemporary treasure chest) is a new commission

by New York based architects Aranda/Lasch, designed to maintain the physical integrity of works (including works on paper, sculpture, LP vinyls, digital video and audio files) underground or below water to a depth of 6.7 kilometers.

The GPS coordinates (or ‘map’) of the exhibition location are logged at the site of burial. These coordinates are then digitally encrypted and the resulting data given a physical form – by the Dutch artist Constant Dullaart and his collaborator, German cryptographer Michael Wege.

This physical ‘map’ is sold at auction, encased within a second edition of the chest, with proceeds donated to the marine protection of Isla del Coco under the auspices of the ACMIC (Area de Conservation Marina Isla Del Coco). These funds are earmarked for a sustainable research and conservation project devised by TBA21-Academy in collaboration with our local partner FAICO (La Fundación Amigos de la Isla del Coco).

The project benefits scientific research and conservation of the sharks and pelagic species that inhabit the waters surrounding Coco.

The buyer will take receipt of the ‘map’ without the decryption key.

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4 TREASURE OF LIMA: A BURIED EXHIBITION

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition engages the narrative and legal identity of Isla del Coco, contrasting ­historical legends of buried treasure with the island’s real status a natural treasure worthy of protection. In so doing the project embellishes the ‘treasure island’ imaginary by interrogating models of spectatorship and property rights, while venturing the question ‘How can an exhibition create its own legend?’

An intervention on Isla del Coco – the paradigmatic ‘treasure island’: A vacuum sealed container containing numerous works by forty leading artists, buried at a secret location and left behind. This ‘exhibition architecture’ (a contemporary treasure chest) is a new commission

by New York based architects Aranda/Lasch, designed to maintain the physical integrity of works (including works on paper, sculpture, LP vinyls, digital video and audio files) underground or below water to a depth of 6.7 kilometers.

The GPS coordinates (or ‘map’) of the exhibition location are logged at the site of burial. These coordinates are then digitally encrypted and the resulting data given a physical form – by the Dutch artist Constant Dullaart and his collaborator, German cryptographer Michael Wege.

This physical ‘map’ is sold at auction, encased within a second edition of the chest, with proceeds donated to the marine protection of Isla del Coco under the auspices of the ACMIC (Area de Conservation Marina Isla Del Coco). These funds are earmarked for a sustainable research and conservation project devised by TBA21-Academy in collaboration with our local partner FAICO (La Fundación Amigos de la Isla del Coco).

The project benefits scientific research and conservation of the sharks and pelagic species that inhabit the waters surrounding Coco.

The buyer will take receipt of the ‘map’ without the decryption key.

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Chest and Map, 2014

6 PREFACE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG

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Chest and Map, 2014

6 PREFACE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG

Vacuum testing of Chest in Vienna

The TBA21 Academy is an itinerant platform for the production of new models of art informed by nature, ecology, the oceans, and the human impact on all of the above. Its projects are cause-driven, if you like, but to communicate the issues one has to be really creative. The Academy is an integral part of Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, but it gives me a vital chance to think beyond collecting and organizing exhibitions. For the next few years we will focus on the Pacific region, and this project Treasure of Lima is a great beginning to a new series of exceptional projects that lie ahead. Together with the director of the Academy, Markus Reymann, and various guest curators and instigators of fine ideas, we have developed it as a constellation of projects situated in remote locations. I invite numerous friends and colleagues from a myriad of different disciplines to interact with these locations in a collaborative effort to generate support and understanding of the importance of our oceans to the very survival of our planet, as well as of that of the communities that live off its generous but rapidly depleting bounty. Tourism and commercial fishing are the two main industries that occupy these territories and thus are directly implicated in, and in some cases largely responsible for, their eventual demise.

When Nadim Samman, the curator of Treasure of Lima, our buried exhibition, told me about the history of Cocos Island, or Isla del Coco, as a place where some of the greatest of all pirate treasures are reputed to be buried, I immediately saw the opportunity to create art mythology.

When he said, “Let’s bury a treasure,” I never looked back—the idea grew and grew. Nadim’s angle was original: the possibility of merging myths, histories, ecologies, geographies, and causes was certainly a direction that I wanted to take. The project represented an extraordinary opportunity to take art out of the box, out of the white cube, and into a dimension where I felt we could not only make a difference to the location in a very real and pragmatic way but also shake up all the rather tried-and-tested models of the art world. The Treasure of Lima is way beyond site-specific: it lives on for eternity and will most likely never be discovered. And if it is, it can’t legally be removed from the island. The artworks will be forever lost to the ever-changing, inhospitable landscape of Cocos.

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Vacuum testing of Chest in Vienna

The TBA21 Academy is an itinerant platform for the production of new models of art informed by nature, ecology, the oceans, and the human impact on all of the above. Its projects are cause-driven, if you like, but to communicate the issues one has to be really creative. The Academy is an integral part of Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, but it gives me a vital chance to think beyond collecting and organizing exhibitions. For the next few years we will focus on the Pacific region, and this project Treasure of Lima is a great beginning to a new series of exceptional projects that lie ahead. Together with the director of the Academy, Markus Reymann, and various guest curators and instigators of fine ideas, we have developed it as a constellation of projects situated in remote locations. I invite numerous friends and colleagues from a myriad of different disciplines to interact with these locations in a collaborative effort to generate support and understanding of the importance of our oceans to the very survival of our planet, as well as of that of the communities that live off its generous but rapidly depleting bounty. Tourism and commercial fishing are the two main industries that occupy these territories and thus are directly implicated in, and in some cases largely responsible for, their eventual demise.

When Nadim Samman, the curator of Treasure of Lima, our buried exhibition, told me about the history of Cocos Island, or Isla del Coco, as a place where some of the greatest of all pirate treasures are reputed to be buried, I immediately saw the opportunity to create art mythology.

When he said, “Let’s bury a treasure,” I never looked back—the idea grew and grew. Nadim’s angle was original: the possibility of merging myths, histories, ecologies, geographies, and causes was certainly a direction that I wanted to take. The project represented an extraordinary opportunity to take art out of the box, out of the white cube, and into a dimension where I felt we could not only make a difference to the location in a very real and pragmatic way but also shake up all the rather tried-and-tested models of the art world. The Treasure of Lima is way beyond site-specific: it lives on for eternity and will most likely never be discovered. And if it is, it can’t legally be removed from the island. The artworks will be forever lost to the ever-changing, inhospitable landscape of Cocos.

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The Dardanella

It was inspiring to receive such enthusiastic responses from the numerous artists whom we asked to contribute unique works that would be placed in a vacuum-packed globe that can withstand immense pressure when sealed and subsequently buried on a deserted island—within the context of an exhibition that we hope will never be seen. It took two trips to Cocos, plenty of research, swimming with large predator sharks, and twelve brave and determined people seven hours of concerted Fitzcarraldo-esque effort to ensure that it would never be found, at least not by accident! Their enthusiasm was met by our determination to ensure that no one would ever stumble on this treasure. The encoded GPS coordinates of the site are embedded in a unique 3-D printed scroll by the artist Constant Dullaart, who collaborated with a leading German security analyst to apply state-ofthe art encryption. The scroll contains more potential keys than there are molecules in the universe, thus rendering it even more unlikely that anyone can decode it. One would need the computing power of a massive global corporation, a small handful of highly experienced and determined cryptographers, and several patient years to break the code. Like all the other elusive treasures buried on Cocos Island over the last two hundred years, ours will be nearly impossible to find.

We chose the historical Treasure of Lima as a touchstone for our project because it is, according to many accounts, by far the largest hoard ever buried on the island—and it has never been retrieved. It is an obsession for all treasure hunters. Legends of it abound, and they have inspired hundreds of stories, most famously Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. But the most often repeated one is this: In 1820 Lima was on the edge of revolt, with the army of José de San Martín approaching. As a preventative measure, Viceroy José de la Serna decided to transport the city’s fabulous wealth to Mexico for safekeeping. Captain Thompson was about to take his merchant ship out of harms way when the Viceroy and some of Lima’s wealthier citizens prevailed on him to protect and hold their wealth. An original inventory showed that the original Treasure of Lima included 113 gold religious statues, one a life-size Virgin and child, 200 chests of jewels, 273 swords

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The Dardanella

It was inspiring to receive such enthusiastic responses from the numerous artists whom we asked to contribute unique works that would be placed in a vacuum-packed globe that can withstand immense pressure when sealed and subsequently buried on a deserted island—within the context of an exhibition that we hope will never be seen. It took two trips to Cocos, plenty of research, swimming with large predator sharks, and twelve brave and determined people seven hours of concerted Fitzcarraldo-esque effort to ensure that it would never be found, at least not by accident! Their enthusiasm was met by our determination to ensure that no one would ever stumble on this treasure. The encoded GPS coordinates of the site are embedded in a unique 3-D printed scroll by the artist Constant Dullaart, who collaborated with a leading German security analyst to apply state-ofthe art encryption. The scroll contains more potential keys than there are molecules in the universe, thus rendering it even more unlikely that anyone can decode it. One would need the computing power of a massive global corporation, a small handful of highly experienced and determined cryptographers, and several patient years to break the code. Like all the other elusive treasures buried on Cocos Island over the last two hundred years, ours will be nearly impossible to find.

We chose the historical Treasure of Lima as a touchstone for our project because it is, according to many accounts, by far the largest hoard ever buried on the island—and it has never been retrieved. It is an obsession for all treasure hunters. Legends of it abound, and they have inspired hundreds of stories, most famously Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. But the most often repeated one is this: In 1820 Lima was on the edge of revolt, with the army of José de San Martín approaching. As a preventative measure, Viceroy José de la Serna decided to transport the city’s fabulous wealth to Mexico for safekeeping. Captain Thompson was about to take his merchant ship out of harms way when the Viceroy and some of Lima’s wealthier citizens prevailed on him to protect and hold their wealth. An original inventory showed that the original Treasure of Lima included 113 gold religious statues, one a life-size Virgin and child, 200 chests of jewels, 273 swords

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with jeweled hilts, 1,000 diamonds, solid gold crowns, 150 chalices, and hundreds of gold and silver bars. In all, it was valued at between $12 million and $60 million at the time, now worth an incalculable fortune.

Once on their way to Mexico, following a mutiny on board, Thompson and his crew did not keep their word. Instead they killed the monks and soldiers who were supervising the operation and then sailed for Cocos Island, where they buried the incalculable treasure. Shortly afterward the Mary Dear was apprehended by a Spanish frigate. All the crew except Thompson and his first mate were tortured and hanged for piracy. The lucky two managed to avoid this fate by promising to show the Spaniards where they had hidden the treasure. They led them to Isla del Coco, but on landing they escaped into its inhospitable jungle, never to be caught by their pursuers.1 Hundreds of attempts to find this and other treasures reportedly buried on the island—stashed away by legendary rogues including Benito “of the Bloody Sword” Bonito, William Dampier, Edward Davis, and even, some say, Captain Kidd—have failed.

By burying our own art treasure on Cocos just a short distance from where these original treasures are purported to remain buried, we were updating the island’s swashbuckling history, and by doing so we hoped to draw attention to what is to our minds the real treasure. Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

In 2002 the designation was extended to include an expanded marine zone of 2000km². In addition, the island is included in the list of “Wetlands of International Importance” but, tragically, Costa Rica has difficulty policing its surrounding marine national park from illegal fishing, which is seriously depleting the shark population and subsequently leading several species of sharks to be placed on the endangered list. Our project titled Born to Die, which is funded by the sale of the “map” to the treasure, is generating awareness of the urgent need to protect and save these pelagic aggregation sites from this constant threat. We have initiated a study of the area, which brings to light the critical breeding habits of the species that Cocos is famous for. These include scalloped hammerheads, tiger sharks, and Hawksbill and Ridley sea turtles, all of which have been recently placed on the wildlife endangered list.

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with jeweled hilts, 1,000 diamonds, solid gold crowns, 150 chalices, and hundreds of gold and silver bars. In all, it was valued at between $12 million and $60 million at the time, now worth an incalculable fortune.

Once on their way to Mexico, following a mutiny on board, Thompson and his crew did not keep their word. Instead they killed the monks and soldiers who were supervising the operation and then sailed for Cocos Island, where they buried the incalculable treasure. Shortly afterward the Mary Dear was apprehended by a Spanish frigate. All the crew except Thompson and his first mate were tortured and hanged for piracy. The lucky two managed to avoid this fate by promising to show the Spaniards where they had hidden the treasure. They led them to Isla del Coco, but on landing they escaped into its inhospitable jungle, never to be caught by their pursuers.1 Hundreds of attempts to find this and other treasures reportedly buried on the island—stashed away by legendary rogues including Benito “of the Bloody Sword” Bonito, William Dampier, Edward Davis, and even, some say, Captain Kidd—have failed.

By burying our own art treasure on Cocos just a short distance from where these original treasures are purported to remain buried, we were updating the island’s swashbuckling history, and by doing so we hoped to draw attention to what is to our minds the real treasure. Cocos Island National Park was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997.

In 2002 the designation was extended to include an expanded marine zone of 2000km². In addition, the island is included in the list of “Wetlands of International Importance” but, tragically, Costa Rica has difficulty policing its surrounding marine national park from illegal fishing, which is seriously depleting the shark population and subsequently leading several species of sharks to be placed on the endangered list. Our project titled Born to Die, which is funded by the sale of the “map” to the treasure, is generating awareness of the urgent need to protect and save these pelagic aggregation sites from this constant threat. We have initiated a study of the area, which brings to light the critical breeding habits of the species that Cocos is famous for. These include scalloped hammerheads, tiger sharks, and Hawksbill and Ridley sea turtles, all of which have been recently placed on the wildlife endangered list.

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What is also interesting to me is the way the project raises questions about our value systems for both art and nature. How do we collect? What is an exhibition? Which is more precious, old treasure or preserving nature’s treasure? If you manage to find our buried exhibition, what have you really found? Riches, or something worth preserving for future generations?

This new treasure is causing a storm as it brings together so many conflicting value systems, which combine to ask critical questions: What is precious? And how do we keep it that way? I want to thank everyone who was part of the project, and all those who will become part of it, forever and ever, for helping us understand something about what we value most. Is it ourselves? Our possessions? Have we become our possessions? And do we actually own our possessions?

As a World Heritage site since 1979, Cocos Island is the only place on earth where it is forbidden to dig for and remove treasure, so if you go and claim your treasure after deciphering the code, you only shine a light on the weaknesses of the system. Left on the island, it engages in a dialogue with the real treasure, the island itself, reminding us that some things are best left unknown!

I want to thank all the artists who generously contributed the works of art that make up the treasure. I also offer my deep appreciation Carlos Uribe and FAICO for the valiant attempt to save Cocos Island. I send all my respect to Fernando Quiros Brenes and the rangers of Cocos, who do a largely thankless job in very difficult circumstances, with insufficient material at their disposal. I want to thank the splendid crew of the Dardanella, led by Captain Brady, for their tireless work on this incredible expedition, not only once but twice. I am grateful to Ocean Ramsey, Nico Ghersinich, Ilena Zanella and Dr. Dayne Buddo for their shark-diving expertise and their contributions to the Born to Die project, and to the whole team at TBA21 Academy, particularily Markus Reymann who helped me keep this vision alive through thick and thin and Nadim Samman who came up with the idea in the first place. Saludos to Pepe!

1. John M. MacFarlane, “Searching for Pirate Treasure in the Pacific,” 2002, See http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Articles_Treasure.php (accessed 2/10/2014).

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What is also interesting to me is the way the project raises questions about our value systems for both art and nature. How do we collect? What is an exhibition? Which is more precious, old treasure or preserving nature’s treasure? If you manage to find our buried exhibition, what have you really found? Riches, or something worth preserving for future generations?

This new treasure is causing a storm as it brings together so many conflicting value systems, which combine to ask critical questions: What is precious? And how do we keep it that way? I want to thank everyone who was part of the project, and all those who will become part of it, forever and ever, for helping us understand something about what we value most. Is it ourselves? Our possessions? Have we become our possessions? And do we actually own our possessions?

As a World Heritage site since 1979, Cocos Island is the only place on earth where it is forbidden to dig for and remove treasure, so if you go and claim your treasure after deciphering the code, you only shine a light on the weaknesses of the system. Left on the island, it engages in a dialogue with the real treasure, the island itself, reminding us that some things are best left unknown!

I want to thank all the artists who generously contributed the works of art that make up the treasure. I also offer my deep appreciation Carlos Uribe and FAICO for the valiant attempt to save Cocos Island. I send all my respect to Fernando Quiros Brenes and the rangers of Cocos, who do a largely thankless job in very difficult circumstances, with insufficient material at their disposal. I want to thank the splendid crew of the Dardanella, led by Captain Brady, for their tireless work on this incredible expedition, not only once but twice. I am grateful to Ocean Ramsey, Nico Ghersinich, Ilena Zanella and Dr. Dayne Buddo for their shark-diving expertise and their contributions to the Born to Die project, and to the whole team at TBA21 Academy, particularily Markus Reymann who helped me keep this vision alive through thick and thin and Nadim Samman who came up with the idea in the first place. Saludos to Pepe!

1. John M. MacFarlane, “Searching for Pirate Treasure in the Pacific,” 2002, See http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Articles_Treasure.php (accessed 2/10/2014).

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Drawing: Aranda/Lasch, 2014

14 DESIGNING THE FIND BENJAMIN ARANDA

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Drawing: Aranda/Lasch, 2014

14 DESIGNING THE FIND BENJAMIN ARANDA

The treasure chest is designed from an imagined moment of finding

water-proof. Nested around this bubble of glass is the stainless steel

a treasure. Its physical reveal from dirt or water into air, the frantic

rhombicuboctahedron; the inner layer of protection firmly holds the

digging or clearing of debris, and finally its release from hiding, are

glass sphere in place. The shape is constructed using an octohedron

imagined to be highly moving and memorable seconds. This moment

and cube together, hence its name. The outer layer of protection is a

of discovery, perhaps the most exciting time in any treasure hunt,

direct branching of these vertices into a simpler and larger shape, a

inspired the design of the vessel in its form and materiality.

truncated tetrahedron. The truncated tetrahedron is a classic building

Consider the extreme parameters this particular treasure chest

block of many solid-state lattice structures in nature, among them, the

had to satisfy in order to protect its loot. The chest was designed to

crystal diamond. As a simplification of a sphere, it is about as far as

keep its contents dry, intact and vacuum-sealed up to 6.7km below

you can go.

water, the bottom of most oceans, and also to survive a plunge to that

Finally, this last shape is a fragment of something larger. The

depth. As a worst case scenario we feared failure in resisting a severe

truncation itself, the chopped off corners that assist in stability, are

impact from a tumble, or crushing weight from a large boulder or ship.

located in such a way that an exact smaller copy of the truncated

It also had to be able to outlive all of us, capable of holding its treasure

tetrahedron can fit within the remaining space. This is the exact way to

in a stable environment for millennia. It had to be the most perfect

build a fractal, and in this sense the design of the treasure chest is about

embodiment of protection and security.

the possibility of growth and the first step towards endlessness. It is

But the question keeps coming to mind: How in this moment of

the smallest component of something potentially vast. When we were

finding can something universal be transmitted to the treasure hunter,

asked to design this treasure chest, we were struck by the assemblage

pirate, or lucky soul who strikes first? We want the discovery to be

of renowned artists and the multiple universes they create—all distinct

both singular and systemic at once. It is about finding something pure,

voices together inside this little spherical vacuum. Upon its recovery

without compromise. The word perfection seems appropriate, if not for

and the release of the vacuum, the finder expands the influence of

its hubris then at least for its cinematic projection of a perfect shiny

these works and their possible universes into the air again. Acting in

grain uncovered in the vastness of nature, like a diamond in the rough.

the same way as the chest itself, the artwork inside may be singular

It has an essentialist quality to it, as a single universal shape from an

but the real treasure is how it presents, yet again, a key to other worlds

indeterminate era. But it is also part of something larger and expansive.

waiting to be discovered.

The chest is a nesting of three shapes: a sphere at the center, within an inner rhombicuboctahedron, within an outer truncated tetrahedron.

This movement from a perfect sphere to highly symmetrical shapes, sometimes referred to as Archimedean Solids, describes what is referred to in mathematics as expansion, or the possibility of unfolding multiple orders within itself. Historically the sphere, and by association the world, was thought to contain them all—the final result and point of departure. On the very inside of the treasure chest is the glass sphere, creating a vacuum seal to hold the individual works of art. It is made of thick glass and is impervious to decay, impact-resistant and 18

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The treasure chest is designed from an imagined moment of finding

water-proof. Nested around this bubble of glass is the stainless steel

a treasure. Its physical reveal from dirt or water into air, the frantic

rhombicuboctahedron; the inner layer of protection firmly holds the

digging or clearing of debris, and finally its release from hiding, are

glass sphere in place. The shape is constructed using an octohedron

imagined to be highly moving and memorable seconds. This moment

and cube together, hence its name. The outer layer of protection is a

of discovery, perhaps the most exciting time in any treasure hunt,

direct branching of these vertices into a simpler and larger shape, a

inspired the design of the vessel in its form and materiality.

truncated tetrahedron. The truncated tetrahedron is a classic building

Consider the extreme parameters this particular treasure chest

block of many solid-state lattice structures in nature, among them, the

had to satisfy in order to protect its loot. The chest was designed to

crystal diamond. As a simplification of a sphere, it is about as far as

keep its contents dry, intact and vacuum-sealed up to 6.7km below

you can go.

water, the bottom of most oceans, and also to survive a plunge to that

Finally, this last shape is a fragment of something larger. The

depth. As a worst case scenario we feared failure in resisting a severe

truncation itself, the chopped off corners that assist in stability, are

impact from a tumble, or crushing weight from a large boulder or ship.

located in such a way that an exact smaller copy of the truncated

It also had to be able to outlive all of us, capable of holding its treasure

tetrahedron can fit within the remaining space. This is the exact way to

in a stable environment for millennia. It had to be the most perfect

build a fractal, and in this sense the design of the treasure chest is about

embodiment of protection and security.

the possibility of growth and the first step towards endlessness. It is

But the question keeps coming to mind: How in this moment of

the smallest component of something potentially vast. When we were

finding can something universal be transmitted to the treasure hunter,

asked to design this treasure chest, we were struck by the assemblage

pirate, or lucky soul who strikes first? We want the discovery to be

of renowned artists and the multiple universes they create—all distinct

both singular and systemic at once. It is about finding something pure,

voices together inside this little spherical vacuum. Upon its recovery

without compromise. The word perfection seems appropriate, if not for

and the release of the vacuum, the finder expands the influence of

its hubris then at least for its cinematic projection of a perfect shiny

these works and their possible universes into the air again. Acting in

grain uncovered in the vastness of nature, like a diamond in the rough.

the same way as the chest itself, the artwork inside may be singular

It has an essentialist quality to it, as a single universal shape from an

but the real treasure is how it presents, yet again, a key to other worlds

indeterminate era. But it is also part of something larger and expansive.

waiting to be discovered.

The chest is a nesting of three shapes: a sphere at the center, within an inner rhombicuboctahedron, within an outer truncated tetrahedron.

This movement from a perfect sphere to highly symmetrical shapes, sometimes referred to as Archimedean Solids, describes what is referred to in mathematics as expansion, or the possibility of unfolding multiple orders within itself. Historically the sphere, and by association the world, was thought to contain them all—the final result and point of departure. On the very inside of the treasure chest is the glass sphere, creating a vacuum seal to hold the individual works of art. It is made of thick glass and is impervious to decay, impact-resistant and 18

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Map, 2014

18 SEEK, DON’T FIND CONSTANT DULLAART

Image caption

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Map, 2014

18 SEEK, DON’T FIND CONSTANT DULLAART

Image caption

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Remember postcards used to be cheaper to send than a letter? At least in Holland you could get a cheaper stamp for a postcard. I have no idea if this is still the case, but it is a moot point. As a kid I thought it wasn't just the extra weight of the envelope that increased the price, but the fact that the mailman could not read your message. An absurd idea, perhaps – having to pay extra to keep your message private from the postal staff – but it is quite a good analogy for our current electronic mail system.

An unencrypted email is like a postcard – easy to read, but also to copy, interpret, sell, and store indefinitely for the email delivery people.

To continue the analogy, the e-mailman now actively shares this archive with governments or companies for money, and adds some wedding flyers to your mail, since you have been writing to friends about the same relationship for a while. Not a real problem, as long as it gives you something extra to want or long for – like shoes or something. But what happens if the information is used to take something away?

Imagine a prejudiced bully from high school. Everyone must know one. Imagine this person having access to your private communication, knowing all your doubts, wishes and hereditary disorders, just by

have an Arabic sounding last name and don't want to be on American

working for Google, or some national security agency subcontractor.

'no fly lists' you self censor yourself in order to avoid trouble in the

More importantly, this person knows who you have shared your secrets

future. This self-censorship and fear of being on the wrong side of

with, and who is dear to you. Sadly enough, I have met several people

the rebel definition is detrimental for the development of counter-

who said they did not worry since they were not doing anything wrong.

culture, and culture in general. Worse is the fact that when people do

Well, you do not have to be doing or typing anything wrong now to be

take care to encrypt their conversations they are deemed paranoid,

oppressed or deemed disloyal or subversive in the future when your

according to the false assumption that nobody might ever deploy your

emails are analyzed.

private information for harm in the future. What I am saying is that

Assuming that a government will stay trustworthy throughout

by not encrypting everyday information, grocery lists, love letters,

your lifetime is pretty insane, looking at history. Let me give you a

appointments, artworks, or even relationships on social networks, we

few keywords to search for; Stasi, Mccarthyism, the killings of 1965–

single out the information and the people that need or favor private

66. Besides that, a little subversion is what makes life exciting, right?

communication and criminalize them by default.

There is still a difference between teenage rebellion and separatist

This is why we needed to protect and encrypt all the information

rebel forces. Challenge the way things are once in a while. Challenge

that could lead to the treasure: to illustrate the measures necessary to

the regime of repetition. By now the joke that the NSA is watching

protect the independent, unsurveilled environment that is necessary

when we type certain keywords in a chat is getting old. When you

for culture to thrive and remain critical.

22

23

Remember postcards used to be cheaper to send than a letter? At least in Holland you could get a cheaper stamp for a postcard. I have no idea if this is still the case, but it is a moot point. As a kid I thought it wasn't just the extra weight of the envelope that increased the price, but the fact that the mailman could not read your message. An absurd idea, perhaps – having to pay extra to keep your message private from the postal staff – but it is quite a good analogy for our current electronic mail system.

An unencrypted email is like a postcard – easy to read, but also to copy, interpret, sell, and store indefinitely for the email delivery people.

To continue the analogy, the e-mailman now actively shares this archive with governments or companies for money, and adds some wedding flyers to your mail, since you have been writing to friends about the same relationship for a while. Not a real problem, as long as it gives you something extra to want or long for – like shoes or something. But what happens if the information is used to take something away?

Imagine a prejudiced bully from high school. Everyone must know one. Imagine this person having access to your private communication, knowing all your doubts, wishes and hereditary disorders, just by

have an Arabic sounding last name and don't want to be on American

working for Google, or some national security agency subcontractor.

'no fly lists' you self censor yourself in order to avoid trouble in the

More importantly, this person knows who you have shared your secrets

future. This self-censorship and fear of being on the wrong side of

with, and who is dear to you. Sadly enough, I have met several people

the rebel definition is detrimental for the development of counter-

who said they did not worry since they were not doing anything wrong.

culture, and culture in general. Worse is the fact that when people do

Well, you do not have to be doing or typing anything wrong now to be

take care to encrypt their conversations they are deemed paranoid,

oppressed or deemed disloyal or subversive in the future when your

according to the false assumption that nobody might ever deploy your

emails are analyzed.

private information for harm in the future. What I am saying is that

Assuming that a government will stay trustworthy throughout

by not encrypting everyday information, grocery lists, love letters,

your lifetime is pretty insane, looking at history. Let me give you a

appointments, artworks, or even relationships on social networks, we

few keywords to search for; Stasi, Mccarthyism, the killings of 1965–

single out the information and the people that need or favor private

66. Besides that, a little subversion is what makes life exciting, right?

communication and criminalize them by default.

There is still a difference between teenage rebellion and separatist

This is why we needed to protect and encrypt all the information

rebel forces. Challenge the way things are once in a while. Challenge

that could lead to the treasure: to illustrate the measures necessary to

the regime of repetition. By now the joke that the NSA is watching

protect the independent, unsurveilled environment that is necessary

when we type certain keywords in a chat is getting old. When you

for culture to thrive and remain critical.

22

23

24 A BURIED EXHIBITION NADIM SAMMAN

BUT NOW ALL THESE HEAVY BOOKS ARE NO USE TO ME ANY MORE, FOR WHERE I GO, WORDS CARRY NO WEIGHT: IT IS BEST, THEN, I SURRENDER THEIR FASCINATING COUNSEL TO THE SILENT DISSOLUTION OF THE SEA WHICH MISUSES NOTHING BECAUSE IT VALUES NOTHING; WHEREAS MAN OVERVALUES EVERYTHING. — PROSPERO TO ARIEL — W. H. AUDEN, THE SEA AND THE MIRROR

24

24 A BURIED EXHIBITION NADIM SAMMAN

BUT NOW ALL THESE HEAVY BOOKS ARE NO USE TO ME ANY MORE, FOR WHERE I GO, WORDS CARRY NO WEIGHT: IT IS BEST, THEN, I SURRENDER THEIR FASCINATING COUNSEL TO THE SILENT DISSOLUTION OF THE SEA WHICH MISUSES NOTHING BECAUSE IT VALUES NOTHING; WHEREAS MAN OVERVALUES EVERYTHING. — PROSPERO TO ARIEL — W. H. AUDEN, THE SEA AND THE MIRROR

24

Can you keep a secret? This is an exhibition that might only ever be

have an illegally downloaded film or two on their hard drive? Further

virtually accessed but which could—though not without a great deal

control mechanisms are required if rule is to be concentrated in

of effort and luck—be experienced first hand. Whether it should be is

particular hands: data protection systems and methods of encryption—

a different matter altogether. Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition

correlates of the fences and border stations erected in physical space.

hijacks the maritime dimensions of Central American history (in its

Pirates represent a threat to legal-political definitions of identity and

pirate element) in order to compare modes of value and methods of

ownership. Today, the Spanish gold of intellectual property is declared

identification in the present. At a time when many people are concerned

free by the Pirate Bay and the first international political party of the

with privacy, surveillance and data protection it also highlights secrecy

internet age, The Pirate Party. There are certainly worthwhile reasons

as a matter of performance—subject to the rule of desire and the

for advocating free data, not least the achievements of open-source

politics of access and exclusion. It does so by engaging the narrative

software initiatives. However, the relationship between this new

and legal identity of Isla del Coco, contrasting historical legends of

ground and ourselves is problematic. In fact, the former entails our

buried treasure with the island’s real status a natural treasure worthy

new figure. Like Borges’ map, digital representation of my personhood

of protection, embellishing the ‘treasure island’ imaginary while

wraps itself around me. This new figure (a digital skin) is not merely

venturing the question ‘How can an exhibition create its own legend?’

composed of photographs or status updates. It is a cluster of technical

The digital era has ushered in a profound intensification of mankind’s

representations with the potential to render my physical body its own

representational capabilities. But emerging languages and technologies

avatar. Witness: The NSA algorithm that recognized trigger words in

shape and extend the ‘real’ world as much as they do reflect it—creating

an innocent man’s correspondence—a phantom, terrorist limb!—and

new terrain. Jean Baudrillard’s introduction to Simulations makes this

placed him on a criminal watch list. According to Edward Snowden the

plain. Redeploying an image from Borges, he envisages the condition

only effective defense against having our new figure expropriated is

of mediation as a map of such size and detail that it comes to cover

making state of the art encryption tools available to every man, woman

the whole world. What do we make of this? Is it merely a case of

and child. If we do not control and collect our new selves then someone

buried essentials; an occluded truth? Why not view it as a revelation?:

or something else will. There are pirates everywhere.

A collapse of map and territory that constitutes a new ground. This new ground—the map-territory nexus—is wild and ripe with possibility.

How do these reflections upon the collapse of map and territory inform Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition? Clearly, they are related

As with human conquest of far-flung islands and the moon, novel

to Boris Groys’ observation that art documentation’s status within

geographies rarely go unclaimed. Like so many flagpoles driven into

museum and market channels has approached near equivalence with

Antarctica’s ice crust, our new ground is being incrementally subdivided.

actual artworks. Photographs of one-time only performances are

What might have been, at the birth of the information age, a huge

now collected and exhibited as if they are co-substantive with their

common has since been declared the field of intellectual property.

referents—even as some creators protest the violence done to their

Across this plane legal tools structure the assertion of ownership

art. Under such conditions, (unseen) bodies of work are exploited by

rights and penalties for infraction. But in practical terms subdivision

virtual substitution. One key aspect of our project is an attempt to

cannot be easily maintained. Try as the entertainment industry might,

exhibit this condition, and to explore its potential.

through warnings and show trials, trespassers occupy the sunny vales

This is effected through a dramaturgy that begins with the

of the map-territory nexus, plucking Hollywood’s fruits. Who doesn’t

statement of buried artworks, announced as a practical fact involving

26

27

Can you keep a secret? This is an exhibition that might only ever be

have an illegally downloaded film or two on their hard drive? Further

virtually accessed but which could—though not without a great deal

control mechanisms are required if rule is to be concentrated in

of effort and luck—be experienced first hand. Whether it should be is

particular hands: data protection systems and methods of encryption—

a different matter altogether. Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition

correlates of the fences and border stations erected in physical space.

hijacks the maritime dimensions of Central American history (in its

Pirates represent a threat to legal-political definitions of identity and

pirate element) in order to compare modes of value and methods of

ownership. Today, the Spanish gold of intellectual property is declared

identification in the present. At a time when many people are concerned

free by the Pirate Bay and the first international political party of the

with privacy, surveillance and data protection it also highlights secrecy

internet age, The Pirate Party. There are certainly worthwhile reasons

as a matter of performance—subject to the rule of desire and the

for advocating free data, not least the achievements of open-source

politics of access and exclusion. It does so by engaging the narrative

software initiatives. However, the relationship between this new

and legal identity of Isla del Coco, contrasting historical legends of

ground and ourselves is problematic. In fact, the former entails our

buried treasure with the island’s real status a natural treasure worthy

new figure. Like Borges’ map, digital representation of my personhood

of protection, embellishing the ‘treasure island’ imaginary while

wraps itself around me. This new figure (a digital skin) is not merely

venturing the question ‘How can an exhibition create its own legend?’

composed of photographs or status updates. It is a cluster of technical

The digital era has ushered in a profound intensification of mankind’s

representations with the potential to render my physical body its own

representational capabilities. But emerging languages and technologies

avatar. Witness: The NSA algorithm that recognized trigger words in

shape and extend the ‘real’ world as much as they do reflect it—creating

an innocent man’s correspondence—a phantom, terrorist limb!—and

new terrain. Jean Baudrillard’s introduction to Simulations makes this

placed him on a criminal watch list. According to Edward Snowden the

plain. Redeploying an image from Borges, he envisages the condition

only effective defense against having our new figure expropriated is

of mediation as a map of such size and detail that it comes to cover

making state of the art encryption tools available to every man, woman

the whole world. What do we make of this? Is it merely a case of

and child. If we do not control and collect our new selves then someone

buried essentials; an occluded truth? Why not view it as a revelation?:

or something else will. There are pirates everywhere.

A collapse of map and territory that constitutes a new ground. This new ground—the map-territory nexus—is wild and ripe with possibility.

How do these reflections upon the collapse of map and territory inform Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition? Clearly, they are related

As with human conquest of far-flung islands and the moon, novel

to Boris Groys’ observation that art documentation’s status within

geographies rarely go unclaimed. Like so many flagpoles driven into

museum and market channels has approached near equivalence with

Antarctica’s ice crust, our new ground is being incrementally subdivided.

actual artworks. Photographs of one-time only performances are

What might have been, at the birth of the information age, a huge

now collected and exhibited as if they are co-substantive with their

common has since been declared the field of intellectual property.

referents—even as some creators protest the violence done to their

Across this plane legal tools structure the assertion of ownership

art. Under such conditions, (unseen) bodies of work are exploited by

rights and penalties for infraction. But in practical terms subdivision

virtual substitution. One key aspect of our project is an attempt to

cannot be easily maintained. Try as the entertainment industry might,

exhibit this condition, and to explore its potential.

through warnings and show trials, trespassers occupy the sunny vales

This is effected through a dramaturgy that begins with the

of the map-territory nexus, plucking Hollywood’s fruits. Who doesn’t

statement of buried artworks, announced as a practical fact involving

26

27

mud and shovels. Yet also by the act of denying the gathered artworks

buried on Coco whose most obvious function is—as its title indicates—

a chance to speak for themselves in direct relationship with an

that of a container. Chest’s twin was designed to maintain the

exhibition audience—their burial beneath the exhibition’s documentary

physical integrity of the various artistic contributions deposited on

and narrative imaging. While the participating artist’s names have been

the island. Its exterior is made of polished stainless steel—a truncated

publicized, the details of their buried works are secret. In fact, with

tetrahedron that opens like a geometric oyster to reveal an internal

only two exceptions—Andrew Ranville and Julian Charrière—the forty

spherical container. This oversize “pearl” is a vacuum sealable glass

participating artists were also denied a chance to install their work on

vessel that would normally be used to protect cameras sent to the

Coco. Moreover, all were ignorant of each other’s contributions. The

ocean floor—capable of withstanding water pressure to a depth of up

exact geographical location of the exhibition is also buried—entombed

to 6.7 kilometers. Set within the mud of Coco, it houses a series of

within the virtual crypt(ography) of Constant Dullaart’s Map (2014). This

aluminum boxes containing works on paper, small scale sculptures, LP

is a 3D printed steel cylinder emblazoned with of thousands of figures

records, digital video and sound files stored on a hard drive. In Chest

which comprise a complex code devised by the artist in collaboration

the pearl-like sphere contains only Dullaart’s Map. In formal terms

with a leading security consultant, whose hidden content is a set of

both containers are a marked departure from the treasure boxes

GPS coordinates detailing Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition’s

so often depicted in woodcuts, comic books and cartoons. Rather

precise whereabouts on Coco.

than attempting to conform to an archaic cliché their look recalls

Map is both a sculpture—a unique physical object whose form has

the product design of market-leading personal computing hardware.

been determined by the artist—and a tool or set of instructions for

While by no means illustrative, their hygienic surfaces and acute

disclosing an elsewhere. On the one hand its cylindrical form serves

angles intentionally suggest a kind of oversized digital data-storage

to recall antique maps or scrolls—an explicit reference to Coco’s

device—fitting, given Map’s installation within.

maritime history—while staging its unreadable script as a digital-era

At this stage we must note the symbiotic relationship between Map

successor to the idiosyncratic markings inscribed on the pirate charts

and Chest on the level of both symbolism and functionality—as well as

of legend. On the other, this form is also a feature of the encryption

their additional interdependence with that which was buried on Coco.

system. Without any indication of where the code begins or ends

It seems that all the putative art objects in the exhibition are only ever

it is exponentially harder to crack. Yet this design as resistance is

partially themselves. Map, for instance, relates to at least thirty-nine

contradicted by Map’s utility for the would-be code breaker, which

other artworks. In other words, the works in this exhibition are fractured,

allows the sculpture to be used as a rolling printing plate—enabling

translocated and distributed across both virtual and real space. Moreover,

the physical transfer of data to paper by way of ink. With Map our

the boundaries between them are blurred. This is the peculiar format of

project’s dramatization of the interconnection between the physical

curatorial gesture—a key feature of its mode of exhibiting.

and the informatic is in focus. These considerations raise the following

We are now in a position to consider how the project’s concern for

questions—must Map be used, rather than contemplated, in order for it

map-territory nexus pertains to Isla del Coco. Burying a contemporary

to achieve the status of an artwork? Or, rather, does it only remain an

treasure on the island is more than an incursion within a geographical

artwork if its functional indeterminacy is maintained?

location. It is an intervention within the narrative, legal and biological

Map, too, finds itself entombed; interred within another artwork— Aranda/Lasch’s Chest (2014). This is a double of the casket that was 28

construction of a place that simultaneously exhibits this construction.

Our action partakes of the site-specificity which deems “cultural 29

mud and shovels. Yet also by the act of denying the gathered artworks

buried on Coco whose most obvious function is—as its title indicates—

a chance to speak for themselves in direct relationship with an

that of a container. Chest’s twin was designed to maintain the

exhibition audience—their burial beneath the exhibition’s documentary

physical integrity of the various artistic contributions deposited on

and narrative imaging. While the participating artist’s names have been

the island. Its exterior is made of polished stainless steel—a truncated

publicized, the details of their buried works are secret. In fact, with

tetrahedron that opens like a geometric oyster to reveal an internal

only two exceptions—Andrew Ranville and Julian Charrière—the forty

spherical container. This oversize “pearl” is a vacuum sealable glass

participating artists were also denied a chance to install their work on

vessel that would normally be used to protect cameras sent to the

Coco. Moreover, all were ignorant of each other’s contributions. The

ocean floor—capable of withstanding water pressure to a depth of up

exact geographical location of the exhibition is also buried—entombed

to 6.7 kilometers. Set within the mud of Coco, it houses a series of

within the virtual crypt(ography) of Constant Dullaart’s Map (2014). This

aluminum boxes containing works on paper, small scale sculptures, LP

is a 3D printed steel cylinder emblazoned with of thousands of figures

records, digital video and sound files stored on a hard drive. In Chest

which comprise a complex code devised by the artist in collaboration

the pearl-like sphere contains only Dullaart’s Map. In formal terms

with a leading security consultant, whose hidden content is a set of

both containers are a marked departure from the treasure boxes

GPS coordinates detailing Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition’s

so often depicted in woodcuts, comic books and cartoons. Rather

precise whereabouts on Coco.

than attempting to conform to an archaic cliché their look recalls

Map is both a sculpture—a unique physical object whose form has

the product design of market-leading personal computing hardware.

been determined by the artist—and a tool or set of instructions for

While by no means illustrative, their hygienic surfaces and acute

disclosing an elsewhere. On the one hand its cylindrical form serves

angles intentionally suggest a kind of oversized digital data-storage

to recall antique maps or scrolls—an explicit reference to Coco’s

device—fitting, given Map’s installation within.

maritime history—while staging its unreadable script as a digital-era

At this stage we must note the symbiotic relationship between Map

successor to the idiosyncratic markings inscribed on the pirate charts

and Chest on the level of both symbolism and functionality—as well as

of legend. On the other, this form is also a feature of the encryption

their additional interdependence with that which was buried on Coco.

system. Without any indication of where the code begins or ends

It seems that all the putative art objects in the exhibition are only ever

it is exponentially harder to crack. Yet this design as resistance is

partially themselves. Map, for instance, relates to at least thirty-nine

contradicted by Map’s utility for the would-be code breaker, which

other artworks. In other words, the works in this exhibition are fractured,

allows the sculpture to be used as a rolling printing plate—enabling

translocated and distributed across both virtual and real space. Moreover,

the physical transfer of data to paper by way of ink. With Map our

the boundaries between them are blurred. This is the peculiar format of

project’s dramatization of the interconnection between the physical

curatorial gesture—a key feature of its mode of exhibiting.

and the informatic is in focus. These considerations raise the following

We are now in a position to consider how the project’s concern for

questions—must Map be used, rather than contemplated, in order for it

map-territory nexus pertains to Isla del Coco. Burying a contemporary

to achieve the status of an artwork? Or, rather, does it only remain an

treasure on the island is more than an incursion within a geographical

artwork if its functional indeterminacy is maintained?

location. It is an intervention within the narrative, legal and biological

Map, too, finds itself entombed; interred within another artwork— Aranda/Lasch’s Chest (2014). This is a double of the casket that was 28

construction of a place that simultaneously exhibits this construction.

Our action partakes of the site-specificity which deems “cultural 29

Aranda\Lasch, Chest, 2014 Internal storage compartments (detail) 31

Aranda\Lasch, Chest, 2014 Internal storage compartments (detail) 31

33

33

35

35

debates, a theoretical concept, a social issue, a political problem,

protected areas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. It is these institutional

an institutional framework […] a historical condition, even particular

and legal representations that, we contend, constitute the regulatory

formations of desire” as sites. 1 To this list we must also add economy.

mapping of Coco’s natural treasure.

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition plots the cultural-historic coordinates of Coco while at the same time altering them.

Our project exhibits the value of these regulations—indeed, the importance of their mediation between the treasure and its would-

Isla del Coco is the historical source of many foundational legends

be hunters—by challenging them: In order for the exhibition to be

relating to buried treasure. Stories relating to historical events on Isla

experienced in real life access must be had. This will only be possible

del Coco have developed into myth, inspired novels and genre fantasies

if the protection laws are abolished or if their enforcement fails. Under

for more than a century. On the most basic level our project adds a

such circumstances the recovery of the buried exhibition (trash?) will

new buried “treasure” to the island’s history. Already, anyone seeking

mark an assault on something of greater value. In seeking the park’s

information regarding the hidden hoards of Coco will find details of our

permission to bury our exhibition—what real pirate would do that?—we

enterprise online—on sites not maintained by TBA21-Academy. We have

acknowledged the current system of regulation, even as we confronted

certainly instituted the island’s only buried treasure of the twenty-

its representatives with a challenge to their management. Our

first century, and have done so in order to modify the definition of

intervention certainly arouses interest in the works’ potential recovery.

treasure itself in future tellings of Coco’s history.

As was to be expected, careful explaining was required in order to

Burying a new “treasure” on the island highlights the regulations

receive an affirmative answer—eventually granted on the condition

restricting human access to this protected area on ecological grounds.

that one of the park’s biologists be present during the burial process to

As it happens, Coco is the only place in the world where treasure

ensure the well-being of endemic flora and fauna. It was then that we

hunting is specifically illegal. What manner of tools have been deployed

had to decide if we could trust this observer. We attempted to include a

in the pursuit of wealth deemed to be buried on its beaches or under

clause for blindfolding them in our written agreement—something that

palm trees? F. D. Roosevelt’s own military issue metal detector—used

was, unsurprisingly, turned down. The exhibition as agent provocateur.

in between bouts of sport fishing—is kept in the Park Ranger’s mess

Clearly, our project borrows its title from the first Treasure of Lima.

hall at Wafer Bay. Prussian adventurer August Gissler used a shovel

This doubling is calculated to effect a productive misfiling within

to dig myriad tunnels in his search for Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito’s

the historical archive, whereby our agenda is smuggled into future

plunder. Yet the most destructive of all was certainly the dynamite used

analyses of ownership, exploitation and misappropriation relating to

in various professional expeditions towards the end of the twentieth

the region. Invoking the Treasure of Lima highlights the maritime and

century. Happily, the statutes which render such prospecting illegal

colonial history of Central America. The original treasure consisted

today stem from the Costa Rican government’s understanding that

of precious metals, stones and artifacts requisitioned by the Spanish

the island—and its surrounding waters—are themselves unparalleled

from their Central and South American dominions, including 113 gold

(natural) riches in need of preservation. It declared the island a National

religious statues, one of which was a life-sized Virgin Mary; 200 chests

Park in 1978, and UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 1997. The

of jewels; 273 swords with jeweled hilts; 1000 diamonds; numerous

Seamounts Marine Management Area—the aquatic reserve created in

solid gold crowns; 150 chalices; and hundreds of gold and silver bars. 2

2011 that surrounds the island—is larger than the Yellowstone National

This agglomeration is telling, in so far as it symbolizes the outlook

Park and second only to the Galápagos National Park in terms of marine

and self-deceptions of Lima’s colonial rulers: capital, religion and

36

37

debates, a theoretical concept, a social issue, a political problem,

protected areas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. It is these institutional

an institutional framework […] a historical condition, even particular

and legal representations that, we contend, constitute the regulatory

formations of desire” as sites. 1 To this list we must also add economy.

mapping of Coco’s natural treasure.

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition plots the cultural-historic coordinates of Coco while at the same time altering them.

Our project exhibits the value of these regulations—indeed, the importance of their mediation between the treasure and its would-

Isla del Coco is the historical source of many foundational legends

be hunters—by challenging them: In order for the exhibition to be

relating to buried treasure. Stories relating to historical events on Isla

experienced in real life access must be had. This will only be possible

del Coco have developed into myth, inspired novels and genre fantasies

if the protection laws are abolished or if their enforcement fails. Under

for more than a century. On the most basic level our project adds a

such circumstances the recovery of the buried exhibition (trash?) will

new buried “treasure” to the island’s history. Already, anyone seeking

mark an assault on something of greater value. In seeking the park’s

information regarding the hidden hoards of Coco will find details of our

permission to bury our exhibition—what real pirate would do that?—we

enterprise online—on sites not maintained by TBA21-Academy. We have

acknowledged the current system of regulation, even as we confronted

certainly instituted the island’s only buried treasure of the twenty-

its representatives with a challenge to their management. Our

first century, and have done so in order to modify the definition of

intervention certainly arouses interest in the works’ potential recovery.

treasure itself in future tellings of Coco’s history.

As was to be expected, careful explaining was required in order to

Burying a new “treasure” on the island highlights the regulations

receive an affirmative answer—eventually granted on the condition

restricting human access to this protected area on ecological grounds.

that one of the park’s biologists be present during the burial process to

As it happens, Coco is the only place in the world where treasure

ensure the well-being of endemic flora and fauna. It was then that we

hunting is specifically illegal. What manner of tools have been deployed

had to decide if we could trust this observer. We attempted to include a

in the pursuit of wealth deemed to be buried on its beaches or under

clause for blindfolding them in our written agreement—something that

palm trees? F. D. Roosevelt’s own military issue metal detector—used

was, unsurprisingly, turned down. The exhibition as agent provocateur.

in between bouts of sport fishing—is kept in the Park Ranger’s mess

Clearly, our project borrows its title from the first Treasure of Lima.

hall at Wafer Bay. Prussian adventurer August Gissler used a shovel

This doubling is calculated to effect a productive misfiling within

to dig myriad tunnels in his search for Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito’s

the historical archive, whereby our agenda is smuggled into future

plunder. Yet the most destructive of all was certainly the dynamite used

analyses of ownership, exploitation and misappropriation relating to

in various professional expeditions towards the end of the twentieth

the region. Invoking the Treasure of Lima highlights the maritime and

century. Happily, the statutes which render such prospecting illegal

colonial history of Central America. The original treasure consisted

today stem from the Costa Rican government’s understanding that

of precious metals, stones and artifacts requisitioned by the Spanish

the island—and its surrounding waters—are themselves unparalleled

from their Central and South American dominions, including 113 gold

(natural) riches in need of preservation. It declared the island a National

religious statues, one of which was a life-sized Virgin Mary; 200 chests

Park in 1978, and UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 1997. The

of jewels; 273 swords with jeweled hilts; 1000 diamonds; numerous

Seamounts Marine Management Area—the aquatic reserve created in

solid gold crowns; 150 chalices; and hundreds of gold and silver bars. 2

2011 that surrounds the island—is larger than the Yellowstone National

This agglomeration is telling, in so far as it symbolizes the outlook

Park and second only to the Galápagos National Park in terms of marine

and self-deceptions of Lima’s colonial rulers: capital, religion and

36

37

the blade. Though “stolen” from them by the British mariner turned

of questionable deployment of resources and the impulse to possess,

buccaneer William Thompson, their legitimate ownership of the trove

satisfied, assuming current statutes remain, through disregard for

is ethically disputable. Our work consists in turning considerations

Costa Rican law. This mentality will seek to acquire, in one fell swoop,

of ownership, piracy and colonialism towards—notwithstanding our

a whole collection—of forty artworks—and to hell with the paradoxical

interest in discussing the value and ownership of art—contemporary

niceties of the exhibition hang. Ascertaining the GPS coordinates might

ecological piracy in the waters around Coco. Moreover, we intend to

allow one to drop a pin on a map of Coco, to thrust a spade into the soil

exhibit the methods by which Coco’s natural treasure is secured. The

and ultimately to observe the contents of the chest, but in this process

intention is to re-draw the area’s narrative coordinates, and eventually

something will be lost Once opened, Map is just a map; the exhibition

to influence its regulatory ones.

just the things in the box buried on Coco. Allowing the unruly object to

Given the ecological mindset already evidenced in the project, it might seem contradictory to incite a collector to mount an expedition

remain buried and closed is what keeps our exhibition open.

These comments shed some light on how surveillance—obser­

to Coco in order to dig for buried artworks—as if the money spent on

vation—relates to our new figure. Following Snowden, it would seem

marine conservation constituted a kind of contemporary indulgence

that only enclosure within a cryptographic strongbox allows for

for terrestrial pillage. This would be the case were it not for the

paradoxical identification—to be one thing and another simultaneously.

resolute difficulty—indeed the near impossibility—of recovering the

On a political level, personal data protection helps us to maintain a

buried works. Indeed, beyond the encryption methodology previously

translocational identity that amounts to freedom itself. When we are

outlined, the project employs the principle of design as resistance in

observed and measured as one thing or another by an external gaze

a more holistic fashion. The buyer takes receipt of the Map without

our paradoxical potential—to be both outlaws and good citizens, for

the decryption key. Purchasing it may afford them a better chance

instance—is dead in the water. We are collected, put on file—some

of locating the “exhibition” than other persons. However, it is by no

butterflies pinned, others broken on a wheel.

means a practical or legal guarantee of access. There is the challenge

Returning to the Coco—disinterring the buried works might kill our

of cracking the code. In addition, there is the issue of gaining access

exhibition’s paradoxical quality but it will also do something else. It will

to the island. Given that digging for treasure is banned on Coco this is

announce the fact that enforcement of the statutes restricting human

easier imagined than achieved. Finally, purchasing the map does not

access to the island has failed. It may even, at some future date, be

necessarily underwrite ownership of the buried artworks, even if they

testament to these statutes being abolished altogether. In light of our

are eventually recovered. In this respect the potential ownership of

pelagic research and conservation initiative, these implications are

the buried artworks is, itself, buried beneath a set of challenges.

ventured as a general parallel to the ongoing assault on the park’s

There may be an auction, but the full extent of what has really

marine protection area. Every day fishing boats pillage its waters,

been bought is—to a degree—open to interpretation. One part of

taking a bounty of threatened species. Scalloped hammerheads, even

our exhibition’s dramaturgy enlists the buyer of Map and Chest in a

tiger sharks, are pulled thrashing to the surface—only for their pectoral,

performative role in which they can either choose to ratify the power

dorsal and tail fins to be crudely sliced from their bodies before they

of the pirate mentality or, alternatively, respect the status of the unruly

are thrown back into the sea, bleeding, to sink and drown. Countless

object. The pirate mentality is what might transport a certain buyer from

other species are scooped up in nets. Quite apart from its illegality,

the air-conditioned saleroom to the bluffs and jungle of Coco; by way

this is inter-species piracy. The politics of access and exclusion from

38

39

the blade. Though “stolen” from them by the British mariner turned

of questionable deployment of resources and the impulse to possess,

buccaneer William Thompson, their legitimate ownership of the trove

satisfied, assuming current statutes remain, through disregard for

is ethically disputable. Our work consists in turning considerations

Costa Rican law. This mentality will seek to acquire, in one fell swoop,

of ownership, piracy and colonialism towards—notwithstanding our

a whole collection—of forty artworks—and to hell with the paradoxical

interest in discussing the value and ownership of art—contemporary

niceties of the exhibition hang. Ascertaining the GPS coordinates might

ecological piracy in the waters around Coco. Moreover, we intend to

allow one to drop a pin on a map of Coco, to thrust a spade into the soil

exhibit the methods by which Coco’s natural treasure is secured. The

and ultimately to observe the contents of the chest, but in this process

intention is to re-draw the area’s narrative coordinates, and eventually

something will be lost Once opened, Map is just a map; the exhibition

to influence its regulatory ones.

just the things in the box buried on Coco. Allowing the unruly object to

Given the ecological mindset already evidenced in the project, it might seem contradictory to incite a collector to mount an expedition

remain buried and closed is what keeps our exhibition open.

These comments shed some light on how surveillance—obser­

to Coco in order to dig for buried artworks—as if the money spent on

vation—relates to our new figure. Following Snowden, it would seem

marine conservation constituted a kind of contemporary indulgence

that only enclosure within a cryptographic strongbox allows for

for terrestrial pillage. This would be the case were it not for the

paradoxical identification—to be one thing and another simultaneously.

resolute difficulty—indeed the near impossibility—of recovering the

On a political level, personal data protection helps us to maintain a

buried works. Indeed, beyond the encryption methodology previously

translocational identity that amounts to freedom itself. When we are

outlined, the project employs the principle of design as resistance in

observed and measured as one thing or another by an external gaze

a more holistic fashion. The buyer takes receipt of the Map without

our paradoxical potential—to be both outlaws and good citizens, for

the decryption key. Purchasing it may afford them a better chance

instance—is dead in the water. We are collected, put on file—some

of locating the “exhibition” than other persons. However, it is by no

butterflies pinned, others broken on a wheel.

means a practical or legal guarantee of access. There is the challenge

Returning to the Coco—disinterring the buried works might kill our

of cracking the code. In addition, there is the issue of gaining access

exhibition’s paradoxical quality but it will also do something else. It will

to the island. Given that digging for treasure is banned on Coco this is

announce the fact that enforcement of the statutes restricting human

easier imagined than achieved. Finally, purchasing the map does not

access to the island has failed. It may even, at some future date, be

necessarily underwrite ownership of the buried artworks, even if they

testament to these statutes being abolished altogether. In light of our

are eventually recovered. In this respect the potential ownership of

pelagic research and conservation initiative, these implications are

the buried artworks is, itself, buried beneath a set of challenges.

ventured as a general parallel to the ongoing assault on the park’s

There may be an auction, but the full extent of what has really

marine protection area. Every day fishing boats pillage its waters,

been bought is—to a degree—open to interpretation. One part of

taking a bounty of threatened species. Scalloped hammerheads, even

our exhibition’s dramaturgy enlists the buyer of Map and Chest in a

tiger sharks, are pulled thrashing to the surface—only for their pectoral,

performative role in which they can either choose to ratify the power

dorsal and tail fins to be crudely sliced from their bodies before they

of the pirate mentality or, alternatively, respect the status of the unruly

are thrown back into the sea, bleeding, to sink and drown. Countless

object. The pirate mentality is what might transport a certain buyer from

other species are scooped up in nets. Quite apart from its illegality,

the air-conditioned saleroom to the bluffs and jungle of Coco; by way

this is inter-species piracy. The politics of access and exclusion from

38

39

the park, and the challenges that the rangers face policing it has, for

­Eliasson, cut to the heart of the matter: “Art is not the only thing that

too long, be unexamined.

is important. We must also consider the ways that it is communicated,

We have already spoken about the performative role assigned to

handled, treasured, kept or not kept. Somebody has to take this

the collector within the structure of our exhibition. They will either put

responsibility and radicalize it. Going to Coco and actually burying a

Map to use in an attempt to recover the works buried on Coco or enact

treasure is pretty radical—thinking about it is one thing but doing it is

a relation to both the superposition of art in the project and the value of

clearly something else. Then to follow through, to consider what type

restricting human access to the island. The latter is a relation of trust.

of responsibility codex you have installed and how to translate this into

Amongst other things, in law an owner who places their legal property

ideological action, is an interesting question.” It is a question that has

into trust relinquishes control of its benefits. Accessing the works

been answered by an incredible coalition of partners. Our project has

buried on Coco is one potential benefit of owning Map. Letting them

drawn together a motley crew of park rangers, bureaucrats, divers,

lie performs an act of trust, in so far as she has willfully let go of this

conservationists, artists and sailors. It has taken place underwater,

advantage. By doing so the collector also performs trust in the generic

in the jungle, at sea, in code, and at an auction house. It has affected

sense, asserting—through her (in)action—confidence that maintaining

an alliance of hackers, apex predators and art collectors—all the

the map-territory nexus is more worthwhile than recovering the

while negotiating past and present histories of piracy. Throughout,

buried objects. She also demonstrates an exemplary commitment to

our veritable ship of fools has dared to ask the question, “How can

the statutes limiting exploitation of Coco and its surrounding waters.

an exhibition create its own legend?” None of this could have been

This is a kind of collecting that considers proximity to the buried art

ventured without trust in one another—and the future of our pelagic

objects or the island itself phenomena whose quantification does not

research and conservation project relies upon it. None of us could

necessarily indicate the quality of the relationship.

have known that we would not be bitten by the sharks of Coco until

Trust in our map-territory nexus is of a piece with a general outlook that recognizes no operative separation between nature, culture and

we swam with them. We had to trust that they would do us no harm.

Pirates, sharks or otherwise—trust is the real adventure.

humanity. What appeared to be an island separated from other lands is—as the artist Andrew Ranville reminds us—merely the visible tip of a tectonic plate; just one part of a larger system. Rather than there being a yawning gap between the sharks of Coco and metropolitan modernity there is only interconnection and engagement. We cannot avoid affecting these creatures, either by focused exploitation or laissez-faire fallout. We must now choose to critically appraise the design of this relationship that spans oceans and continents.

Given the somewhat esoteric nature of our previous reflections upon the distributed nature of the exhibition format, the map-territory nexus and our new figure, it would be remiss to leave the following unsaid: Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition was, and remains, an adventure. Comments by one of our contributing artists, Olafur 40

Notes 1. The Pirate Party.

2. Miwon Kwon, “One Place After Another: Notes on Site-Specificity,” in October, Vol. 80 (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1997).

3. Its value today is reckoned at £160 million. See http://www. businessinsider.com/british-explorer-closes-in-on-legendary-treasure-of-­lima2012-8#ixzz30OkhILxR , accessed July 30, 2014.

4. Joseph Rykwert, “Why Collect?”, in History Today, Vol. 51, Issue 12, 2001.

5. Werner Muensterberger, Collecting: An Unruly Passion: Psycho­logical Perspectives (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1994).

6. I quote Isaiah Berlin’s paraphrase in Isaiah Berlin, The Roots of Romanticism (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2001), 43.

7. Timothy Morton, Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World (Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 2013), 18.

8. Ibid. 19.

41

the park, and the challenges that the rangers face policing it has, for

­Eliasson, cut to the heart of the matter: “Art is not the only thing that

too long, be unexamined.

is important. We must also consider the ways that it is communicated,

We have already spoken about the performative role assigned to

handled, treasured, kept or not kept. Somebody has to take this

the collector within the structure of our exhibition. They will either put

responsibility and radicalize it. Going to Coco and actually burying a

Map to use in an attempt to recover the works buried on Coco or enact

treasure is pretty radical—thinking about it is one thing but doing it is

a relation to both the superposition of art in the project and the value of

clearly something else. Then to follow through, to consider what type

restricting human access to the island. The latter is a relation of trust.

of responsibility codex you have installed and how to translate this into

Amongst other things, in law an owner who places their legal property

ideological action, is an interesting question.” It is a question that has

into trust relinquishes control of its benefits. Accessing the works

been answered by an incredible coalition of partners. Our project has

buried on Coco is one potential benefit of owning Map. Letting them

drawn together a motley crew of park rangers, bureaucrats, divers,

lie performs an act of trust, in so far as she has willfully let go of this

conservationists, artists and sailors. It has taken place underwater,

advantage. By doing so the collector also performs trust in the generic

in the jungle, at sea, in code, and at an auction house. It has affected

sense, asserting—through her (in)action—confidence that maintaining

an alliance of hackers, apex predators and art collectors—all the

the map-territory nexus is more worthwhile than recovering the

while negotiating past and present histories of piracy. Throughout,

buried objects. She also demonstrates an exemplary commitment to

our veritable ship of fools has dared to ask the question, “How can

the statutes limiting exploitation of Coco and its surrounding waters.

an exhibition create its own legend?” None of this could have been

This is a kind of collecting that considers proximity to the buried art

ventured without trust in one another—and the future of our pelagic

objects or the island itself phenomena whose quantification does not

research and conservation project relies upon it. None of us could

necessarily indicate the quality of the relationship.

have known that we would not be bitten by the sharks of Coco until

Trust in our map-territory nexus is of a piece with a general outlook that recognizes no operative separation between nature, culture and

we swam with them. We had to trust that they would do us no harm.

Pirates, sharks or otherwise—trust is the real adventure.

humanity. What appeared to be an island separated from other lands is—as the artist Andrew Ranville reminds us—merely the visible tip of a tectonic plate; just one part of a larger system. Rather than there being a yawning gap between the sharks of Coco and metropolitan modernity there is only interconnection and engagement. We cannot avoid affecting these creatures, either by focused exploitation or laissez-faire fallout. We must now choose to critically appraise the design of this relationship that spans oceans and continents.

Given the somewhat esoteric nature of our previous reflections upon the distributed nature of the exhibition format, the map-territory nexus and our new figure, it would be remiss to leave the following unsaid: Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition was, and remains, an adventure. Comments by one of our contributing artists, Olafur 40

Notes 1. The Pirate Party.

2. Miwon Kwon, “One Place After Another: Notes on Site-Specificity,” in October, Vol. 80 (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1997).

3. Its value today is reckoned at £160 million. See http://www. businessinsider.com/british-explorer-closes-in-on-legendary-treasure-of-­lima2012-8#ixzz30OkhILxR , accessed July 30, 2014.

4. Joseph Rykwert, “Why Collect?”, in History Today, Vol. 51, Issue 12, 2001.

5. Werner Muensterberger, Collecting: An Unruly Passion: Psycho­logical Perspectives (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company, 1994).

6. I quote Isaiah Berlin’s paraphrase in Isaiah Berlin, The Roots of Romanticism (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2001), 43.

7. Timothy Morton, Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology after the End of the World (Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 2013), 18.

8. Ibid. 19.

41

42 B/LOGBOOK MARCH 13–MAY 5, 2014 NADIM SAMMAN AND FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / BRADY MACDONALD / ANDREW RANVILLE

42

42 B/LOGBOOK MARCH 13–MAY 5, 2014 NADIM SAMMAN AND FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG / BRADY MACDONALD / ANDREW RANVILLE

42

1 km 44

45

1 km 44

45

SPINNING GOLFITO

Golfito, Costa Rica 8° 38' 24" N, 83° 10' 12" W

MARCH 13, 2014

smoking a cigarette next to an active fuel pump?” I hear loud and clear.

The sport fishing boat that we are standing in front of is indeed being refueled, and the fool being addressed can’t stub it out quick enough.

The Captain briefs us on safety—as well he might—before running us through our day’s itinerary. We’re to head for a fish-aggregating buoy some thirty miles offshore, and when we get there we’ll be able to jump in with all manner of aquatic life. It’s never been dived before.

But the plan will never come to pass. An hour later, unexpectedly, the Captain hurriedly calls us onto the starboard deck. This is not normal.

About two kilometers off there is something going on in the water.

T wo days ago we received news that the Dardanella’s chief stewardess

Hundreds of breaches, white water, spinning dark shapes against the

has come down with a kidney infection, and the Captain advises that

sky. This is something not many people ever see, and we’re heading

it is unwise to put to sea with her onboard. She is, apparently, going

right for it. It’s a superpod of spinner dolphins, numbering about 3000,

to be okay—but heading out into the Pacific under a cloud of medical

hunting yellowfin and skipjack tuna. Our resident naturalists tell us

uncertainty would be foolhardy. Despite our precaution, those familiar

there are only about five such superpods in the whole world and this

with seafaring literature cannot avoid considering it a bad omen.

is one.

But in the honey light of our early morning drive to the airport, down

We’re quickly into the tenders, pulling on fins and snorkels, gunning

through the hills above San Jose, trepidation subsides. We’re soon on the

it for the crowd. As we slow down and pull up into the middle of the

tarmac and faced with a twin-prop plane that looks older than a few of

group we can almost touch them. Alongside, swimming underneath,

us preparing to climb onboard. Our takeoff is quick and smooth with

crossing paths and performing spinning jumps above surface.

light beaming through the windows. Spirits lift with the plane, before

Everywhere. Overboard and face down in the water is a sight without

a shadow momentarily swings through our conversation—talk of the

compare: columns of thousands beneath us, hundreds next to us,

downed Malaysian Airlines flight, lost just a few days ago without a

the water ­squealing and squeaking in a chorus of sonar. The water

trace. Where did it go? How could it happen? I politely tell my colleagues

is deeper than our vision, the refractions of sunlight almost seem to

that I’m not superstitious but such talk is really beyond the pale.

emanate from the bottom of the blue. And the dolphins. I take a deep

Forty-five minutes up and over the rainforest below, training cameras on the view from the windows—until it seems we’re flying

breath and dive down into their midst, murmuring a peace offering. I can see they are looking at me. It is a good omen.

rather close to the trees. I expect we are topping a mountain ridge that will soon drop away. It doesn’t and the green grows even closer.

Before there is a chance to assess what is happening we’ve already touched down on the Golfito runway, nestled tightly in an otherwise canopied valley.

After five minutes’ drive we’re standing on the deck of the marina, waiting for our bags to be unloaded onto the tender. “Tell me you’re not 46

47

SPINNING GOLFITO

Golfito, Costa Rica 8° 38' 24" N, 83° 10' 12" W

MARCH 13, 2014

smoking a cigarette next to an active fuel pump?” I hear loud and clear.

The sport fishing boat that we are standing in front of is indeed being refueled, and the fool being addressed can’t stub it out quick enough.

The Captain briefs us on safety—as well he might—before running us through our day’s itinerary. We’re to head for a fish-aggregating buoy some thirty miles offshore, and when we get there we’ll be able to jump in with all manner of aquatic life. It’s never been dived before.

But the plan will never come to pass. An hour later, unexpectedly, the Captain hurriedly calls us onto the starboard deck. This is not normal.

About two kilometers off there is something going on in the water.

T wo days ago we received news that the Dardanella’s chief stewardess

Hundreds of breaches, white water, spinning dark shapes against the

has come down with a kidney infection, and the Captain advises that

sky. This is something not many people ever see, and we’re heading

it is unwise to put to sea with her onboard. She is, apparently, going

right for it. It’s a superpod of spinner dolphins, numbering about 3000,

to be okay—but heading out into the Pacific under a cloud of medical

hunting yellowfin and skipjack tuna. Our resident naturalists tell us

uncertainty would be foolhardy. Despite our precaution, those familiar

there are only about five such superpods in the whole world and this

with seafaring literature cannot avoid considering it a bad omen.

is one.

But in the honey light of our early morning drive to the airport, down

We’re quickly into the tenders, pulling on fins and snorkels, gunning

through the hills above San Jose, trepidation subsides. We’re soon on the

it for the crowd. As we slow down and pull up into the middle of the

tarmac and faced with a twin-prop plane that looks older than a few of

group we can almost touch them. Alongside, swimming underneath,

us preparing to climb onboard. Our takeoff is quick and smooth with

crossing paths and performing spinning jumps above surface.

light beaming through the windows. Spirits lift with the plane, before

Everywhere. Overboard and face down in the water is a sight without

a shadow momentarily swings through our conversation—talk of the

compare: columns of thousands beneath us, hundreds next to us,

downed Malaysian Airlines flight, lost just a few days ago without a

the water ­squealing and squeaking in a chorus of sonar. The water

trace. Where did it go? How could it happen? I politely tell my colleagues

is deeper than our vision, the refractions of sunlight almost seem to

that I’m not superstitious but such talk is really beyond the pale.

emanate from the bottom of the blue. And the dolphins. I take a deep

Forty-five minutes up and over the rainforest below, training cameras on the view from the windows—until it seems we’re flying

breath and dive down into their midst, murmuring a peace offering. I can see they are looking at me. It is a good omen.

rather close to the trees. I expect we are topping a mountain ridge that will soon drop away. It doesn’t and the green grows even closer.

Before there is a chance to assess what is happening we’ve already touched down on the Golfito runway, nestled tightly in an otherwise canopied valley.

After five minutes’ drive we’re standing on the deck of the marina, waiting for our bags to be unloaded onto the tender. “Tell me you’re not 46

47

A superpod of spinner dolphins

49

A superpod of spinner dolphins

49

A GEOGRAPHIC OUTLIER

En route to Cocos Island

MARCH 14, 2014

But the island’s geography has better claims on notability. What is visible above water is only the peak of the Cocos ridge, which runs twenty-four kilometers towards the mainland. On either side below the surface the bottom drops off into chasms 4000 meters deep. For this reason, a huge amount of marine life aggregates around Cocos. The island was designated a national park in 1978 but its waters would only become a protected area in 1995. At present the reserve comprises a twelve mile perimeter—amounting to 200 square miles. There are plans to extend this sanctuary to a twenty mile radius. At the time of writing there are five rangers resident on the island, out of the park’s

EN ROUTE /

official staff of twenty. In addition to this there are always one or two coast guard officials on hand to take part in the rangers’ patrols.

C ocos Island lies 310 miles south of Costa Rica and 497 miles west of

In 1997 Cocos was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site,

Panama—two days hard sail from the sweltering port of Golfito. Jut-

ensuring the international recognition of its natural heritage. But its

ting up from the Pacific deep, it covers just 9.2 of the 64 million square

strategic value for Costa Rica is more prosaic. Ownership of Cocos

miles that make up this ocean. Part of a volcanic chain that includes

justifies the state’s claim on fishing grounds above the total area of

the Galapagos—its waters teaming with hammerhead sharks—it was

the ridge. As ever, the balance between conservation and exploitation

officially discovered in 1535 by Spanish explorers before settling into

is a precarious one.

its role as a pit stop for buccaneers and whalers in search of fresh water and the coconuts from which it takes its name.

Cocos Island’s history as a sometime base for rascals has much to do with its geography. Close enough to the mainland yet lying outside major imperial trade routes—to this day, off the beaten shipping path— it is a strategic location for those who would remain unseen but not out of the game. Today the waters surrounding the island are used by a new breed of outlaw—narco-traffickers in superpowered black speedboats, and even the odd Columbian cocaine submarine. This is the impetus behind two of Cocos Island’s newest permanent structures—antennas that register and transmit intelligence as part of a string of stations in the region. Coincidentally, while digging their 4sqm foundations, the park’s authorities uncovered the long lost basement of a prison, built in 1879 to house earlier generations of miscreants but later left to ruin due to the logistical and financial challenges of running a facility so far from the mainland.

50

51

A GEOGRAPHIC OUTLIER

En route to Cocos Island

MARCH 14, 2014

But the island’s geography has better claims on notability. What is visible above water is only the peak of the Cocos ridge, which runs twenty-four kilometers towards the mainland. On either side below the surface the bottom drops off into chasms 4000 meters deep. For this reason, a huge amount of marine life aggregates around Cocos. The island was designated a national park in 1978 but its waters would only become a protected area in 1995. At present the reserve comprises a twelve mile perimeter—amounting to 200 square miles. There are plans to extend this sanctuary to a twenty mile radius. At the time of writing there are five rangers resident on the island, out of the park’s

EN ROUTE /

official staff of twenty. In addition to this there are always one or two coast guard officials on hand to take part in the rangers’ patrols.

C ocos Island lies 310 miles south of Costa Rica and 497 miles west of

In 1997 Cocos was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site,

Panama—two days hard sail from the sweltering port of Golfito. Jut-

ensuring the international recognition of its natural heritage. But its

ting up from the Pacific deep, it covers just 9.2 of the 64 million square

strategic value for Costa Rica is more prosaic. Ownership of Cocos

miles that make up this ocean. Part of a volcanic chain that includes

justifies the state’s claim on fishing grounds above the total area of

the Galapagos—its waters teaming with hammerhead sharks—it was

the ridge. As ever, the balance between conservation and exploitation

officially discovered in 1535 by Spanish explorers before settling into

is a precarious one.

its role as a pit stop for buccaneers and whalers in search of fresh water and the coconuts from which it takes its name.

Cocos Island’s history as a sometime base for rascals has much to do with its geography. Close enough to the mainland yet lying outside major imperial trade routes—to this day, off the beaten shipping path— it is a strategic location for those who would remain unseen but not out of the game. Today the waters surrounding the island are used by a new breed of outlaw—narco-traffickers in superpowered black speedboats, and even the odd Columbian cocaine submarine. This is the impetus behind two of Cocos Island’s newest permanent structures—antennas that register and transmit intelligence as part of a string of stations in the region. Coincidentally, while digging their 4sqm foundations, the park’s authorities uncovered the long lost basement of a prison, built in 1879 to house earlier generations of miscreants but later left to ruin due to the logistical and financial challenges of running a facility so far from the mainland.

50

51

52

53

52

53

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

LANDFALL

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 15, 2014

The rangers are our biggest wildcard, and while we must—to a degree—rely on them as guides, if they know too much about the burial location then the security of the treasure is questionable. “They will go for it. A hundred percent: You cannot trust anybody,” says one of our number. “Not even F trusts anyone. Because they’re here all day long, they have so much free time—sooner or later they’ll go looking for it out of boredom, at the very least. F doesn’t want to be the person who knows where it is. Perhaps he doesn’t trust himself. He also doesn’t want responsibility, because he knows that it will probably disappear.”

In pirate tales those who do the hard job of carrying the treasure to

At 5am the engine cuts and we wake at the cusp of dawn. A few strides

its burial location are usually murdered when the job is done—leaving

to the prow of the Dardanella for a first glimpse of Cocos Island.

ghosts to guard the secret. We need a more realistic option. “I’m sure

Breaking through the crepuscular haze it looks like a sleeping animal.

we need a second version of the chest—a decoy that we can let the

As the sun ascends we can better make out its steep faces, one with a

rangers know about,” says N.

zig-zag path to its summit. This is the lowest aspect of Cocos. On the

After a wet landfall at Wafer Bay and midway through a three

far side it peaks at 700 meters, generating its own weather system and

hour jungle recce up steep mud slopes, talk again turns to secrecy.

supporting the only cloud forest in the whole Pacific. Carsten Nicolai is

N tells me that our preferred biological observer—who would be on

busy with both digital and Polaroid. Yesterday morning, in practice for

hand when the caper is afoot to ensure that we do not damage the

today, he woke at the same time to experiment with exposures.

environment—has been ruled out by the park authority. Instead we are

At 9am a skiff carrying three rangers approaches us. They pull up

to have one from the ranger station. The plot thickens. My thoughts

alongside and two climb on board. One looks unassuming. The other

are drawn to the increasingly paranoiac aspect of our project, and

is bald and muscled with a deep tan the color of teak and piercing

the unexpected social dynamics emerging between colleagues and

green eyes. The third, who stays in the skiff, wears a necklace of

collaborators. If we are performing any aspects of “pirate character”

what looks like curved teeth—pig tusks?—and a large knife in a black

through this endeavor then shiftiness and suspicion are certainly

sheath strapped to his right calf. As we present our passports to his

among them. It is this mindset that underpins the strangest of notions:

colleagues for inspection he lights a cigarette and lets it hang beneath

Rangers turned buccaneers—gamekeepers turned poachers. Later,

his moustache.

onboard the ­Dardanella, I have to wonder if we are still at anchor or

After being briefed on tiger sharks and the danger of falling

getting carried away.

coconuts they leave, and talk turns to places where we might bury our treasure. I like the look of the ravines, and we espy caves and coves on the water line. We discuss circumnavigating the island, to get a better understanding of its features. Markus is convinced that whatever we do must be difficult, some kind of pilgrimage or penance as well as a counter-surveillance exercise. I’m inclined to agree.

54

55

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

LANDFALL

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 15, 2014

The rangers are our biggest wildcard, and while we must—to a degree—rely on them as guides, if they know too much about the burial location then the security of the treasure is questionable. “They will go for it. A hundred percent: You cannot trust anybody,” says one of our number. “Not even F trusts anyone. Because they’re here all day long, they have so much free time—sooner or later they’ll go looking for it out of boredom, at the very least. F doesn’t want to be the person who knows where it is. Perhaps he doesn’t trust himself. He also doesn’t want responsibility, because he knows that it will probably disappear.”

In pirate tales those who do the hard job of carrying the treasure to

At 5am the engine cuts and we wake at the cusp of dawn. A few strides

its burial location are usually murdered when the job is done—leaving

to the prow of the Dardanella for a first glimpse of Cocos Island.

ghosts to guard the secret. We need a more realistic option. “I’m sure

Breaking through the crepuscular haze it looks like a sleeping animal.

we need a second version of the chest—a decoy that we can let the

As the sun ascends we can better make out its steep faces, one with a

rangers know about,” says N.

zig-zag path to its summit. This is the lowest aspect of Cocos. On the

After a wet landfall at Wafer Bay and midway through a three

far side it peaks at 700 meters, generating its own weather system and

hour jungle recce up steep mud slopes, talk again turns to secrecy.

supporting the only cloud forest in the whole Pacific. Carsten Nicolai is

N tells me that our preferred biological observer—who would be on

busy with both digital and Polaroid. Yesterday morning, in practice for

hand when the caper is afoot to ensure that we do not damage the

today, he woke at the same time to experiment with exposures.

environment—has been ruled out by the park authority. Instead we are

At 9am a skiff carrying three rangers approaches us. They pull up

to have one from the ranger station. The plot thickens. My thoughts

alongside and two climb on board. One looks unassuming. The other

are drawn to the increasingly paranoiac aspect of our project, and

is bald and muscled with a deep tan the color of teak and piercing

the unexpected social dynamics emerging between colleagues and

green eyes. The third, who stays in the skiff, wears a necklace of

collaborators. If we are performing any aspects of “pirate character”

what looks like curved teeth—pig tusks?—and a large knife in a black

through this endeavor then shiftiness and suspicion are certainly

sheath strapped to his right calf. As we present our passports to his

among them. It is this mindset that underpins the strangest of notions:

colleagues for inspection he lights a cigarette and lets it hang beneath

Rangers turned buccaneers—gamekeepers turned poachers. Later,

his moustache.

onboard the ­Dardanella, I have to wonder if we are still at anchor or

After being briefed on tiger sharks and the danger of falling

getting carried away.

coconuts they leave, and talk turns to places where we might bury our treasure. I like the look of the ravines, and we espy caves and coves on the water line. We discuss circumnavigating the island, to get a better understanding of its features. Markus is convinced that whatever we do must be difficult, some kind of pilgrimage or penance as well as a counter-surveillance exercise. I’m inclined to agree.

54

55

March 14, 2014

57

March 14, 2014

57

C hatham Bay affords perhaps the least impressive aspect of Cocos.

Relative to the wave-rocked faces of its further coast, it seems contained. This might seem an ungrateful thought on the part of someone more used to spending time in city subways, but today’s circumnavigation of the island by skiff justifies it.

Following the coastline westward, rocky ramparts crowned with the knotted roots of trees and vines abound. Projections upward grow more pronounced until they seem improbable, cut up by waterfalls running directly into the ocean. Caves split its many faces along the water’s edge and blowholes spew white back out towards the horizon.

There are beaches, of a kind—but so exposed that landing is impossible due to surges of churning water and oversize boulders of granite below the surface.

Hidden coves and tight valleys move inland at acute angles. The gaze may want to put ashore and explore, but the island’s true nature resists. On steep islets there are scruffs of palm trees, offshore pillars of rock that could be Merlin’s teeth. The further we travel the more jut skywards. Again and again, waterfalls—beginning hundreds of meters above, falling fifty, hitting rocks before taking another step down towards the breakers. The batteries in our cameras run out before we can capture the least of these impressions. Even with spares they could never be enough. Then the rain.

Back in Chatham Bay I see the practical reason for its historical importance. Putting ashore almost everywhere else is extremely difficult. So what of our enterprise? We have a few new ideas… .

58

59

LEFT: Bahía Iglesias, Isla del Coco

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE RAMPARTS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 16, 2014

C hatham Bay affords perhaps the least impressive aspect of Cocos.

Relative to the wave-rocked faces of its further coast, it seems contained. This might seem an ungrateful thought on the part of someone more used to spending time in city subways, but today’s circumnavigation of the island by skiff justifies it.

Following the coastline westward, rocky ramparts crowned with the knotted roots of trees and vines abound. Projections upward grow more pronounced until they seem improbable, cut up by waterfalls running directly into the ocean. Caves split its many faces along the water’s edge and blowholes spew white back out towards the horizon.

There are beaches, of a kind—but so exposed that landing is impossible due to surges of churning water and oversize boulders of granite below the surface.

Hidden coves and tight valleys move inland at acute angles. The gaze may want to put ashore and explore, but the island’s true nature resists. On steep islets there are scruffs of palm trees, offshore pillars of rock that could be Merlin’s teeth. The further we travel the more jut skywards. Again and again, waterfalls—beginning hundreds of meters above, falling fifty, hitting rocks before taking another step down towards the breakers. The batteries in our cameras run out before we can capture the least of these impressions. Even with spares they could never be enough. Then the rain.

Back in Chatham Bay I see the practical reason for its historical importance. Putting ashore almost everywhere else is extremely difficult. So what of our enterprise? We have a few new ideas… .

58

59

LEFT: Bahía Iglesias, Isla del Coco

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE RAMPARTS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 16, 2014

61

61

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines long, three to five lines long

63

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines long, three to five lines long

63

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

COCOS ISLAND IS THE TREASURE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 17, 2014

cloud forest! Totally different vegetation… . Two eco systems on one island! This place is a world unto itself.

Is there still a treasure here? Who knows? My feeling is that it must have been collected by the pirates themselves at that time. It feels like an old story, not a new one. I don’t get the feeling that treasure lingers very long and Cocos was a popular place for these guys. All the more reason to bury a contemporary treasure here. It feels like the right time to reignite people’s fantasies again. Today we took a trip round the island with Pepe, looking for possible sites to bury our treasure. He is absolutely convinced there is still at least one treasure,

H aving ventured onto Cocos’ shores we are all bewildered by its face

but something tells me this is a tired old marketing tool. He was part

that tells a million stories from Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island and

of the last team of treasure hunters who had dug up the great great

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, amongst many others… . The visual

grandson of Thompson who apparently had an inherited map. They

connection is incredible. There is no doubt in our minds that this is the

followed the map and found all the carved arrow indicators, except the

home of the legends that have fascinated us all since were children. As

last, which had rolled down the slope in another one of the numerous

we reach the island during the dry season we can see her clearly—her

landslides which are often blamed for burying the treasures over

shores are calm and indeed fantastic, and the odd fin on the water

and over again. Like so many other expeditions, he reported that they

prepares us for what we will inevitably find below.

had the wrong equipment, or not enough of it. Pepe also made the

We approach a bay which was in the opening shot of Jurassic Park.

interesting point that anyone who buries treasure intends to come

It is easy to see the island’s movie set appeal. However, the dry season

back and recuperate it within their lifetime. So it must be well hidden

is short, and the rest of the time one has to imagine it very cloudy,

but within swift access and good reach. The interesting thing is that

rainy and stormy—enough to keep even the most intrepid travelers

we don’t plan to come back and reclaim our bounty, so the question is,

at bay. There is no jetty, and as we approached Wafer Bay for a wet

should we follow the same rules? In the old times the men that were

landing a black tip shark approached the boat… . I didn’t jump in until

taken to carry and bury the treasures more often than not had their

there were plenty of other legs already in the water.

throats cut for their pains, to keep the secret safe. Will we resist killing

A walk up to a waterfall takes an hour along a treacherous path,

each other to keep the final hiding place of the art treasure a secret

clearly well traveled, even if it’s off limits due to recent landslides. It

or will we have to trust one another (and the rangers, which is another

was a dangerous and exhausting route in the heat. The prize at the end

question all together)? For starters I may make Nadim walk the plank

of the climb is spectacular—and there is a cool and refreshing swim to

as he forgot to bring hiking shoes, and is scouting for possible sites in

be had under the falls. But it does give you a taste of the terrain, and

his fake Dolce & Gabbanas… .

how difficult it can be to cross the island. The other walk up to the summit takes four hours each way and is possibly attempted no more than a dozen times a year. Not something for me, with my recently broken toe, but apparently when you get there you find yourself in a 64

65

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

COCOS ISLAND IS THE TREASURE FRANCESCA VON HABSBURG

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 17, 2014

cloud forest! Totally different vegetation… . Two eco systems on one island! This place is a world unto itself.

Is there still a treasure here? Who knows? My feeling is that it must have been collected by the pirates themselves at that time. It feels like an old story, not a new one. I don’t get the feeling that treasure lingers very long and Cocos was a popular place for these guys. All the more reason to bury a contemporary treasure here. It feels like the right time to reignite people’s fantasies again. Today we took a trip round the island with Pepe, looking for possible sites to bury our treasure. He is absolutely convinced there is still at least one treasure,

H aving ventured onto Cocos’ shores we are all bewildered by its face

but something tells me this is a tired old marketing tool. He was part

that tells a million stories from Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island and

of the last team of treasure hunters who had dug up the great great

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, amongst many others… . The visual

grandson of Thompson who apparently had an inherited map. They

connection is incredible. There is no doubt in our minds that this is the

followed the map and found all the carved arrow indicators, except the

home of the legends that have fascinated us all since were children. As

last, which had rolled down the slope in another one of the numerous

we reach the island during the dry season we can see her clearly—her

landslides which are often blamed for burying the treasures over

shores are calm and indeed fantastic, and the odd fin on the water

and over again. Like so many other expeditions, he reported that they

prepares us for what we will inevitably find below.

had the wrong equipment, or not enough of it. Pepe also made the

We approach a bay which was in the opening shot of Jurassic Park.

interesting point that anyone who buries treasure intends to come

It is easy to see the island’s movie set appeal. However, the dry season

back and recuperate it within their lifetime. So it must be well hidden

is short, and the rest of the time one has to imagine it very cloudy,

but within swift access and good reach. The interesting thing is that

rainy and stormy—enough to keep even the most intrepid travelers

we don’t plan to come back and reclaim our bounty, so the question is,

at bay. There is no jetty, and as we approached Wafer Bay for a wet

should we follow the same rules? In the old times the men that were

landing a black tip shark approached the boat… . I didn’t jump in until

taken to carry and bury the treasures more often than not had their

there were plenty of other legs already in the water.

throats cut for their pains, to keep the secret safe. Will we resist killing

A walk up to a waterfall takes an hour along a treacherous path,

each other to keep the final hiding place of the art treasure a secret

clearly well traveled, even if it’s off limits due to recent landslides. It

or will we have to trust one another (and the rangers, which is another

was a dangerous and exhausting route in the heat. The prize at the end

question all together)? For starters I may make Nadim walk the plank

of the climb is spectacular—and there is a cool and refreshing swim to

as he forgot to bring hiking shoes, and is scouting for possible sites in

be had under the falls. But it does give you a taste of the terrain, and

his fake Dolce & Gabbanas… .

how difficult it can be to cross the island. The other walk up to the summit takes four hours each way and is possibly attempted no more than a dozen times a year. Not something for me, with my recently broken toe, but apparently when you get there you find yourself in a 64

65

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

66

67

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

66

67

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE RAT RUN

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 17, 2014

I put in the most convincing breaststroke of my life, towards the skiff.

I won’t be the last, most available human morsel in this tropical soup.

Others follow. Later the skiff puts up at a headland, close to a hidden crook of bay. Pepe puts its nose close to a slab of crabby stone and I jump. There’s a rat-run up the face, to reach the green and check the top terrain. I pull leaves away to gain hand holds, climbing slow and steady. It takes a little work to push the hanging roots aside, but soon I’ve made it under the canopy. I step over small boulders and head for the space beneath a large tree. There is soil here—enough to bury a treasure. I call out to the boat and consider jumping out and into the

It’s one thing circling Cocos by skiff, quite another to land. Everything

blue. They yell for me to go back the way I came.

looks smaller than it really is until your feet touch down. We skirt the southern coast in search of suitable shoreline, all the while watching out for granite wreckers below the surface. Pepe maneuvers the skiff slowly, with a lifetime of skill—a little throttle, some reverse—until we are close enough. A dive from the side and into the water makes us realize that we’re further from shore than we hoped. We make strokes to catch the surge and ride the swell to its rocky edge. Lumps of stone roll against one other in the surf—thuds and muffled cracks. Careful steps to avoid snapped ankles or caught toes are challenged by algae and loose rocks. On the jungle’s fringe it’s hard not to entertain the vain thought that no person has ever climbed these lianas, worked the slippery ascent through this watercourse, up towards an unnamed promontory. We’ve made it thus far in bad shoes, more or less unclothed, and cutting back towards shore would be a waste of the afternoon. But our backs are stroked by tropical ferns, and what begins as an itch soon becomes a burn. Our crawling climb through the green tunnel continues, until it hurts to consider the touch of any new plant. Our Captain is better prepared—a knife strapped to his leg and, most importantly, wearing a rash vest—so no surprises for him.

We’ve had enough. I wait for the wave to draw out from the beach and quickly follow it, clambering onto a boulder before it returns. When it does I dive out behind the wash, into the shallow water owned by local tiger sharks—seen, firsthand, today by the divers in our number.

68

69

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE RAT RUN

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 17, 2014

I put in the most convincing breaststroke of my life, towards the skiff.

I won’t be the last, most available human morsel in this tropical soup.

Others follow. Later the skiff puts up at a headland, close to a hidden crook of bay. Pepe puts its nose close to a slab of crabby stone and I jump. There’s a rat-run up the face, to reach the green and check the top terrain. I pull leaves away to gain hand holds, climbing slow and steady. It takes a little work to push the hanging roots aside, but soon I’ve made it under the canopy. I step over small boulders and head for the space beneath a large tree. There is soil here—enough to bury a treasure. I call out to the boat and consider jumping out and into the

It’s one thing circling Cocos by skiff, quite another to land. Everything

blue. They yell for me to go back the way I came.

looks smaller than it really is until your feet touch down. We skirt the southern coast in search of suitable shoreline, all the while watching out for granite wreckers below the surface. Pepe maneuvers the skiff slowly, with a lifetime of skill—a little throttle, some reverse—until we are close enough. A dive from the side and into the water makes us realize that we’re further from shore than we hoped. We make strokes to catch the surge and ride the swell to its rocky edge. Lumps of stone roll against one other in the surf—thuds and muffled cracks. Careful steps to avoid snapped ankles or caught toes are challenged by algae and loose rocks. On the jungle’s fringe it’s hard not to entertain the vain thought that no person has ever climbed these lianas, worked the slippery ascent through this watercourse, up towards an unnamed promontory. We’ve made it thus far in bad shoes, more or less unclothed, and cutting back towards shore would be a waste of the afternoon. But our backs are stroked by tropical ferns, and what begins as an itch soon becomes a burn. Our crawling climb through the green tunnel continues, until it hurts to consider the touch of any new plant. Our Captain is better prepared—a knife strapped to his leg and, most importantly, wearing a rash vest—so no surprises for him.

We’ve had enough. I wait for the wave to draw out from the beach and quickly follow it, clambering onto a boulder before it returns. When it does I dive out behind the wash, into the shallow water owned by local tiger sharks—seen, firsthand, today by the divers in our number.

68

69

71

71

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

GISSLER'S TUNNELS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 18, 2014

Is there an image of Gissler's tunnels?

Most treasure seekers on Cocos went ashore for a couple of weeks.

One man stuck it out. August Gissler was 31 years old when he came to the island in 1888, 67 years after Thompson’s unlawful requisition of the Treasure of Lima. As the writer Alex Capus reports, this was forty years since the first treasure maps had come into circulation and nine years after Robert Louis Stevenson read of an unsuccessful expedition to Cocos in the San Francisco Call. Gissler stayed for nearly twenty years, all the while searching for the treasure.

Giving up on life in the family knife manufacturing business, after coming into possession of a map whose veracity he never doubted, Gissler’s first expedition lasted six months—during which time a number of his shareholders pulled out. Undaunted after returning empty-handed, his drive increased.

In May of 1894 Costa Rica elected a thirty-two year old president in the form of Rafael Yglesias Castro, with whom the treasure hunter obtained an audience some months later. Castro granted Gissler personal ownership of the western half of the island—where the treasure was assumed to be buried. In recognition of his munificence, the highest peak of the island bears his name. The eastern part was to be divided into parcels of land and granted to German settlers to be recruited by Gissler—who would engage in farming. In due course six families followed him to the island and the President granted him Costa Rican citizenship and the title of Governor. At its most populous, Gissler’s colony numbered fifty. But they would not stay.

72

73

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

GISSLER'S TUNNELS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 18, 2014

Is there an image of Gissler's tunnels?

Most treasure seekers on Cocos went ashore for a couple of weeks.

One man stuck it out. August Gissler was 31 years old when he came to the island in 1888, 67 years after Thompson’s unlawful requisition of the Treasure of Lima. As the writer Alex Capus reports, this was forty years since the first treasure maps had come into circulation and nine years after Robert Louis Stevenson read of an unsuccessful expedition to Cocos in the San Francisco Call. Gissler stayed for nearly twenty years, all the while searching for the treasure.

Giving up on life in the family knife manufacturing business, after coming into possession of a map whose veracity he never doubted, Gissler’s first expedition lasted six months—during which time a number of his shareholders pulled out. Undaunted after returning empty-handed, his drive increased.

In May of 1894 Costa Rica elected a thirty-two year old president in the form of Rafael Yglesias Castro, with whom the treasure hunter obtained an audience some months later. Castro granted Gissler personal ownership of the western half of the island—where the treasure was assumed to be buried. In recognition of his munificence, the highest peak of the island bears his name. The eastern part was to be divided into parcels of land and granted to German settlers to be recruited by Gissler—who would engage in farming. In due course six families followed him to the island and the President granted him Costa Rican citizenship and the title of Governor. At its most populous, Gissler’s colony numbered fifty. But they would not stay.

72

73

August Gissler Private archive

“The German settlers had been hoping for a better life as prosperous plantation owners in the eternal southern sun. Their daily existence on the island soon disabused them of that idea. While August Gissler dug for treasure, the men of the colony strove to grow potatoes and maize in the muddy soil and their womenfolk defended their shacks and infants against rats and insects. Within a few months the first settlers had had enough and returned to the mainland with the supply ship.

Three years later the three last families departed, and because the supply ship discontinued its visits in December 1898 August and Clara Gissler spent nearly two years alone on Cocos Island,” writes Capus.

If any further proof were necessary, Gissler’s maniacal deter­ mination is evidenced by his tunnels, upstream from Wafer Bay—dug into the side of a steep slope. Now closed to the public, the closest thing to an access route takes us up slippery inclines strewn with

submission. They laid down what arms they had and peace was

rotting logs, interrupted by sheer drops. As we descend into the black

restored. But the incident induced me to ship the whole caboodle

we grab at the walls for security. The sodden earth breaks off to the

away.”

touch and the fear of collapse is real. The tunnel hairpins upwards, necessitating a messy climb, before emerging—eventually—on another level. We surface muddied and relieved to be sweating outside in the

“You are Governor, General, Colonel, and the whole army, as well as Lord High Executioner, Judge, jury and undertaker?”

“Everything, I suppose. I have to be.”

broken jungle sun. It is one of three on this slope—all of which Gissler dug alone.

In November of 1904 Gissler was interviewed by the New York Times on the nature of his dominion over the island. By this stage he was a Governor with no subjects. In the article the tenor of the man comes across most clearly: “Why don’t you import some labor?”

“I took out eighteen Germans once, with their families, and thought they would raise great crops and all get rich, but in a short time they raised an insurrection instead.”

“What became of the insurrection?”

“I quelled it.”

“Tell me how.”

“I declared martial law, as Governor of the island, and with my big pistols pointed in the faces of the Germans I scared them into 74

75

August Gissler Private archive

“The German settlers had been hoping for a better life as prosperous plantation owners in the eternal southern sun. Their daily existence on the island soon disabused them of that idea. While August Gissler dug for treasure, the men of the colony strove to grow potatoes and maize in the muddy soil and their womenfolk defended their shacks and infants against rats and insects. Within a few months the first settlers had had enough and returned to the mainland with the supply ship.

Three years later the three last families departed, and because the supply ship discontinued its visits in December 1898 August and Clara Gissler spent nearly two years alone on Cocos Island,” writes Capus.

If any further proof were necessary, Gissler’s maniacal deter­ mination is evidenced by his tunnels, upstream from Wafer Bay—dug into the side of a steep slope. Now closed to the public, the closest thing to an access route takes us up slippery inclines strewn with

submission. They laid down what arms they had and peace was

rotting logs, interrupted by sheer drops. As we descend into the black

restored. But the incident induced me to ship the whole caboodle

we grab at the walls for security. The sodden earth breaks off to the

away.”

touch and the fear of collapse is real. The tunnel hairpins upwards, necessitating a messy climb, before emerging—eventually—on another level. We surface muddied and relieved to be sweating outside in the

“You are Governor, General, Colonel, and the whole army, as well as Lord High Executioner, Judge, jury and undertaker?”

“Everything, I suppose. I have to be.”

broken jungle sun. It is one of three on this slope—all of which Gissler dug alone.

In November of 1904 Gissler was interviewed by the New York Times on the nature of his dominion over the island. By this stage he was a Governor with no subjects. In the article the tenor of the man comes across most clearly: “Why don’t you import some labor?”

“I took out eighteen Germans once, with their families, and thought they would raise great crops and all get rich, but in a short time they raised an insurrection instead.”

“What became of the insurrection?”

“I quelled it.”

“Tell me how.”

“I declared martial law, as Governor of the island, and with my big pistols pointed in the faces of the Germans I scared them into 74

75

77

77

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE LAST AND FIRST

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 19, 2014

Ministry of Defence in the fight against narco-trafficking through Costa Rican waters. Recognizing the park’s acceptance of this fait accompli, the ministry will give the rangers real-time data—so they can identify encroaching fishing boats. Once they are aware that a vessel is operating near Cocos, I imagine the rangers will get into the salvaged Columbian narco-speedboat anchored outside their station— abandoned by its original owners after military pursuit—and chase the fishers down. “Not so,” replies N, “they don’t like confrontation.”

The stones of Chatham Bay are inscribed with the names of boats and dates stretching back hundreds of years. Among of the more

E ven at 7am the weather is muggy. Off the skiff at Wafer Bay and

recent carvings, one of the most notable is a large seal-like design by

through the grounds of the ranger station, Victor, who wears the

Jaques Cousteau. Where a stream meets the bay the dates stretch

muscles, cap, and camo outfit of a jungle mercenary, meets us in his

back further, into last great age of exploration and the birth of the

own time. He’s to guide us over the ridge to Chatham, but not before

novel. Our skiff pilot Pepe guides us towards one rock in particular,

the arrival of some unexpected additions to our hiking party: A lady

on whose top a small arrow appears. This, he recounts, is one of the

in a prim but shady hat, who we recognize as the ranger’s Human

markings that the last official treasure hunting expedition sought in

Resources functionary by the embroidered title on her shirt; a young

1985—an enterprise in which he took part as a young man. One of three

man called Leonardo who has been on the island for a week taking

that would indicate the place to excavate by triangulation, another one

samples from watercourses, along with the manager of the park. It

was found and the position of the third calculated. Weeks of digging

seems we provide a good excuse to escape whatever else they might

in the sand followed, hampered by flooding tides, before their tools

be doing.

were incapable of reaching further depths. They recovered some

The climb is steep but the exposed roots of trees make footholds.

iron hinges and wood that—their Japanese archaeologist surmised

Where the incline is acute the rangers have strung what passes for

through microscopic analysis—was typical for chests of the time. That,

rope between the trunks. In a former life the cords were packing

and a large gold chain. But their calculations quelled further hope of

sundries, now they hang flaccid and rotten. I think better of relying

reaching the trove, as they realized that the weight of gold versus sand

on them and put my hands into the dirt. The top forest sits on a small

meant it must be much further down. The expedition was called off

plateau, where the mud has been churned by wild pigs first introduced

and the hunters vowed to return with bigger machines. But it would

by whalers as breeding stock—so they might be caught another day to

never happen. Shortly thereafter the Costa Rican government banned

replenish supplies after weeks at sea.

treasure hunting—a moratorium that stands to this day. Pepe wouldn’t

Further on, iron trees push up the sun and we learn that a twenty-

return to Cocos for nine more years, eventually taking a job with a dive

five meter tall antenna will be built next to the biggest of them. I

charter company. He has come back ever since. Now this last of Cocos’

protest that it is a great shame, and Victor pinches my shoulder

treasure hunters is on the other side of the table—an integral part of

in a way that fuses the paternal and passive-aggressive: “Not as

our burial team.

much as the fishing.” The antenna has been commissioned by the 78

79

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE LAST AND FIRST

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 19, 2014

Ministry of Defence in the fight against narco-trafficking through Costa Rican waters. Recognizing the park’s acceptance of this fait accompli, the ministry will give the rangers real-time data—so they can identify encroaching fishing boats. Once they are aware that a vessel is operating near Cocos, I imagine the rangers will get into the salvaged Columbian narco-speedboat anchored outside their station— abandoned by its original owners after military pursuit—and chase the fishers down. “Not so,” replies N, “they don’t like confrontation.”

The stones of Chatham Bay are inscribed with the names of boats and dates stretching back hundreds of years. Among of the more

E ven at 7am the weather is muggy. Off the skiff at Wafer Bay and

recent carvings, one of the most notable is a large seal-like design by

through the grounds of the ranger station, Victor, who wears the

Jaques Cousteau. Where a stream meets the bay the dates stretch

muscles, cap, and camo outfit of a jungle mercenary, meets us in his

back further, into last great age of exploration and the birth of the

own time. He’s to guide us over the ridge to Chatham, but not before

novel. Our skiff pilot Pepe guides us towards one rock in particular,

the arrival of some unexpected additions to our hiking party: A lady

on whose top a small arrow appears. This, he recounts, is one of the

in a prim but shady hat, who we recognize as the ranger’s Human

markings that the last official treasure hunting expedition sought in

Resources functionary by the embroidered title on her shirt; a young

1985—an enterprise in which he took part as a young man. One of three

man called Leonardo who has been on the island for a week taking

that would indicate the place to excavate by triangulation, another one

samples from watercourses, along with the manager of the park. It

was found and the position of the third calculated. Weeks of digging

seems we provide a good excuse to escape whatever else they might

in the sand followed, hampered by flooding tides, before their tools

be doing.

were incapable of reaching further depths. They recovered some

The climb is steep but the exposed roots of trees make footholds.

iron hinges and wood that—their Japanese archaeologist surmised

Where the incline is acute the rangers have strung what passes for

through microscopic analysis—was typical for chests of the time. That,

rope between the trunks. In a former life the cords were packing

and a large gold chain. But their calculations quelled further hope of

sundries, now they hang flaccid and rotten. I think better of relying

reaching the trove, as they realized that the weight of gold versus sand

on them and put my hands into the dirt. The top forest sits on a small

meant it must be much further down. The expedition was called off

plateau, where the mud has been churned by wild pigs first introduced

and the hunters vowed to return with bigger machines. But it would

by whalers as breeding stock—so they might be caught another day to

never happen. Shortly thereafter the Costa Rican government banned

replenish supplies after weeks at sea.

treasure hunting—a moratorium that stands to this day. Pepe wouldn’t

Further on, iron trees push up the sun and we learn that a twenty-

return to Cocos for nine more years, eventually taking a job with a dive

five meter tall antenna will be built next to the biggest of them. I

charter company. He has come back ever since. Now this last of Cocos’

protest that it is a great shame, and Victor pinches my shoulder

treasure hunters is on the other side of the table—an integral part of

in a way that fuses the paternal and passive-aggressive: “Not as

our burial team.

much as the fishing.” The antenna has been commissioned by the 78

79

Park Ranger, Isla del Coco

81 80

Park Ranger, Isla del Coco

81 80

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

CLEFT AND CATARACT

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 20, 2014

­A nother waterfall, this time cutting up through a cliff that is home to hundreds of nesting brown boobies—our boulder path splattered with their excrement. As I put out my hand to grasp a stone a huge orange crab scuttles out to meet my fingers—its claws raised high in protest. More from other crannies, and I can’t help but think they’d look better cooked. It seems the only places to put to land outside Chatham and Wafer are the clefts of pseudo valley cut by such falls.

Invariably, as with this place and the rest we end up visiting this day, inclines rise inaccessible anywhere but the watercourse. On their angles the topsoil is only dusting, jealously guarded by thick plant life.

Morning sun runs across the canopy, dropping to catch unfamiliar

Use of a machete is out of the question for biological reasons. For

seagrass tufts, picking out the shoulders of birds in nest and flight. So

these reasons some of our number say that the chest will have to find

much precipice, thick with tropical leaf.

a home at the bottom of a stony pool, in any of the island’s thousand

Seemingly adrift in the Pacific, the island is but the peak of a

waterfalls. But this option is only a seeming expedience. If rainwater

mountain that rises from the ocean floor. Beyond Chatham and Wafer,

runoff has produced the broken stone of its valleys and coves then

the rule of relief coastline is followed most acutely—in the vein of

it can literally move mountains. Nothing left in the watercourse can

geographical fantasy. On the southern coast our eyes climb mossy

hope for anything better than being blasted, sooner or later, towards

stone and towering waterfalls, skip into caves and blowholes, cling to

the sea.

rotting tree trunks and get caught on fractured boulders.

The island’s many faces meet our gaze but turn in on themselves.

Our will to encapsulate, and to penetrate, meets resistance at the nearest bodily turn. Back at the promontory, this time at low tide, my previous entry point looms higher. Once again Pepe maneuvers the skiff into position and we wait for a wave to lift us. A cloud of rain is passing and toeholds are slippery but the Captain—with a small spade tied to a coil of rope hanging over his shoulder—and I make the climb. The roots of a large tree protrude from the earth and interlink, wrapping stone and mud together in a python’s embrace. We’ve come to test the soil depth and it doesn’t take long to establish that there is little more than a couple of feet. Now we have to make it back down, climbing wet. I spend a minute considering a rock platform just a couple of meters below us, the blue shade of the water some meters after that, and jump.

Another bay without a name. Off the skiff to swim to shore. The same shifting resistance by rolling football sized rocks in the surf.

82

83

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

CLEFT AND CATARACT

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MARCH 20, 2014

­A nother waterfall, this time cutting up through a cliff that is home to hundreds of nesting brown boobies—our boulder path splattered with their excrement. As I put out my hand to grasp a stone a huge orange crab scuttles out to meet my fingers—its claws raised high in protest. More from other crannies, and I can’t help but think they’d look better cooked. It seems the only places to put to land outside Chatham and Wafer are the clefts of pseudo valley cut by such falls.

Invariably, as with this place and the rest we end up visiting this day, inclines rise inaccessible anywhere but the watercourse. On their angles the topsoil is only dusting, jealously guarded by thick plant life.

Morning sun runs across the canopy, dropping to catch unfamiliar

Use of a machete is out of the question for biological reasons. For

seagrass tufts, picking out the shoulders of birds in nest and flight. So

these reasons some of our number say that the chest will have to find

much precipice, thick with tropical leaf.

a home at the bottom of a stony pool, in any of the island’s thousand

Seemingly adrift in the Pacific, the island is but the peak of a

waterfalls. But this option is only a seeming expedience. If rainwater

mountain that rises from the ocean floor. Beyond Chatham and Wafer,

runoff has produced the broken stone of its valleys and coves then

the rule of relief coastline is followed most acutely—in the vein of

it can literally move mountains. Nothing left in the watercourse can

geographical fantasy. On the southern coast our eyes climb mossy

hope for anything better than being blasted, sooner or later, towards

stone and towering waterfalls, skip into caves and blowholes, cling to

the sea.

rotting tree trunks and get caught on fractured boulders.

The island’s many faces meet our gaze but turn in on themselves.

Our will to encapsulate, and to penetrate, meets resistance at the nearest bodily turn. Back at the promontory, this time at low tide, my previous entry point looms higher. Once again Pepe maneuvers the skiff into position and we wait for a wave to lift us. A cloud of rain is passing and toeholds are slippery but the Captain—with a small spade tied to a coil of rope hanging over his shoulder—and I make the climb. The roots of a large tree protrude from the earth and interlink, wrapping stone and mud together in a python’s embrace. We’ve come to test the soil depth and it doesn’t take long to establish that there is little more than a couple of feet. Now we have to make it back down, climbing wet. I spend a minute considering a rock platform just a couple of meters below us, the blue shade of the water some meters after that, and jump.

Another bay without a name. Off the skiff to swim to shore. The same shifting resistance by rolling football sized rocks in the surf.

82

83

85

85

San Jose, Costa Rica

PURE GOLD

9° 55' 29" N, 84° 4' 41" W

MAY 1, 2014

the President of FAICO. We pick up Don Carlos Manuel Uribe from his corporate headquarters. Over pasta the status of our permission to bury our treasure is the only topic. During our previous expedition the Director of the Cocos Park was happy to offer verbal agreement.

Looking to minimize risk we had requested written permission and were instructed to prepare our preferred wording. In the two weeks following our foundation’s lawyer, incorporating numerous conditions suggested by members of the team, produced a draft running to eight pages. Our Costa Rican colleagues would respond to it with the categorical statement that something so complicated would have be

Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Denny’s and even a branch of Hooters:

taken to council, and that a decision might then take three months.

What little colonial architecture remains in San Jose is lost in urban

Apparently, our request to blindfold the park-appointed biological

sprawl. I’ve arrived a day prior to our second expedition to meet with

observer or use other “unorthodox methods” was a particular sticking

Alejandra from FAICO—to review whatever Cocos related historical

point. Given the expedition’s start the following day I impressed upon

materials are to be found in her office. In the couple of hours before

him the urgency of the matter. Before dessert he had raised the park’s

our appointment I seek out the national museum. It proves closed but

legal counsel by telephone. The consequence of his consultation was a

a walk through the center of town, punctuated by an underwhelming

six-hour stint in his office, in which he and I drafted a letter of request

empanada, takes me to the museum of gold and currency—located in

(in the place of our proposed agreement) that would allow the lawyer

the concrete basement of the country’s Brutalist central bank.

to respond with a letter of permission (whose details were spelled

The pre-Colombian collection features frogs, fish and predatory

out in advance, unofficially, by email). Every clause in our original

birds—tokens for animist ritual—made of pure gold. So many departed

document was checked against the stipulations of the reply, and by

chieftans were buried with such items, but for all that has been

the end of the day the job was complete. Now I would just have to wait

recovered for museums much more has been ripped from tombs and

for a signature.

carted away undocumented. If today this practice is the province of

The next day I meet the Academy fellows and team before boarding

a small shadow economy, in the days of Spanish dominion it was an

a flight for Quepos. Some hours later we are on the Dardanella. The

economic agenda. How many masterpieces of that era would meet

morning after, just as we are getting underway, I check my inbox:

the forge, to be remade as ingots or glittering Christian icons like the

A note bearing a curvy signature and a stamp bearing the icon of a

Virgin of Lima Cathedral—a life-sized gold figure entrusted to Captain

hammerhead shark. It’s official, and not a moment too soon.

Thompson along with more than a hundred other smaller religious statues, before their unlawful burial on Cocos? Perhaps it is fitting that the icon’s body, cast from the proud forms of creatures and spirits stolen from gravesites, should have been returned to the ground.

It is soon clear that my historical education will not be further obliged. Instead, Alejandra informs me that we are going to meet 86

87

San Jose, Costa Rica

PURE GOLD

9° 55' 29" N, 84° 4' 41" W

MAY 1, 2014

the President of FAICO. We pick up Don Carlos Manuel Uribe from his corporate headquarters. Over pasta the status of our permission to bury our treasure is the only topic. During our previous expedition the Director of the Cocos Park was happy to offer verbal agreement.

Looking to minimize risk we had requested written permission and were instructed to prepare our preferred wording. In the two weeks following our foundation’s lawyer, incorporating numerous conditions suggested by members of the team, produced a draft running to eight pages. Our Costa Rican colleagues would respond to it with the categorical statement that something so complicated would have be

Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Denny’s and even a branch of Hooters:

taken to council, and that a decision might then take three months.

What little colonial architecture remains in San Jose is lost in urban

Apparently, our request to blindfold the park-appointed biological

sprawl. I’ve arrived a day prior to our second expedition to meet with

observer or use other “unorthodox methods” was a particular sticking

Alejandra from FAICO—to review whatever Cocos related historical

point. Given the expedition’s start the following day I impressed upon

materials are to be found in her office. In the couple of hours before

him the urgency of the matter. Before dessert he had raised the park’s

our appointment I seek out the national museum. It proves closed but

legal counsel by telephone. The consequence of his consultation was a

a walk through the center of town, punctuated by an underwhelming

six-hour stint in his office, in which he and I drafted a letter of request

empanada, takes me to the museum of gold and currency—located in

(in the place of our proposed agreement) that would allow the lawyer

the concrete basement of the country’s Brutalist central bank.

to respond with a letter of permission (whose details were spelled

The pre-Colombian collection features frogs, fish and predatory

out in advance, unofficially, by email). Every clause in our original

birds—tokens for animist ritual—made of pure gold. So many departed

document was checked against the stipulations of the reply, and by

chieftans were buried with such items, but for all that has been

the end of the day the job was complete. Now I would just have to wait

recovered for museums much more has been ripped from tombs and

for a signature.

carted away undocumented. If today this practice is the province of

The next day I meet the Academy fellows and team before boarding

a small shadow economy, in the days of Spanish dominion it was an

a flight for Quepos. Some hours later we are on the Dardanella. The

economic agenda. How many masterpieces of that era would meet

morning after, just as we are getting underway, I check my inbox:

the forge, to be remade as ingots or glittering Christian icons like the

A note bearing a curvy signature and a stamp bearing the icon of a

Virgin of Lima Cathedral—a life-sized gold figure entrusted to Captain

hammerhead shark. It’s official, and not a moment too soon.

Thompson along with more than a hundred other smaller religious statues, before their unlawful burial on Cocos? Perhaps it is fitting that the icon’s body, cast from the proud forms of creatures and spirits stolen from gravesites, should have been returned to the ground.

It is soon clear that my historical education will not be further obliged. Instead, Alejandra informs me that we are going to meet 86

87

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE EVENTUAL X ANDREW RANVILLE

X° XX' XX" N, XX° X' XX" W

MAY 3, 2014

Always be prepared.

If you are going to bury the first treasure in nearly 200 years on the infamous Isla del Coco at least get the X as close as you can. Uniform UTM coordinate settings for the same data grid, same map spheroid across all devices. Three out of four made the cut, two worked perfectly on site. We’ll average the data.

In math, x often represents the unknown value to find. On treasure maps, the X is manifest. We now have our unknown value, we have buried our treasure.

X marks the spot.

88

89

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

THE EVENTUAL X ANDREW RANVILLE

X° XX' XX" N, XX° X' XX" W

MAY 3, 2014

Always be prepared.

If you are going to bury the first treasure in nearly 200 years on the infamous Isla del Coco at least get the X as close as you can. Uniform UTM coordinate settings for the same data grid, same map spheroid across all devices. Three out of four made the cut, two worked perfectly on site. We’ll average the data.

In math, x often represents the unknown value to find. On treasure maps, the X is manifest. We now have our unknown value, we have buried our treasure.

X marks the spot.

88

89

MAY 3, 2014

91

MAY 3, 2014

91

93

93

95

95

97

97

98

99

98

99

101

101

103

103

104

105

104

105

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

106

107

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

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107

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108

109

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

111

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines

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Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines 114

115

Image caption, one to five lines long, two to five lines 114

115

117

117

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

VERNISSAGE

X° XX' XX" N, XX° X' XX" W

MAY 5, 2014

everything on land we begin the hike, careful not to place our feet on mossy stones or ankle snapping gaps between—lugging dead weight, past nests of brown boobies and their excrement. The stainless steel chest pieces glint like mirrors. It takes an hour before we deposit everything at the bottom of a rising wall of basalt. Andrew free climbs its damp face before setting a rope ladder and another line.

Piece by piece the exhibition is hauled vertically up the face. Another hour. Another slow climb. Finally we reach the chosen spot. In a muddy grotto fringed by ferns the elements are finally assembled. Just two screws and it will be completely sealed. But members of our team

An early start to make the lowering tide, running against the swell. The

judge them inappropriate and demand alternatives. Now, at the apex

sea is much more choppy than yesterday and our skiff—packed with

of our task, tempers fray at the suggestion of a weak link rendering

inflatable fenders, shovels, ropes, pressure sphere and steel exteriors

the project imperfectly complete. A drop of blood in the water and the

along with our team—is in constant lurch. Low grey clouds eddy with

sharks of Cocos circle. But there is nothing else—these are the ones

the promise of rain—the island’s green cliffs frowning gusty. Perhaps

supplied by the fabricator, tested and shipped with the chest from

it’s not the morning for it.

­Vienna. We curse and cross-thread them. We have a very tight seal.

But—from the wake spouts a non-mechanical eruption: A bottlenose,

Now to get rid of it. I thrust the shovel into the mud and take

immediately called a good sign by the sailors among us. The surge at

unexpected satisfaction in throwing slop over the chest’s polished

our landing site looks makeable so the Captain makes the call. “We

form. It seems others do too. But the mud slides off. Soon we’re piling

have a good plan—and we’re all going to stick to it. Everybody knows

on rocks, digging them out of soil with our bare hands, pulling them

what they’re supposed to be doing, so I don’t want to hear any other

from under tree roots, kicking them down from higher reaches, picking

ideas while we’re doing it. We’re going to get in and do this as quickly

them up and laying them on. More slop and even bigger stones. It is

as possible before the waves pick up any more.”

Dive masks on, gloves and shoes. Into the water. Swirling bubbles and lifting surface, the push towards our piece of coast. Strokes away

buried. Francesca produces a plastic water bottle filled with rum and we all take large drafts. For a moment there is nothing left but to slip into a nearby pool and finish it off.

from jutting crags, a check on the backward pull. Rising, falling, turning to watch for sets and ducking to meet boulders. Then—a moment worth gambling a final sprint for shore. Waves flush some of us directly over the rocks, others step out. One by one we make it in—the last swimmer toeing a line.

We take footholds and begin to heave our makeshift raft from the skiff toward us on the rope. At the waters edge a wave picks it up and we yank quickly left, attempting to forestall a sideways crash of artworks into wet cliff-face. The process is repeated for all three elements. With 118

119

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

VERNISSAGE

X° XX' XX" N, XX° X' XX" W

MAY 5, 2014

everything on land we begin the hike, careful not to place our feet on mossy stones or ankle snapping gaps between—lugging dead weight, past nests of brown boobies and their excrement. The stainless steel chest pieces glint like mirrors. It takes an hour before we deposit everything at the bottom of a rising wall of basalt. Andrew free climbs its damp face before setting a rope ladder and another line.

Piece by piece the exhibition is hauled vertically up the face. Another hour. Another slow climb. Finally we reach the chosen spot. In a muddy grotto fringed by ferns the elements are finally assembled. Just two screws and it will be completely sealed. But members of our team

An early start to make the lowering tide, running against the swell. The

judge them inappropriate and demand alternatives. Now, at the apex

sea is much more choppy than yesterday and our skiff—packed with

of our task, tempers fray at the suggestion of a weak link rendering

inflatable fenders, shovels, ropes, pressure sphere and steel exteriors

the project imperfectly complete. A drop of blood in the water and the

along with our team—is in constant lurch. Low grey clouds eddy with

sharks of Cocos circle. But there is nothing else—these are the ones

the promise of rain—the island’s green cliffs frowning gusty. Perhaps

supplied by the fabricator, tested and shipped with the chest from

it’s not the morning for it.

­Vienna. We curse and cross-thread them. We have a very tight seal.

But—from the wake spouts a non-mechanical eruption: A bottlenose,

Now to get rid of it. I thrust the shovel into the mud and take

immediately called a good sign by the sailors among us. The surge at

unexpected satisfaction in throwing slop over the chest’s polished

our landing site looks makeable so the Captain makes the call. “We

form. It seems others do too. But the mud slides off. Soon we’re piling

have a good plan—and we’re all going to stick to it. Everybody knows

on rocks, digging them out of soil with our bare hands, pulling them

what they’re supposed to be doing, so I don’t want to hear any other

from under tree roots, kicking them down from higher reaches, picking

ideas while we’re doing it. We’re going to get in and do this as quickly

them up and laying them on. More slop and even bigger stones. It is

as possible before the waves pick up any more.”

Dive masks on, gloves and shoes. Into the water. Swirling bubbles and lifting surface, the push towards our piece of coast. Strokes away

buried. Francesca produces a plastic water bottle filled with rum and we all take large drafts. For a moment there is nothing left but to slip into a nearby pool and finish it off.

from jutting crags, a check on the backward pull. Rising, falling, turning to watch for sets and ducking to meet boulders. Then—a moment worth gambling a final sprint for shore. Waves flush some of us directly over the rocks, others step out. One by one we make it in—the last swimmer toeing a line.

We take footholds and begin to heave our makeshift raft from the skiff toward us on the rope. At the waters edge a wave picks it up and we yank quickly left, attempting to forestall a sideways crash of artworks into wet cliff-face. The process is repeated for all three elements. With 118

119

120

121

120

121

Captain Brady MacDonald

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

SUCCESS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MAY 4, 2014

My job is to bring people from location A to B, and back to A (sometimes C) without a scratch and with lots of stories. Usually it’s a relatively straightforward situation. People come on board, we go diving, do some land excursions, etc. etc. etc. However, this trip was quite different. Planning to bury a treasure on an absolutely uninviting island is no easy task. Just to get people ashore from the launch was a dangerous effort. Timing waves and working with our team of safety swimmers we got everyone there safely. Then… to get the equipment and treasure itself ashore… . There are no paths, no “easy way”. Just jungle and rocks and big waves smashing into all of it.

Once everyone, and everything was on shore we still n ­ eeded to get to our burial location and that itself was an­other risky endeavor.

Climbing wet rocks covered in moss and slime and then carrying sixty kilo treasure cases over it all.

In the end we made it from A to B, and safely, without a scratch. We made a plan, and it was a good plan. As they say in diving, “make your plan and dive your plan.”

It was interesting to think as I was signing the pact of secrecy with my blood (seriously) that I’m the first Captain to bury a treasure in Cocos island in over 200 years. The funny part is that I’m also the ONLY Captain who never plans to return for it… .

122

123

Captain Brady MacDonald

Cocos Island, Costa Rica

SUCCESS

5° 31' 45" N, 87° 3' 36" W

MAY 4, 2014

My job is to bring people from location A to B, and back to A (sometimes C) without a scratch and with lots of stories. Usually it’s a relatively straightforward situation. People come on board, we go diving, do some land excursions, etc. etc. etc. However, this trip was quite different. Planning to bury a treasure on an absolutely uninviting island is no easy task. Just to get people ashore from the launch was a dangerous effort. Timing waves and working with our team of safety swimmers we got everyone there safely. Then… to get the equipment and treasure itself ashore… . There are no paths, no “easy way”. Just jungle and rocks and big waves smashing into all of it.

Once everyone, and everything was on shore we still n ­ eeded to get to our burial location and that itself was an­other risky endeavor.

Climbing wet rocks covered in moss and slime and then carrying sixty kilo treasure cases over it all.

In the end we made it from A to B, and safely, without a scratch. We made a plan, and it was a good plan. As they say in diving, “make your plan and dive your plan.”

It was interesting to think as I was signing the pact of secrecy with my blood (seriously) that I’m the first Captain to bury a treasure in Cocos island in over 200 years. The funny part is that I’m also the ONLY Captain who never plans to return for it… .

122

123

125 INTERVIEWS JULIAN CHARRIÈRE / CONSTANT DULLAART / OLAFUR ELIASSON / PEPE MONGE GARCIA / FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES / ANDREW RANVILLE CONDUCTED BY NADIM SAMMAN

125 INTERVIEWS JULIAN CHARRIÈRE / CONSTANT DULLAART / OLAFUR ELIASSON / PEPE MONGE GARCIA / FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES / ANDREW RANVILLE CONDUCTED BY NADIM SAMMAN

also unaware of the historical Treasure of Lima. Now I start to see the project in relation to these things, as well as the other pirate treasures buried on the island. Pirates have put something physical on Coco, but they have also given the place stories—a narrative layer. Treasure hunters don’t just want gold, they want to be part of these stories. We have added another narrative layer that is going to stay with the island.

And we have done it while making a point—as one important goal of the project is for the map to be sold in order to establish a shark sanctuary.

I never knew about this island, I would never have known about it if it were not for this project—and I think a lot of people will also come to know it through our action. Through this project the island and its surrounding waters become the treasure, and the buried exhibition its context.

To a certain degree you cannot be sure what is really on display.

For a normal viewer who is not going to uncover the work it is all

JULIAN CHARRIÈRE

about the manner in which they encounter the exhibition. On the one hand the project is about a secret exhibition that has been buried. A second reading is the context of the place where the works have been installed. This is much more about Coco than about the artwork. We

N A D I M S A M M A N What do you think this project is about?

are exhibiting the beauty and problems of this island. The exhibition

J U L I A N C H A R R I È R E It is about questioning the exhibition. The first

relies heavily on the power of this place. Interestingly, the project uses

thing that came to my mind when you told me about the project was

something hidden to make something visible. I think this is quite a

the fact that it is a kind of reverse—the contrary of what artists usually

strong concept for an exhibition.

want. Artists want their work to be seen. I’m sure that no one is going

Of course, it is also about a group of people who came together

to recover and view my piece, as the island is so remote and because of

in a great collective action, a special moment, to bring something

the difficulties of the encryption. But this condition does something else

completely beautiful into the world. It's not just about the object.

for my work. Normally an exhibition has a really short life, on for three

N . S . It seems your practice concerns finding new ways to talk

weeks or months, and then it only lives on in documentation, through

about, let's say, environments or placehood. Would you d ­ escribe

different media—the internet, books, and articles. What is interesting

your concerns differently?

about this exhibition is that, even though nobody sees it, it goes on—­

J . C . It depends on which concern. I have much more than one but I

forever—in a space; in a secret place. The exhibition is a kind of storage

am certainly interested in the way expeditions can be artwork. I go to

for eternity—something that is going to traverse the centuries.

a place like Iceland, I do different things there and bring back a sort of

Before I was invited on the expedition I didn’t know that Coco

documentation that communicates my art. I talk about environmental

inspired Stevenson’s Treasure Island or Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. I was

problems too, which are inherently related to place. However, my

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127

also unaware of the historical Treasure of Lima. Now I start to see the project in relation to these things, as well as the other pirate treasures buried on the island. Pirates have put something physical on Coco, but they have also given the place stories—a narrative layer. Treasure hunters don’t just want gold, they want to be part of these stories. We have added another narrative layer that is going to stay with the island.

And we have done it while making a point—as one important goal of the project is for the map to be sold in order to establish a shark sanctuary.

I never knew about this island, I would never have known about it if it were not for this project—and I think a lot of people will also come to know it through our action. Through this project the island and its surrounding waters become the treasure, and the buried exhibition its context.

To a certain degree you cannot be sure what is really on display.

For a normal viewer who is not going to uncover the work it is all

JULIAN CHARRIÈRE

about the manner in which they encounter the exhibition. On the one hand the project is about a secret exhibition that has been buried. A second reading is the context of the place where the works have been installed. This is much more about Coco than about the artwork. We

N A D I M S A M M A N What do you think this project is about?

are exhibiting the beauty and problems of this island. The exhibition

J U L I A N C H A R R I È R E It is about questioning the exhibition. The first

relies heavily on the power of this place. Interestingly, the project uses

thing that came to my mind when you told me about the project was

something hidden to make something visible. I think this is quite a

the fact that it is a kind of reverse—the contrary of what artists usually

strong concept for an exhibition.

want. Artists want their work to be seen. I’m sure that no one is going

Of course, it is also about a group of people who came together

to recover and view my piece, as the island is so remote and because of

in a great collective action, a special moment, to bring something

the difficulties of the encryption. But this condition does something else

completely beautiful into the world. It's not just about the object.

for my work. Normally an exhibition has a really short life, on for three

N . S . It seems your practice concerns finding new ways to talk

weeks or months, and then it only lives on in documentation, through

about, let's say, environments or placehood. Would you d ­ escribe

different media—the internet, books, and articles. What is interesting

your concerns differently?

about this exhibition is that, even though nobody sees it, it goes on—­

J . C . It depends on which concern. I have much more than one but I

forever—in a space; in a secret place. The exhibition is a kind of storage

am certainly interested in the way expeditions can be artwork. I go to

for eternity—something that is going to traverse the centuries.

a place like Iceland, I do different things there and bring back a sort of

Before I was invited on the expedition I didn’t know that Coco

documentation that communicates my art. I talk about environmental

inspired Stevenson’s Treasure Island or Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. I was

problems too, which are inherently related to place. However, my

126

127

approach is not the same as the Land Art of the 1970s—even though I

one’s presence—leaving a trace of one’s existence for eternity. This

borrow from it. When I meet an iceberg in Iceland I am talking about

is related to what we did with the treasure. I like the fact that the

global warming, but I’m also talking about history and about the really

carvings by old pirates sit next to the marks left by Cousteau, and even

pristine act of sculpture. So my work is more than just environmental.

badly rendered ones from the near present-day. In terms of geological

I always choose the landscape and the place as the surrounding for

time there is a certain equivalence between those left by a teenager

my work—a particular setting that is interesting in a wider way.

from 1991 and legendary figures.

N . S . In one of your photo series you go to natural sites like forests,

This beach is the only place on Coco that is easily accessible by

craters and mountains and write the name of what the thing is on

boat, so everybody who reaches the island puts his mark in the same

them—you graffiti them, so to speak, and I think you mentioned

place. People seem to have to leave a sign of their presence, and that

once that this was about how cultural identity is applied something

is something that is highly interesting. I can tell you this—in the South

that is pre-cultural. The act of naming.

Pole, under the ice crevices, there is cave that has been filled with

J . C . Yes, the act of appropriation through culture. With this graffiti

people’s marks. In the mountains of the Himalayas, on the way to

series I am working on the world globe in the same way that human

the summit of Everest are a lot of signs, a lot of marks, a lot of little

beings of take over through cultural enterprise. Before starting to

authors. This impulse is related to art. Art is also about leaving a trace

make maps we put names on things, and this is the beginning of

in the world. Why does a painter sign a canvas, why do the pirates

appropriation. When we are afraid of something we don’t know we first

sign stones? These things are related. Thinking about our exhibition—

name it. When we name something it starts to belong to us, we initiate

this drive to leave a mark also figures very strongly. We came to

a relation and a dialogue with this thing. Then we can map it or draw

an amazing place, where nobody has ever put their feet, in order to

it. Then it becomes the subject of the museum, the purpose of natural

bury a treasure. In a way this treasure belongs to us—because we

history, and more. Naming is related to imperialism, it is also related

made it happen. It belongs to me because I put something in it and it

to consumerism. We are living at the high peak of consumerism. I am

will remain there, in a place where the tradition of leaving a mark is

interested in the putative correlation between the subject and the

extremely clear.

object and how ownership figures into this. Who has the right to say a

N . S . But pirates usually try to be invisible. One of the reasons

landscape or place is a certain thing, perhaps more or less important

Coco was so useful for them was that it was out of the sight of the

than another? Measuring and naming is a kind of valuation.

mainland and away from fishing locations and transport routes.

N . S . On Chatham Bay pirates and whalers, tourists and treasure

J . C . Yes, but you rarely leave a trace in a non-remote place. Of course

hunters have carved their names, and that of their ships, onto

some people do, like graffiti artists who leave their traces all around

hundreds of stones. It's interesting that Coco’s pirate history

Berlin, but they don’t expect their trace to remain for long—or forever.

involves people taking things that do not belong to them, depositing

The more inaccessible the place, the greater the need to mark it. For

them on the island and then leaving their mark behind. What do you

sure, pirates want to go to secret places but still they have this need

think of this? How does your experience of the island and these

to show that they were there. So they will carve a stone knowing that

stones tie in to what you have just said?

maybe no one is going to see it for the next 200 years—but that at

J . C . I documented almost every carving because I am really interested

some point somebody, like us, will come, and that there will be a link

in such traces. Putting a name on a tree, for instance, is about marking

between us. Even outlaws do not want to be forgotten.

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129

approach is not the same as the Land Art of the 1970s—even though I

one’s presence—leaving a trace of one’s existence for eternity. This

borrow from it. When I meet an iceberg in Iceland I am talking about

is related to what we did with the treasure. I like the fact that the

global warming, but I’m also talking about history and about the really

carvings by old pirates sit next to the marks left by Cousteau, and even

pristine act of sculpture. So my work is more than just environmental.

badly rendered ones from the near present-day. In terms of geological

I always choose the landscape and the place as the surrounding for

time there is a certain equivalence between those left by a teenager

my work—a particular setting that is interesting in a wider way.

from 1991 and legendary figures.

N . S . In one of your photo series you go to natural sites like forests,

This beach is the only place on Coco that is easily accessible by

craters and mountains and write the name of what the thing is on

boat, so everybody who reaches the island puts his mark in the same

them—you graffiti them, so to speak, and I think you mentioned

place. People seem to have to leave a sign of their presence, and that

once that this was about how cultural identity is applied something

is something that is highly interesting. I can tell you this—in the South

that is pre-cultural. The act of naming.

Pole, under the ice crevices, there is cave that has been filled with

J . C . Yes, the act of appropriation through culture. With this graffiti

people’s marks. In the mountains of the Himalayas, on the way to

series I am working on the world globe in the same way that human

the summit of Everest are a lot of signs, a lot of marks, a lot of little

beings of take over through cultural enterprise. Before starting to

authors. This impulse is related to art. Art is also about leaving a trace

make maps we put names on things, and this is the beginning of

in the world. Why does a painter sign a canvas, why do the pirates

appropriation. When we are afraid of something we don’t know we first

sign stones? These things are related. Thinking about our exhibition—

name it. When we name something it starts to belong to us, we initiate

this drive to leave a mark also figures very strongly. We came to

a relation and a dialogue with this thing. Then we can map it or draw

an amazing place, where nobody has ever put their feet, in order to

it. Then it becomes the subject of the museum, the purpose of natural

bury a treasure. In a way this treasure belongs to us—because we

history, and more. Naming is related to imperialism, it is also related

made it happen. It belongs to me because I put something in it and it

to consumerism. We are living at the high peak of consumerism. I am

will remain there, in a place where the tradition of leaving a mark is

interested in the putative correlation between the subject and the

extremely clear.

object and how ownership figures into this. Who has the right to say a

N . S . But pirates usually try to be invisible. One of the reasons

landscape or place is a certain thing, perhaps more or less important

Coco was so useful for them was that it was out of the sight of the

than another? Measuring and naming is a kind of valuation.

mainland and away from fishing locations and transport routes.

N . S . On Chatham Bay pirates and whalers, tourists and treasure

J . C . Yes, but you rarely leave a trace in a non-remote place. Of course

hunters have carved their names, and that of their ships, onto

some people do, like graffiti artists who leave their traces all around

hundreds of stones. It's interesting that Coco’s pirate history

Berlin, but they don’t expect their trace to remain for long—or forever.

involves people taking things that do not belong to them, depositing

The more inaccessible the place, the greater the need to mark it. For

them on the island and then leaving their mark behind. What do you

sure, pirates want to go to secret places but still they have this need

think of this? How does your experience of the island and these

to show that they were there. So they will carve a stone knowing that

stones tie in to what you have just said?

maybe no one is going to see it for the next 200 years—but that at

J . C . I documented almost every carving because I am really interested

some point somebody, like us, will come, and that there will be a link

in such traces. Putting a name on a tree, for instance, is about marking

between us. Even outlaws do not want to be forgotten.

128

129

N . S . Do you think that we have added a cultural layer in Cocos?

really sure that you and Francesca will make it all happen.

J . C . I definitely think so. We were not like the treasure hunters who

N . S . I hope so. Yes it's been a long journey for me too to reach a

tried to extract a layer of history. We added one. I hope this story is

certain level of ease with the shark, to accept…

going to continue, and that is going to work out with the shark project.

J . C . To accept the curiosity of the shark.

I think there is a great chance that the ripples of our action spread

N . S . To get to know them. Before, I thought, “sharks are cool, sharks

further and further. Our mark is something really tiny and secret, but

look really good but I just don’t want them near me.” Now I have

we can translate it into something much bigger and wider without

come to think that each species has a different personality type, or

making the other marks obsolete. We are not going to reveal where

at least different motive behavior.

the treasure is. The treasure is going to stay but a lot of publicity will

J . C . They do have different personalities. Maybe not between sharks

be constructed around it. It is just the first of our stones.

but between species of shark.

N . S . Let's talk briefly about the sharks and diving. Prior to this

N . S . So after this no lakes?

project you didn’t know how to dive, and you learnt very quickly

J . C . Only big game, under the ice crust. I am certainly going to go

before coming here. Then you were literally thrown in the deep end.

further with the ocean.

I’m interested to hear some impressions of what it's like to meet a five meter tiger shark in the wild.

J . C . For me the diving was the craziest experience of this trip. I think it was for everybody. I came here after qualifying in a lake that was seven meters deep, with a visibility of fifty centimeters. It was dark and cold, and already this left quite an impression. Coming here, jumping in and going directly to thirty meters, being surrounded by a completely new universe—it was just incredible. Incredible because it was so powerful and new. Throughout, I had the feeling of the endlessness of time in the ocean—and the small amount of time left to me by my oxygen needs. It was a completely new way of thinking about time and reality. I had this feeling of being in a new dimension, a parallel world. It had completely different rules of time perception. I think I will dive a lot more and make an art project that is diving related. It is so strong. Then there are the sharks. I used to watch Cousteau on Sunday afternoons with my parents, and all of a sudden I was in this world. I got in the water and almost immediately I saw sharks—a tiger shark, silky sharks, white and black tips. I had heard that these animals are legendary and dangerous but our dive guides kept telling us that they weren’t—just “curious.” Of course I was freaking out. I think it was beautiful, and I really do think that it is great if art can help them. I’m 130

131

N . S . Do you think that we have added a cultural layer in Cocos?

really sure that you and Francesca will make it all happen.

J . C . I definitely think so. We were not like the treasure hunters who

N . S . I hope so. Yes it's been a long journey for me too to reach a

tried to extract a layer of history. We added one. I hope this story is

certain level of ease with the shark, to accept…

going to continue, and that is going to work out with the shark project.

J . C . To accept the curiosity of the shark.

I think there is a great chance that the ripples of our action spread

N . S . To get to know them. Before, I thought, “sharks are cool, sharks

further and further. Our mark is something really tiny and secret, but

look really good but I just don’t want them near me.” Now I have

we can translate it into something much bigger and wider without

come to think that each species has a different personality type, or

making the other marks obsolete. We are not going to reveal where

at least different motive behavior.

the treasure is. The treasure is going to stay but a lot of publicity will

J . C . They do have different personalities. Maybe not between sharks

be constructed around it. It is just the first of our stones.

but between species of shark.

N . S . Let's talk briefly about the sharks and diving. Prior to this

N . S . So after this no lakes?

project you didn’t know how to dive, and you learnt very quickly

J . C . Only big game, under the ice crust. I am certainly going to go

before coming here. Then you were literally thrown in the deep end.

further with the ocean.

I’m interested to hear some impressions of what it's like to meet a five meter tiger shark in the wild.

J . C . For me the diving was the craziest experience of this trip. I think it was for everybody. I came here after qualifying in a lake that was seven meters deep, with a visibility of fifty centimeters. It was dark and cold, and already this left quite an impression. Coming here, jumping in and going directly to thirty meters, being surrounded by a completely new universe—it was just incredible. Incredible because it was so powerful and new. Throughout, I had the feeling of the endlessness of time in the ocean—and the small amount of time left to me by my oxygen needs. It was a completely new way of thinking about time and reality. I had this feeling of being in a new dimension, a parallel world. It had completely different rules of time perception. I think I will dive a lot more and make an art project that is diving related. It is so strong. Then there are the sharks. I used to watch Cousteau on Sunday afternoons with my parents, and all of a sudden I was in this world. I got in the water and almost immediately I saw sharks—a tiger shark, silky sharks, white and black tips. I had heard that these animals are legendary and dangerous but our dive guides kept telling us that they weren’t—just “curious.” Of course I was freaking out. I think it was beautiful, and I really do think that it is great if art can help them. I’m 130

131

the artwork. There are many more examples, and I do think that there are a lot of circumstances in which an exhibition, or the form of an exhibition, or the work itself, is so ephemeral that documentary mediation is the only way to access it. With gestural or ephemeral pieces there is a social context that needs to be appreciated, and that is much more easily done through documentation—seeing in which period the exhibition or the performance took place, or what the larger political context was.

N . S . But in that sense it doesn’t replace the original work?

C . D . It doesn’t replace the original. But ‘original’ is a vague concept – a reference or documentation might be the only way in which an artwork exists. With this project you can discuss whether it is necessary to look for the treasure or if you are happy to just have the signifier. The map is the signifier. It is something that is pointing towards the buried original.

Sometimes holding a book is more interesting then reading it.

CONSTANT DULLAART

N . S . Do you see the process of encrypting the GPS coordinates and producing this physicalization of the code as an artwork in itself, or is it just a piece of information directing us to buried art objects?

C . D . We worked on the encryption system, made the code physical

N A D I M S A M M A N When a work leaves your studio and is sold to a

and devised the way that you engage with it in a physical manner. We

museum or a foundation—how important is it that it remains on view

used the highest grade encryption available, and intricate technical

or accessible? Obviously, museums keep most of their collections

means to deliver it by 3D printing. I think this process celebrates and

in storage.

performs the fact that we’re living in a society where people have to

C O N S TA N T D U L L A A R T It depends. My online work comes with

go through really elaborate means to protect private communication.

a contract stipulating that the person who collects it becomes a

From that position I do think this is a commissioned artwork, and the

caretaker, and that they have the responsibility to keep it online and

artwork itself is also a reference to a larger thing.

visible to the public. . I also tend to prevent entire series from going

N . S . It is true that we require a lot of information security today,

into storage wihout the intent to exhibit, as I want to spread the love,

and we are used to the idea that information is valuable and

and not too thin.

therefore it needs protecting or policing. I want to bring this back

N . S . Can what people say about an exhibition, or the way it's

to the idea of buried treasure: All the previous buried treasures

communicated

on Coco have consisted of precious materials. In fact the original

through

documentation

or

commentary,

ever

replace witnessing it first-hand?

Treasure of Lima is supposed to include a full size solid gold statue

C . D . Think about the Xerox catalogue by the recently passed away

of the Virgin Mary. None of the works in the exhibition are made of

Seth Siegelaub for example, where the documentation actually was

gold, what does this say about art today?

132

133

the artwork. There are many more examples, and I do think that there are a lot of circumstances in which an exhibition, or the form of an exhibition, or the work itself, is so ephemeral that documentary mediation is the only way to access it. With gestural or ephemeral pieces there is a social context that needs to be appreciated, and that is much more easily done through documentation—seeing in which period the exhibition or the performance took place, or what the larger political context was.

N . S . But in that sense it doesn’t replace the original work?

C . D . It doesn’t replace the original. But ‘original’ is a vague concept – a reference or documentation might be the only way in which an artwork exists. With this project you can discuss whether it is necessary to look for the treasure or if you are happy to just have the signifier. The map is the signifier. It is something that is pointing towards the buried original.

Sometimes holding a book is more interesting then reading it.

CONSTANT DULLAART

N . S . Do you see the process of encrypting the GPS coordinates and producing this physicalization of the code as an artwork in itself, or is it just a piece of information directing us to buried art objects?

C . D . We worked on the encryption system, made the code physical

N A D I M S A M M A N When a work leaves your studio and is sold to a

and devised the way that you engage with it in a physical manner. We

museum or a foundation—how important is it that it remains on view

used the highest grade encryption available, and intricate technical

or accessible? Obviously, museums keep most of their collections

means to deliver it by 3D printing. I think this process celebrates and

in storage.

performs the fact that we’re living in a society where people have to

C O N S TA N T D U L L A A R T It depends. My online work comes with

go through really elaborate means to protect private communication.

a contract stipulating that the person who collects it becomes a

From that position I do think this is a commissioned artwork, and the

caretaker, and that they have the responsibility to keep it online and

artwork itself is also a reference to a larger thing.

visible to the public. . I also tend to prevent entire series from going

N . S . It is true that we require a lot of information security today,

into storage wihout the intent to exhibit, as I want to spread the love,

and we are used to the idea that information is valuable and

and not too thin.

therefore it needs protecting or policing. I want to bring this back

N . S . Can what people say about an exhibition, or the way it's

to the idea of buried treasure: All the previous buried treasures

communicated

on Coco have consisted of precious materials. In fact the original

through

documentation

or

commentary,

ever

replace witnessing it first-hand?

Treasure of Lima is supposed to include a full size solid gold statue

C . D . Think about the Xerox catalogue by the recently passed away

of the Virgin Mary. None of the works in the exhibition are made of

Seth Siegelaub for example, where the documentation actually was

gold, what does this say about art today?

132

133

C . D . It tells me that we have gone beyond that point of having material

the Spanish was Guy Fawkes— the person depicted on the Anonymous

value as the most important thing. People hunting for the original

Mask. Anyway, out of that war there emerged a naval force which

Treasure of Lima are seeking the value of the material, not because

were like the pirates of that time—a non-state group called 'de

it's a depiction of Mary. It is interesting that now we’re dealing with the

Geuzen' that liberated Holland. In that sense, for me, it is natural to be

fact that our treasure carries a value because of the topics that that

interested in the idea of somebody moving outside the law or seeing

the exhibition deals with and comments on the inflated art market.

it slightly more flexible than others do, since many laws are artificial

The brands that the participating artists have created are the new gold.

constructs based on monopolies of violence to induce subservience.

I would say that that this is an improvement, since we can talk about

Digital piracy challenges outdated financial power structures without

the weight of ideas and images instead of the weight of a material.

even stealing – just by copying. Maybe what I'm trying to say is that

Seeing that, today, information and even artists names/brands are

there is no real distinction between the two positions you described.

a commodity, harvested, sold on, flipped…How do we protect the

N . S . To clarify—what is your take on the importance of personal

intrinsic value of information or the brand that we create? What are

data protection versus complete transparency?

the measures that one has to go through to really guard a certain

C . D . How do we define these things? What do you define as total

conversation that could be interpreted for commercial purposes? How

transparency about yourself? Who should have access to this

do you protect and artist’s image against a hostile takeover?

transparency? Should this mean total transparency to everyone in your

N . S . Encrypting the GPS coordinates really brings us into the realm

life, including anonymous people, companies or governments? A lot of

of data protection. If you think about the revelation of NSA snooping

people are comfortable with being transparent to the government but

and even the general issues around the protection of intellectual

not to their neighbors. I think the definition of transparency is quite

property, and then you come onto the name given to people who

flexible at the moment. With regard to personal data protection, when

violate intellectual property law—digital pirates… . With this project

the postal system was first established it was run by private companies.

we move from an archaic kind of piracy to a new application of the

Later, in many countries these companies were nationalized and

term. So I guess I want to ask you this: Does the figure of the pirate

customs were in place. With post you were not supposed to open letters

represent anything beyond outlaw behavior to you? Do you identify

that were directed to somebody else—that was illegal. Now equivalent

more with the good character, Jim Hawkins, in Treasure Island or

regulations have to be made for digital information. These kinds of

with the pirates?

things are fought over because they need to be clear for the next few

C . D . My national history lessons in the Netherlands were riddled

centuries. At the moment, the personal involvement and responsibility

with conscious confusion between piracy and trade. There are still

to protect your communication is important. Do you encrypt your email?

Dutch boats out there catching the Nigerian pirates who are trying

I think what kind of data protection you use is an ethical decision. It is

to prevent people from milking the resources of their country, or

an ethical decision if you choose to support the system that is actually

attempting to take back some of the bounty. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch

giving oppressive governments access to people’s personal data. If you

Shell can’t seem to clean up their mess in the Niger river delta. But

use Skype, for example, you better be aware that it has actually been

when it comes to Holland’s internal historical situation there is

used as a Trojan horse to affect people’s computers—that it has been

another strange anecdote—the Dutch had an eighty-year war war of

used to spy on people. If you keep using this kind of software then you

independence with the Spanish. One of the people that fought with

are implicitly supporting this kind of moral standard.

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135

C . D . It tells me that we have gone beyond that point of having material

the Spanish was Guy Fawkes— the person depicted on the Anonymous

value as the most important thing. People hunting for the original

Mask. Anyway, out of that war there emerged a naval force which

Treasure of Lima are seeking the value of the material, not because

were like the pirates of that time—a non-state group called 'de

it's a depiction of Mary. It is interesting that now we’re dealing with the

Geuzen' that liberated Holland. In that sense, for me, it is natural to be

fact that our treasure carries a value because of the topics that that

interested in the idea of somebody moving outside the law or seeing

the exhibition deals with and comments on the inflated art market.

it slightly more flexible than others do, since many laws are artificial

The brands that the participating artists have created are the new gold.

constructs based on monopolies of violence to induce subservience.

I would say that that this is an improvement, since we can talk about

Digital piracy challenges outdated financial power structures without

the weight of ideas and images instead of the weight of a material.

even stealing – just by copying. Maybe what I'm trying to say is that

Seeing that, today, information and even artists names/brands are

there is no real distinction between the two positions you described.

a commodity, harvested, sold on, flipped…How do we protect the

N . S . To clarify—what is your take on the importance of personal

intrinsic value of information or the brand that we create? What are

data protection versus complete transparency?

the measures that one has to go through to really guard a certain

C . D . How do we define these things? What do you define as total

conversation that could be interpreted for commercial purposes? How

transparency about yourself? Who should have access to this

do you protect and artist’s image against a hostile takeover?

transparency? Should this mean total transparency to everyone in your

N . S . Encrypting the GPS coordinates really brings us into the realm

life, including anonymous people, companies or governments? A lot of

of data protection. If you think about the revelation of NSA snooping

people are comfortable with being transparent to the government but

and even the general issues around the protection of intellectual

not to their neighbors. I think the definition of transparency is quite

property, and then you come onto the name given to people who

flexible at the moment. With regard to personal data protection, when

violate intellectual property law—digital pirates… . With this project

the postal system was first established it was run by private companies.

we move from an archaic kind of piracy to a new application of the

Later, in many countries these companies were nationalized and

term. So I guess I want to ask you this: Does the figure of the pirate

customs were in place. With post you were not supposed to open letters

represent anything beyond outlaw behavior to you? Do you identify

that were directed to somebody else—that was illegal. Now equivalent

more with the good character, Jim Hawkins, in Treasure Island or

regulations have to be made for digital information. These kinds of

with the pirates?

things are fought over because they need to be clear for the next few

C . D . My national history lessons in the Netherlands were riddled

centuries. At the moment, the personal involvement and responsibility

with conscious confusion between piracy and trade. There are still

to protect your communication is important. Do you encrypt your email?

Dutch boats out there catching the Nigerian pirates who are trying

I think what kind of data protection you use is an ethical decision. It is

to prevent people from milking the resources of their country, or

an ethical decision if you choose to support the system that is actually

attempting to take back some of the bounty. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch

giving oppressive governments access to people’s personal data. If you

Shell can’t seem to clean up their mess in the Niger river delta. But

use Skype, for example, you better be aware that it has actually been

when it comes to Holland’s internal historical situation there is

used as a Trojan horse to affect people’s computers—that it has been

another strange anecdote—the Dutch had an eighty-year war war of

used to spy on people. If you keep using this kind of software then you

independence with the Spanish. One of the people that fought with

are implicitly supporting this kind of moral standard.

134

135

N . S . Do you use Skype?

power to take it on. Quite apart from all this, we were concerned about

C . D . Not anymore. There are a lot of other interesting encrypted ways of

human failure: We purposely divided the information among certain

chatting. By the way, I think that everybody should use a Virtual Private

people so you wouldn’t find the right chain, or find all of it in one place.

Network provider, or TOR. If you can you should run your own node.

But of course some people do have all the information. The easiest

People should be involved as much as possible in their own counter

way for someone to locate the treasure will probably be to get you

surveillance measures. We are currently in a state of information war

or I drunk and get us to share what we know. The social part where

and global cultural revolution, and we need to act accordingly.

certain things are revealed—who participated, who was there on that

N . S . Let's bring this back to the domain of the technical. The kind

boat, what kind of things can you find out. That’s the easiest way to

of things that you have just mentioned involve a certain technical

find the treasure. Much easier than actually blowing millions of dollars

agency or capability. In the case of the encrypted treasure map how

on computers and blasting away at the code.

much are you willing to say about how you went about this process?

N . S . You even gave me directions for how I could or couldn’t

Who were you dealing with? What procedures or considerations

communicate with you, could you perhaps summarise what you said?

were involved in this process?

C . D . We anonimously bought computers and had them running with

C . D . Well the considerations are related to vulnerability. How might this

a Tails system, which includes several encryption and anonymizing

encryption be broken? There are different ways. It would take somebody

tools, so we could talk securely. I gave you directions to install PGP

tapping away on their home computer decades to figure it out.

and have encrypted email communications, preferably through a new

But if somebody released the puzzle to the public and set a reward

email address, if you wouldn't use the computer we provided. I asked

for solving it then you could create a community of people that are

to receive the data in physical form – so it was only ever stored locally

all bashing away on the problem. That could potentially make it really

– and for you not to talk about the details of the project with your

vulnerable. If it could be crowd sourced then it could perhaps be solved

phone laying nearby. I did not want the data on any device connected

by 3000 people within a period of two days. How many people even

to another machine or computer. The data was never on the network.

have access to the puzzle is certainly an issue. Another consideration

N . S . In the end the GPS coordinates were sent to you on a piece of

was whether or not we would use standard encryption techniques.

paper.

Using a well known method would make it easier for someone to

C . D . Yes. We received a FedEx envelope sealed in several ways so

attack the problem, as there is an established playbook of cracking

we would know if it had been tampered with. We did not open this

strategies. With encryption there are always obvious ways, the same

until the moment that we actually knew the exact encryption system

as using transparent ink on a letter. Making the code physical helps

that we were going to use. We inputted the data and burnt the paper.

protect the data. If you see it at a distance you don’t acquire the code—

The system that we used was never on the internet. It was never

you really have to engage with it, have it in your hand, before you can

connected to anything.

begin. The cylindrical shape is also a cryptographic strategy—its form

N . S . And by “we” you mean you and a collaborator?

is such that you don’t know the starting point of the code. This means

C . D . Yes.

that the number of characters on the cylinder amounts to the number

N . S . Are they anonymous?

of possible starting points for the de-encryption process. This greatly

C . D . They are not anonymous but I prefer not to highlight any

increases the difficulty—and requires huge amounts of computing

background. Working with them was an interesting process. Just

136

137

N . S . Do you use Skype?

power to take it on. Quite apart from all this, we were concerned about

C . D . Not anymore. There are a lot of other interesting encrypted ways of

human failure: We purposely divided the information among certain

chatting. By the way, I think that everybody should use a Virtual Private

people so you wouldn’t find the right chain, or find all of it in one place.

Network provider, or TOR. If you can you should run your own node.

But of course some people do have all the information. The easiest

People should be involved as much as possible in their own counter

way for someone to locate the treasure will probably be to get you

surveillance measures. We are currently in a state of information war

or I drunk and get us to share what we know. The social part where

and global cultural revolution, and we need to act accordingly.

certain things are revealed—who participated, who was there on that

N . S . Let's bring this back to the domain of the technical. The kind

boat, what kind of things can you find out. That’s the easiest way to

of things that you have just mentioned involve a certain technical

find the treasure. Much easier than actually blowing millions of dollars

agency or capability. In the case of the encrypted treasure map how

on computers and blasting away at the code.

much are you willing to say about how you went about this process?

N . S . You even gave me directions for how I could or couldn’t

Who were you dealing with? What procedures or considerations

communicate with you, could you perhaps summarise what you said?

were involved in this process?

C . D . We anonimously bought computers and had them running with

C . D . Well the considerations are related to vulnerability. How might this

a Tails system, which includes several encryption and anonymizing

encryption be broken? There are different ways. It would take somebody

tools, so we could talk securely. I gave you directions to install PGP

tapping away on their home computer decades to figure it out.

and have encrypted email communications, preferably through a new

But if somebody released the puzzle to the public and set a reward

email address, if you wouldn't use the computer we provided. I asked

for solving it then you could create a community of people that are

to receive the data in physical form – so it was only ever stored locally

all bashing away on the problem. That could potentially make it really

– and for you not to talk about the details of the project with your

vulnerable. If it could be crowd sourced then it could perhaps be solved

phone laying nearby. I did not want the data on any device connected

by 3000 people within a period of two days. How many people even

to another machine or computer. The data was never on the network.

have access to the puzzle is certainly an issue. Another consideration

N . S . In the end the GPS coordinates were sent to you on a piece of

was whether or not we would use standard encryption techniques.

paper.

Using a well known method would make it easier for someone to

C . D . Yes. We received a FedEx envelope sealed in several ways so

attack the problem, as there is an established playbook of cracking

we would know if it had been tampered with. We did not open this

strategies. With encryption there are always obvious ways, the same

until the moment that we actually knew the exact encryption system

as using transparent ink on a letter. Making the code physical helps

that we were going to use. We inputted the data and burnt the paper.

protect the data. If you see it at a distance you don’t acquire the code—

The system that we used was never on the internet. It was never

you really have to engage with it, have it in your hand, before you can

connected to anything.

begin. The cylindrical shape is also a cryptographic strategy—its form

N . S . And by “we” you mean you and a collaborator?

is such that you don’t know the starting point of the code. This means

C . D . Yes.

that the number of characters on the cylinder amounts to the number

N . S . Are they anonymous?

of possible starting points for the de-encryption process. This greatly

C . D . They are not anonymous but I prefer not to highlight any

increases the difficulty—and requires huge amounts of computing

background. Working with them was an interesting process. Just

136

137

discussing certain vulnerabilities, going step by step, was eye-opening.

buying artworks, with systems of modification happening in the art

It was a learning curve for me, as an artist, to investigate how you

world right now. It is a very current project—what you’re saying is that

really protect data. Figuring out that you need a random number in

buying an affiliation with an artwork is almost as valuable as buying the

lone encryption generated a host of considerations: You need to have

original thing. What ensured my participation in the project is that there

access to something that creates a random number. Very often that

are so many artworks now, and it is of importance to celebrate those

number is generated by a computer chip. I learned that there is certain

that are ephemeral, that are not just ready to hang on your wall. It is

radioactive material involved in chips that, in fact, influences the

interesting that there are different qualification processes to associate

random number—and that it is easier to solve certain encryptions if

yourself, as a collector or patron, with art. The project reflects on this

you know what the chip that produced the number was made of. Just

and that is worth ­considering. Also, association with a story is what the

to find out how far you really have to go to protect your information, if

collector wants. The story almost becomes a commodity, and the brand

you’re talking about really important stuff, was quite scary. To learn all

names of the participating artists create the value to speculate with.

the ways data can be retrieved was shocking. If it's important enough

N . S . What is your relationship with nature like? Can this expedition

someone can always find out.

really support nature with the help of art?

The fact that you don’t know where the code starts is written

C . D . My relationship to nature is something that I am fighting all

encryption. But it relies upon the three dimensional, physical form

the time. I am fighting nature. I hate the fact that my body is already

of the object. Making this form part of the encryption system was

decaying. I am thirty-five and it is already deteriorating. I am fighting

important to me. Also, it builds in another process before you can even

to be healthy. This is nature, and it is really annoying. Maybe it is my

begin to attack the problem: In order to get the characters onto a

Dutch heritage, and I am just trying to build dykes and contain water—

computer you will actually have to physically print onto paper from

to make it do exactly what I want. There is a deep longing in me to be

that cylinder, and then scan or type the code into a device in order to

inhuman, to actually be a machine.

start analysing the code. The fact that the map is 3D printed stainless

N . S . In general, do you think that your work with computers—

steel is also my way of speaking to the monumental nature of the

indoors—prejudices the kind of thing you want to say about the

project—this map should be able to exist in hundreds of years, just as

world outside?

the artwork will remain on the island for as long or longer.

C . D . No, I don’t see this. There is no separation between an online,

N . S . Do you think there is longing for mysteries and secrets in our

digital, world and the real world. There is an interconnection to nature.

society?

More people are looking at a screen rather than looking outside the

C . D . We live in an era where everything needs to be explained. For

window—at least in Western countries. We are building a completely

most of the problems in my life I can find answers—I can find it out

new relationship to a new environment, and this environment has

online, I can just solve them. When there are things that cannot be

different rules and different systems. This context does not have less

solved so easily they become pregnant with importance. These things

value than others. They are all environments that we need to deal with.

stick with you.

We inhabit a new manmade environment which is out of our control, or

N . S . Do you think this project reflects the principles of the art

at least out of control of the general user. Taking control is one of the

world in any way?

tasks that lie ahead for everyone.

C . D . The project reflects a certain interaction with artworks, with 138

139

discussing certain vulnerabilities, going step by step, was eye-opening.

buying artworks, with systems of modification happening in the art

It was a learning curve for me, as an artist, to investigate how you

world right now. It is a very current project—what you’re saying is that

really protect data. Figuring out that you need a random number in

buying an affiliation with an artwork is almost as valuable as buying the

lone encryption generated a host of considerations: You need to have

original thing. What ensured my participation in the project is that there

access to something that creates a random number. Very often that

are so many artworks now, and it is of importance to celebrate those

number is generated by a computer chip. I learned that there is certain

that are ephemeral, that are not just ready to hang on your wall. It is

radioactive material involved in chips that, in fact, influences the

interesting that there are different qualification processes to associate

random number—and that it is easier to solve certain encryptions if

yourself, as a collector or patron, with art. The project reflects on this

you know what the chip that produced the number was made of. Just

and that is worth ­considering. Also, association with a story is what the

to find out how far you really have to go to protect your information, if

collector wants. The story almost becomes a commodity, and the brand

you’re talking about really important stuff, was quite scary. To learn all

names of the participating artists create the value to speculate with.

the ways data can be retrieved was shocking. If it's important enough

N . S . What is your relationship with nature like? Can this expedition

someone can always find out.

really support nature with the help of art?

The fact that you don’t know where the code starts is written

C . D . My relationship to nature is something that I am fighting all

encryption. But it relies upon the three dimensional, physical form

the time. I am fighting nature. I hate the fact that my body is already

of the object. Making this form part of the encryption system was

decaying. I am thirty-five and it is already deteriorating. I am fighting

important to me. Also, it builds in another process before you can even

to be healthy. This is nature, and it is really annoying. Maybe it is my

begin to attack the problem: In order to get the characters onto a

Dutch heritage, and I am just trying to build dykes and contain water—

computer you will actually have to physically print onto paper from

to make it do exactly what I want. There is a deep longing in me to be

that cylinder, and then scan or type the code into a device in order to

inhuman, to actually be a machine.

start analysing the code. The fact that the map is 3D printed stainless

N . S . In general, do you think that your work with computers—

steel is also my way of speaking to the monumental nature of the

indoors—prejudices the kind of thing you want to say about the

project—this map should be able to exist in hundreds of years, just as

world outside?

the artwork will remain on the island for as long or longer.

C . D . No, I don’t see this. There is no separation between an online,

N . S . Do you think there is longing for mysteries and secrets in our

digital, world and the real world. There is an interconnection to nature.

society?

More people are looking at a screen rather than looking outside the

C . D . We live in an era where everything needs to be explained. For

window—at least in Western countries. We are building a completely

most of the problems in my life I can find answers—I can find it out

new relationship to a new environment, and this environment has

online, I can just solve them. When there are things that cannot be

different rules and different systems. This context does not have less

solved so easily they become pregnant with importance. These things

value than others. They are all environments that we need to deal with.

stick with you.

We inhabit a new manmade environment which is out of our control, or

N . S . Do you think this project reflects the principles of the art

at least out of control of the general user. Taking control is one of the

world in any way?

tasks that lie ahead for everyone.

C . D . The project reflects a certain interaction with artworks, with 138

139

my head—to what extent is it about absence and to what extent is it about presence?

N . S . When considering what you might like to contribute to this buried exhibition, did you conceive of the work as something that might eventually be seen? Were you hoping that it might be experienced at a later date?

O . E . In the beginning I was not really aware of the chest’s size.

Immediately I thought, “How big can it be?” Can something really big disappear or does it have to fit in a box? My contribution was very much based on the question of what it means to find something. I asked myself how I could make a work that is, in a way, insignificant in scale—something that you can bury away—but which addresses something substantial or really big. I thought about the idea of the time capsule. One cannot help imagining someone eventually digging it up—and wondering, “What the heck is this?” The idea was that even

OLAFUR ELIASSON

if we say that the work has been buried it is not gone—or no longer in the world. All matter is constant, it is just that for the time being the work is in a place where it is not really accessible. It becomes a conceptual presence—and we can dig it out by thinking about it.

N A D I M S A M M A N What were your first impressions when you

The work is very present while you and I are talking about it. The

were invited to participate in this project?

performativity of the project, as we all know, is not really built into

O L A F U R E L I A S S O N I have been encouraging TBA to take on

the object. It is based on contextual activity; the way that the world

projects that are more on the periphery of what would normally be

embraces and hold hands with the object. It can be buried and you

considered as art, so my first impression was very positive—in the

can still hold hands with it.

sense that this project does not fall into the category of being a

N . S . I agree with you. With regard to what was buried. Your work

traditional exhibition. It was clear to me that it is about absence or

has an idea behind it, a concept, or at least a functional agenda. Do

about hiding, about something that you cannot see or reach. In a way,

you care to talk about this?

it is about going against the standard idea of exposure, even while the

O . E . What I buried is not a secret. It is a kind of small mobile with a

project has a lot of exposure around it. It is interesting that we are

slight planetary relationship. It is almost a model for a little solar or

having a conversation but that there is not something tangible. It is

planetary system—a kind of little universe. I thought that if something

also challenging. What is the narrative? Is it the secret? Something

should disappear into a black hole— the treasure—then it should be a

hidden? Should we be having this conversation at all if the project is

little model of a solar system made out of magnets and strings. That is

about radicalizing the idea of a secret? What type of performativity

what I meant when I said that the work is somehow really big, that it is

does the idea have? These are some of the thoughts that flew through

about everything—about the totality of the cosmos in all corners of life.

140

141

my head—to what extent is it about absence and to what extent is it about presence?

N . S . When considering what you might like to contribute to this buried exhibition, did you conceive of the work as something that might eventually be seen? Were you hoping that it might be experienced at a later date?

O . E . In the beginning I was not really aware of the chest’s size.

Immediately I thought, “How big can it be?” Can something really big disappear or does it have to fit in a box? My contribution was very much based on the question of what it means to find something. I asked myself how I could make a work that is, in a way, insignificant in scale—something that you can bury away—but which addresses something substantial or really big. I thought about the idea of the time capsule. One cannot help imagining someone eventually digging it up—and wondering, “What the heck is this?” The idea was that even

OLAFUR ELIASSON

if we say that the work has been buried it is not gone—or no longer in the world. All matter is constant, it is just that for the time being the work is in a place where it is not really accessible. It becomes a conceptual presence—and we can dig it out by thinking about it.

N A D I M S A M M A N What were your first impressions when you

The work is very present while you and I are talking about it. The

were invited to participate in this project?

performativity of the project, as we all know, is not really built into

O L A F U R E L I A S S O N I have been encouraging TBA to take on

the object. It is based on contextual activity; the way that the world

projects that are more on the periphery of what would normally be

embraces and hold hands with the object. It can be buried and you

considered as art, so my first impression was very positive—in the

can still hold hands with it.

sense that this project does not fall into the category of being a

N . S . I agree with you. With regard to what was buried. Your work

traditional exhibition. It was clear to me that it is about absence or

has an idea behind it, a concept, or at least a functional agenda. Do

about hiding, about something that you cannot see or reach. In a way,

you care to talk about this?

it is about going against the standard idea of exposure, even while the

O . E . What I buried is not a secret. It is a kind of small mobile with a

project has a lot of exposure around it. It is interesting that we are

slight planetary relationship. It is almost a model for a little solar or

having a conversation but that there is not something tangible. It is

planetary system—a kind of little universe. I thought that if something

also challenging. What is the narrative? Is it the secret? Something

should disappear into a black hole— the treasure—then it should be a

hidden? Should we be having this conversation at all if the project is

little model of a solar system made out of magnets and strings. That is

about radicalizing the idea of a secret? What type of performativity

what I meant when I said that the work is somehow really big, that it is

does the idea have? These are some of the thoughts that flew through

about everything—about the totality of the cosmos in all corners of life.

140

141

On the other hand, it is just a few strings and a handful of magnets. It

If someone buys this map do you think it means they necessarily

is not particularly exciting when considered in this way, but the story is

own the work buried on Coco?

interesting. Also, magnets are nice because they indicate themselves

O . E . It is a complex question. What is the value? And in what world

even if you cannot see them, through their magnetic field. They seem

are we talking about value? What currency are we trading? Is it pirate

to suggest that the area around them is important. Obviously, they

currency or art market currency? Is it career management or is it

remain magnetic even if buried. You can walk on the ground above

communication currency? Clearly there is an objective to support

them and a tiny bit of magnetism still reaches the surface. If you

the marine biologists. There is the “do good” for the sharks—which

are particularly sensitive you might feel this. There is also another

I think is funny, because sharks are always the “bad” animal and to

element to magnetism that I think is relevant. The project involved

help them is a lovely metaphor. Yes the object of raising money is

sailing, navigating and the tradition of pirates. Magnets have always

important and valuable, but let us now think about what someone

had a crucial role in the pirate narrative, because compasses contain

who buys the map gets. For a start, clearly the map is a work of art

them. Historically, our ability to navigate space and to orient ourselves

in and of itself. The truth is that not finding the buried art is probably

was very dependent on magnets. In a way, my little planetary system

better than finding it—it is stronger, more radical in its absence. It

is also about navigation—finding out about who you are, how you are,

is a bulk of smaller works by different artists, but the story within

where you are going and where you came from. I don’t mean to over

which they are embedded is more significant. It is not so much about

interpret but, generally speaking, if you need to find the treasure again

going and finding the treasure. The impossibility of the project is what

you need GPS—the contemporary successor to the magnet.

makes it interesting—the fact that you cannot find it but you know it

N . S . I am thinking about the function of what I call the exhibition

exists. Wasn’t there once a Cadillac that was buried because it was

architecture—the treasure chest. It was designed with a vacuum at

supposed to be the best made vehicle in the world? About fifty years

the center, so that the works are kept safe from humidity etc. We

later they dug it up. It had rusted, water seeped in, the seat had rotted

have digital media works on a hard drive in there, kept quite close to

away—it was full of worms and mice. Digging it up really ruined the

some incredibly strong magnets. There is, then, a sense in which the

story, because it showed that nature is stronger than culture—that

physicality of the works may still be developing within this vacuum.

the Cadillac was actually very fragile. This was, of course, counter-

O . E . I wonder whether today’s hard drives are sensitive to magnets.

intuitive to the dream. I think that what we have here is a dream, that

N . S . You also brought up GPS. We have taken the GPS coordinates of

what we actually call treasure is the little bit of space in which we

where the exhibition architecture was buried on Coco. In actual fact

can dream—thinking about things that we cannot hold in our hands.

we had to take an average from a number of GPS devices, because

The truth is that the artworld has been so obsessed with organizing,

each has a varying degree of accuracy. The resulting coordinates

systematizing, and rationalizing the way we dream. Museums are

have now been encrypted and given a physical form as a 3D printed

very predictable and affirmative, totally defined dream machines.

steel cylinder, which is a kind of contemporary treasure map. That

You think that you go into them to dream but actually you are told

map ultimately goes on sale to raise money for a shark research

what to think. They have become predictable and to a great extent the

and conservation project that we have initiated, but the buyer does

general artworld has become adapted to its own success criteria. It

not get the de-encryption key. So they have a code that is extremely

has become defined by a sad relationship with the economy. So, here

difficult to crack. This is a question about the politics of ownership:

we have a project which somehow taps into the things that we are not

142

143

On the other hand, it is just a few strings and a handful of magnets. It

If someone buys this map do you think it means they necessarily

is not particularly exciting when considered in this way, but the story is

own the work buried on Coco?

interesting. Also, magnets are nice because they indicate themselves

O . E . It is a complex question. What is the value? And in what world

even if you cannot see them, through their magnetic field. They seem

are we talking about value? What currency are we trading? Is it pirate

to suggest that the area around them is important. Obviously, they

currency or art market currency? Is it career management or is it

remain magnetic even if buried. You can walk on the ground above

communication currency? Clearly there is an objective to support

them and a tiny bit of magnetism still reaches the surface. If you

the marine biologists. There is the “do good” for the sharks—which

are particularly sensitive you might feel this. There is also another

I think is funny, because sharks are always the “bad” animal and to

element to magnetism that I think is relevant. The project involved

help them is a lovely metaphor. Yes the object of raising money is

sailing, navigating and the tradition of pirates. Magnets have always

important and valuable, but let us now think about what someone

had a crucial role in the pirate narrative, because compasses contain

who buys the map gets. For a start, clearly the map is a work of art

them. Historically, our ability to navigate space and to orient ourselves

in and of itself. The truth is that not finding the buried art is probably

was very dependent on magnets. In a way, my little planetary system

better than finding it—it is stronger, more radical in its absence. It

is also about navigation—finding out about who you are, how you are,

is a bulk of smaller works by different artists, but the story within

where you are going and where you came from. I don’t mean to over

which they are embedded is more significant. It is not so much about

interpret but, generally speaking, if you need to find the treasure again

going and finding the treasure. The impossibility of the project is what

you need GPS—the contemporary successor to the magnet.

makes it interesting—the fact that you cannot find it but you know it

N . S . I am thinking about the function of what I call the exhibition

exists. Wasn’t there once a Cadillac that was buried because it was

architecture—the treasure chest. It was designed with a vacuum at

supposed to be the best made vehicle in the world? About fifty years

the center, so that the works are kept safe from humidity etc. We

later they dug it up. It had rusted, water seeped in, the seat had rotted

have digital media works on a hard drive in there, kept quite close to

away—it was full of worms and mice. Digging it up really ruined the

some incredibly strong magnets. There is, then, a sense in which the

story, because it showed that nature is stronger than culture—that

physicality of the works may still be developing within this vacuum.

the Cadillac was actually very fragile. This was, of course, counter-

O . E . I wonder whether today’s hard drives are sensitive to magnets.

intuitive to the dream. I think that what we have here is a dream, that

N . S . You also brought up GPS. We have taken the GPS coordinates of

what we actually call treasure is the little bit of space in which we

where the exhibition architecture was buried on Coco. In actual fact

can dream—thinking about things that we cannot hold in our hands.

we had to take an average from a number of GPS devices, because

The truth is that the artworld has been so obsessed with organizing,

each has a varying degree of accuracy. The resulting coordinates

systematizing, and rationalizing the way we dream. Museums are

have now been encrypted and given a physical form as a 3D printed

very predictable and affirmative, totally defined dream machines.

steel cylinder, which is a kind of contemporary treasure map. That

You think that you go into them to dream but actually you are told

map ultimately goes on sale to raise money for a shark research

what to think. They have become predictable and to a great extent the

and conservation project that we have initiated, but the buyer does

general artworld has become adapted to its own success criteria. It

not get the de-encryption key. So they have a code that is extremely

has become defined by a sad relationship with the economy. So, here

difficult to crack. This is a question about the politics of ownership:

we have a project which somehow taps into the things that we are not

142

143

in full control of. We should probably take on more things that are out

follow through, to consider what type of responsibility codex you have

of control. I like that. That is the quality of the project.

installed, and how then to translate this into ideological action is an

N . S . How important is this dream, or space of freedom apart from

interesting question.

institutional validations or currencies, in your work?

N . S . When it comes to what people sometimes refer to as

O . E . I have an interest in addressing matters of possibility and

intellectual property—data, for instance—you have this term “piracy”

impossibility. If you only live in the artworld you can nurture and

associated with those people who take something and use it for

criticize it, and evaluate how to make it more interesting, radical, and

their own purposes, outside established structures. Where do you

relevant. But we also have to ask, relevant to who? It is incredibly

stand on the idea that “information wants to be free”? Do you think

important to make projects that somehow reorganize the artworld,

that the pirate movement in terms of information is close to art?

but to a greater extent we must also address concerns beyond it. When

O . E . It is difficult to generalize about the pirate movements. I

I talk about how we need to have space to be irrational, to dream, to

think the time when there were generic rules that one could apply

reconsider the ways we do things, I do not mean in the art world alone.

to large systems is over. We are now in a situation where complex

I mean all the worlds that we inhabit. I hope that when I work I am

systems need complex guidelines. I would not want to put myself in a

taking those types of ideas into consideration.

policeman’s role to say what is good or bad piracy. It seems to me that

N . S . Have you read Treasure Island? If so, do you identify more with

it is very dependent on the local situation. However, when it comes to

the “good” character Jim Hawkins or perhaps with the pirates?

human rights and the liberty to have access to your own information,

O . E . I think that Treasure Island had a moral narrative built into

to know who is surveilling you or not, ownership is important. There

it. I do not know if, today, polarized moral positions are as relevant.

are situations where it is important to prevent total transparency,

The question is this: Who, and with what effort, reconsiders the

to prevent others from being able to look into everything, as a kind

moral structures built into all narratives? Suggesting that we should

of democratic measure. On the other hand, you have demands for a

reconsider the value chain in which a treasure is kept is interesting.

kind of totally open democracy—which, of course, very quickly lends

In relation to what we are doing today—I would see Treasure Island

itself to anarchy. Navigating this is a complex challenge, but clearly

as a model of reality, a mirror in which we can evaluate the systems

everything can be taken into the discussion about what basic human

in which we are embedded today. I am interested in model making. If

rights should be. Discussions about piracy relate to the rights of the

I were to consider myself in relation to the Treasure Island system I

person.

would be the co-author or general narrative writer. I am a model maker.

N.S.

We are talking about access to and exclusion from

We use models of reality as stepping stones—we go from one to the

information—a certain sense of conservation. Let us map that onto

other. I think it is very important to encourage the subversive nature

the island itself: It is a national park. You can only go there with a

of the suggestion that reality is negotiable; reality is relative, and we

permit. Only two companies have licenses to run a dive operation

can change it. Art is not the only thing that is important, we must also

there. Nobody sleeps on the island, they only sleep on the boats.

consider the way that art is communicated, handled, treasured, kept

We are the only people to have ever asked for permission to bury

or not kept. Somebody has to take that responsibility and radicalize

a treasure on the island. In a sense you could even view the chest

it. Going to Coco and actually burying the treasure is pretty radical—

as a bit of pollution that we have left there. Do you think the Costa

thinking about it is one thing but doing it is clearly something else. To

Rican park authorities made the right decision to let us bury this

14 4

145

in full control of. We should probably take on more things that are out

follow through, to consider what type of responsibility codex you have

of control. I like that. That is the quality of the project.

installed, and how then to translate this into ideological action is an

N . S . How important is this dream, or space of freedom apart from

interesting question.

institutional validations or currencies, in your work?

N . S . When it comes to what people sometimes refer to as

O . E . I have an interest in addressing matters of possibility and

intellectual property—data, for instance—you have this term “piracy”

impossibility. If you only live in the artworld you can nurture and

associated with those people who take something and use it for

criticize it, and evaluate how to make it more interesting, radical, and

their own purposes, outside established structures. Where do you

relevant. But we also have to ask, relevant to who? It is incredibly

stand on the idea that “information wants to be free”? Do you think

important to make projects that somehow reorganize the artworld,

that the pirate movement in terms of information is close to art?

but to a greater extent we must also address concerns beyond it. When

O . E . It is difficult to generalize about the pirate movements. I

I talk about how we need to have space to be irrational, to dream, to

think the time when there were generic rules that one could apply

reconsider the ways we do things, I do not mean in the art world alone.

to large systems is over. We are now in a situation where complex

I mean all the worlds that we inhabit. I hope that when I work I am

systems need complex guidelines. I would not want to put myself in a

taking those types of ideas into consideration.

policeman’s role to say what is good or bad piracy. It seems to me that

N . S . Have you read Treasure Island? If so, do you identify more with

it is very dependent on the local situation. However, when it comes to

the “good” character Jim Hawkins or perhaps with the pirates?

human rights and the liberty to have access to your own information,

O . E . I think that Treasure Island had a moral narrative built into

to know who is surveilling you or not, ownership is important. There

it. I do not know if, today, polarized moral positions are as relevant.

are situations where it is important to prevent total transparency,

The question is this: Who, and with what effort, reconsiders the

to prevent others from being able to look into everything, as a kind

moral structures built into all narratives? Suggesting that we should

of democratic measure. On the other hand, you have demands for a

reconsider the value chain in which a treasure is kept is interesting.

kind of totally open democracy—which, of course, very quickly lends

In relation to what we are doing today—I would see Treasure Island

itself to anarchy. Navigating this is a complex challenge, but clearly

as a model of reality, a mirror in which we can evaluate the systems

everything can be taken into the discussion about what basic human

in which we are embedded today. I am interested in model making. If

rights should be. Discussions about piracy relate to the rights of the

I were to consider myself in relation to the Treasure Island system I

person.

would be the co-author or general narrative writer. I am a model maker.

N.S.

We are talking about access to and exclusion from

We use models of reality as stepping stones—we go from one to the

information—a certain sense of conservation. Let us map that onto

other. I think it is very important to encourage the subversive nature

the island itself: It is a national park. You can only go there with a

of the suggestion that reality is negotiable; reality is relative, and we

permit. Only two companies have licenses to run a dive operation

can change it. Art is not the only thing that is important, we must also

there. Nobody sleeps on the island, they only sleep on the boats.

consider the way that art is communicated, handled, treasured, kept

We are the only people to have ever asked for permission to bury

or not kept. Somebody has to take that responsibility and radicalize

a treasure on the island. In a sense you could even view the chest

it. Going to Coco and actually burying the treasure is pretty radical—

as a bit of pollution that we have left there. Do you think the Costa

thinking about it is one thing but doing it is clearly something else. To

Rican park authorities made the right decision to let us bury this

14 4

145

thing in their national park? What do you think the stakes are in

inspiring—is the idea that we are all nature and there is no culture. We,

working with an institution like that in order to make this gesture?

as people—and even our technologies—are nature. A few people have

O . E . I think it is interesting to say that I do not know whether the

forced this idea that we are all objects and that there are no subjects.

Costa Rican authorities made the right decision in allowing you to

There is a very strong argument here that introduces a type of ecology

bury the treasure. Asking was maybe already a mistake. The truth

where there is no outside. You cannot step out of the world and look

is, it depends. Generally speaking, it is an exciting project because it

at it from a distance. You are a part of nature. Everything you do has

somehow facilitates making the impossible possible. Then it is more or

consequences, and everything that nature does has consequences.

less pragmatic. Asking or not asking is just a detail, in a way. The project

The wind blows me over and I blow the wind back. I am a part of the

is more about the grander narrative: The fact that somebody takes

wind—there is no difference between us. There is a whole new school

the risk of doing something. Clearly we are all talking. We are talking

of eco-criticism that introduces a language that I find highly inspiring.

now; everybody is talking. There is a lot of talking—everybody knows

It is within that language that I think it is interesting to create an

everything but not a lot of people actually do things. The artworld is

artistic discourse, such as the one we are developing here. I do not

made up of doing things: you have an idea, you make a work of art—

think we are burying a piece of culture within nature. I do not think

that is doing. Then you bring it to a museum. That is another doing. I

it is necessarily just art, but natural stuff going back into nature. Of

often speak of art as a way of connecting thinking to doing. This is

course it is polluting—less polluting than it could have been—but by all

what art has always been about. You have a feeling, you verbalize it,

means nature is also polluting. The question is how do we successfully

you modelize it, you sculpt it, you do it. Art is a sort of activistic model,

navigate being nature.

but we also have to recognize that the artworld has its limitations. It is self-obsessed, there is a lot of egocentrism, it has a very foul economy, there is counterproductive communication, and it is being filled up with very conservative, affirmative stuff. It is not a very interesting doing, but when compared to politics—talking and doing the opposite— or the economy, perhaps it is a little bit better. What I think is great about this project is that it lends itself to the consideration of how we think about the responsibilities that we have, and how we then go on to do something. It is almost like a love story. It is about taking thinking into doing.

N . S . There is obviously a clear ecological thread running through the project. What do you think about this ecological aspect? How important is ecology in your approach to art?

O . E . There is a new eco-criticism gaining strength. It is not really the traditional, predictable, criticality. It is a kind of reevaluation of the terminology and the effort with which we address ecology. As far as I can tell, one of the significant changes—and I find this really 146

147

thing in their national park? What do you think the stakes are in

inspiring—is the idea that we are all nature and there is no culture. We,

working with an institution like that in order to make this gesture?

as people—and even our technologies—are nature. A few people have

O . E . I think it is interesting to say that I do not know whether the

forced this idea that we are all objects and that there are no subjects.

Costa Rican authorities made the right decision in allowing you to

There is a very strong argument here that introduces a type of ecology

bury the treasure. Asking was maybe already a mistake. The truth

where there is no outside. You cannot step out of the world and look

is, it depends. Generally speaking, it is an exciting project because it

at it from a distance. You are a part of nature. Everything you do has

somehow facilitates making the impossible possible. Then it is more or

consequences, and everything that nature does has consequences.

less pragmatic. Asking or not asking is just a detail, in a way. The project

The wind blows me over and I blow the wind back. I am a part of the

is more about the grander narrative: The fact that somebody takes

wind—there is no difference between us. There is a whole new school

the risk of doing something. Clearly we are all talking. We are talking

of eco-criticism that introduces a language that I find highly inspiring.

now; everybody is talking. There is a lot of talking—everybody knows

It is within that language that I think it is interesting to create an

everything but not a lot of people actually do things. The artworld is

artistic discourse, such as the one we are developing here. I do not

made up of doing things: you have an idea, you make a work of art—

think we are burying a piece of culture within nature. I do not think

that is doing. Then you bring it to a museum. That is another doing. I

it is necessarily just art, but natural stuff going back into nature. Of

often speak of art as a way of connecting thinking to doing. This is

course it is polluting—less polluting than it could have been—but by all

what art has always been about. You have a feeling, you verbalize it,

means nature is also polluting. The question is how do we successfully

you modelize it, you sculpt it, you do it. Art is a sort of activistic model,

navigate being nature.

but we also have to recognize that the artworld has its limitations. It is self-obsessed, there is a lot of egocentrism, it has a very foul economy, there is counterproductive communication, and it is being filled up with very conservative, affirmative stuff. It is not a very interesting doing, but when compared to politics—talking and doing the opposite— or the economy, perhaps it is a little bit better. What I think is great about this project is that it lends itself to the consideration of how we think about the responsibilities that we have, and how we then go on to do something. It is almost like a love story. It is about taking thinking into doing.

N . S . There is obviously a clear ecological thread running through the project. What do you think about this ecological aspect? How important is ecology in your approach to art?

O . E . There is a new eco-criticism gaining strength. It is not really the traditional, predictable, criticality. It is a kind of reevaluation of the terminology and the effort with which we address ecology. As far as I can tell, one of the significant changes—and I find this really 146

147

ten years later I began to come again. It was then that I saw the people: the treasure hunters. Eventually I managed to join an expedition—I was the only Costa Rican guy.

N . S . What was the name of the expedition?

P. M . G . It was led by Mr Sir Charles Baldwin. Originally his family were from England but he lived in California. Through him I came to know many things. One of those things was that he was the great grandson of James J Thompson… .

N . S . And who was James Thompson?

P. M . G . He was a businessman who inherited some papers from his family. I don’t know whether they were from his father or his grandfather. He got a lot of very old papers, and they were supposed to be related to a treasure.

N . S . Did you know much about the treasure stories of Coco before this?

PEPE MONGE GARCIA

P. M . G . I heard all kinds of stories because I live in Puntarenas.

Puntarenas is a harbor, full of very old people, many have passed through, but only talking—nothing proven.

N . S . What was it like on this expedition? What was the atmosphere?

N A D I M S A M M A N When did you first come to Coco? How did you

P. M . G . It was really friendly. Mr Charles put together the team

come here and how long were you working before you went on your

because he was very sure that, with the papers, he could find the

first treasure hunting expedition?

treasure. He had looked all over the world to find the best people for

P E P E M O N G E G A R C I A Many years ago I was fishing tuna and

diving, archaeology, geology, and marine biology. He made a big team

came here with my grandfather. At that time there were only five

of around twenty-seven people. All kinds—he wanted a lot of people

or six fishing boats that ever visited the island. This was before GPS.

with different skills to help him.

We came from Costa Rica and navigated using compass and sextant,

N . S . How many boats were there?

checking every twelve hours. Getting here was really very difficult so

P. M . G . Just one big motor ship—the Energy Line. It was a kind of

we never came alone. Normally we sailed from Puntarenas, two or

supply vessel. He bought it just to come to Coco to find the treasure.

three boats together—just in case something happened. We would fish

N . S . Did he pay for all of this himself or did he have investors?

yellow fin tuna. At the time we only used small fishing lines, and there

P. M . G . Everything was from him, because he was a very rich man

was nobody on the island.

who owned a big construction company in the States. Because of this

N . S . What year was that?

business he had everything—cranes, backups, models, engines, water

P. M . G . 1977—I was really young. After that I came again with some

pumps, generators. Everything. This was in 1985.

fishermen, but it was not my time so I eventually changed my job. About

N . S . What was your job?

148

149

ten years later I began to come again. It was then that I saw the people: the treasure hunters. Eventually I managed to join an expedition—I was the only Costa Rican guy.

N . S . What was the name of the expedition?

P. M . G . It was led by Mr Sir Charles Baldwin. Originally his family were from England but he lived in California. Through him I came to know many things. One of those things was that he was the great grandson of James J Thompson… .

N . S . And who was James Thompson?

P. M . G . He was a businessman who inherited some papers from his family. I don’t know whether they were from his father or his grandfather. He got a lot of very old papers, and they were supposed to be related to a treasure.

N . S . Did you know much about the treasure stories of Coco before this?

PEPE MONGE GARCIA

P. M . G . I heard all kinds of stories because I live in Puntarenas.

Puntarenas is a harbor, full of very old people, many have passed through, but only talking—nothing proven.

N . S . What was it like on this expedition? What was the atmosphere?

N A D I M S A M M A N When did you first come to Coco? How did you

P. M . G . It was really friendly. Mr Charles put together the team

come here and how long were you working before you went on your

because he was very sure that, with the papers, he could find the

first treasure hunting expedition?

treasure. He had looked all over the world to find the best people for

P E P E M O N G E G A R C I A Many years ago I was fishing tuna and

diving, archaeology, geology, and marine biology. He made a big team

came here with my grandfather. At that time there were only five

of around twenty-seven people. All kinds—he wanted a lot of people

or six fishing boats that ever visited the island. This was before GPS.

with different skills to help him.

We came from Costa Rica and navigated using compass and sextant,

N . S . How many boats were there?

checking every twelve hours. Getting here was really very difficult so

P. M . G . Just one big motor ship—the Energy Line. It was a kind of

we never came alone. Normally we sailed from Puntarenas, two or

supply vessel. He bought it just to come to Coco to find the treasure.

three boats together—just in case something happened. We would fish

N . S . Did he pay for all of this himself or did he have investors?

yellow fin tuna. At the time we only used small fishing lines, and there

P. M . G . Everything was from him, because he was a very rich man

was nobody on the island.

who owned a big construction company in the States. Because of this

N . S . What year was that?

business he had everything—cranes, backups, models, engines, water

P. M . G . 1977—I was really young. After that I came again with some

pumps, generators. Everything. This was in 1985.

fishermen, but it was not my time so I eventually changed my job. About

N . S . What was your job?

148

149

P. M . G . When I started he asked me if I could drive a skiff, and if I

the bag and passed them, he looked and started to move the compass

knew the island. I said, “Yes. I was there before.” During cruising I

again. Then said, “Okay we need to find another one.” “I think we need

was helping the guys, the crew-members, and when we arrived I was

to go there,” he said, pointing across the beach. But that was another

Mr Charles’ personal driver. In the beginning we took a small skiff, Mr

day, because it was already evening and Mr Charles was not so young.

Charles and me, and he said, “Okay, I want to go there. I want to see

N . S . Did you find the second one?

this, that, and… .” I was very close to him. I don’t know why.

P. M . G . Yes. It was the same, a lot of rocks near two small coconut

N . S . Did he bring a map with him?

trees. It was really easy.

P. M . G . He had big bag, and inside it there were lots of very old papers.

N . S . Did he tell you how many arrows there were to find?

I saw them many times because he was always asking, “Pepe, can you

P. M . G . He showed me another page and said that we need to find

pass me the paper?” I saw that the paper was very old, the writing

three. He also showed another paper with the island’s coastline to

too. They were kept in plastic. All the time he told me—I was carrying

some other people. They had different pages with the coastline over

the bag—“Pepe, my papers.” He was always carrying a compass, a

time—one with its 1800 coastline in green ink, another from 1825 in

very nice big compass. Whenever I gave him a paper he opened the

yellow, 1850, 1875, and 1900. They put them on top of each other on a

compass, started to read the paper, and looked at the compass.

big glass table and compared them. They could tell how the coast had

N . S . Was it just maps or were there other kinds of instructions?

changed in 200 years. After discussing they decided on the point. We

P. M . G . Most of the papers were letters. He read them all the time. I

went there to look for an arrow on a big old iron tree, but the tree was

saw only one map, with a very old picture of the island’s coastline that

no longer there. But Mr Charles was really sure we were in the right

I recognized. One of the things that I saw was arrow symbols. On the

place so he made some calculations from the point where the tree

map there was some little writing. We went looking for arrows on the

was supposed to be. It was a triangulation. He calculated where we

beach at Chatham. Eventually we found some, carved into rocks.

needed to dig.

N . S . Did you know where to look or did you just search everywhere?

N . S . How long did you dig for? How deep was it? What happened

P. M . G . When we arrived—I don’t know why or how, but he was really

then?

sure—Mr Charles knew where he wanted to go. He said that according

P. M . G . We dug for many days. It was very difficult because we needed

to the papers where we were used to be land but now wasn’t. I never

to work with the tide. It was really hard to keep it from collapsing. We

saw a location in the papers, just marks. He was reading all the time.

had to put steel beams around it to support the sand. I remember that

We walked around the beach for a bit and he showed me one of the

on the first day we began around midday, and after three hours the tide

arrows and said, “Pepe, we need to find something like this.” It was

started to come in. The next morning it had completely filled up and

just me and him walking. He told me to take my time and to check

so we had to start again. It was really hard. It took us around ten days

every rock one by one. We were there for about four or five hours and

just to put in the pieces of steel. We brought a crane to the island and a

then I found it.

backup to do this. We also had to have big water pumps that were run by

N . S . What happened then?

a generator sitting on a floating buoy. It was really hard.

P. M . G . I said, “Hey, Mr Charles, something like this?” and he smiled.

N . S . Did you have metal detector?

He didn’t say anything. He just smiled. He sat on the rock, opened his

P. M . G . I remember helping one man who used a steel box connected

shirt, took out his compass and said, “Pass me my papers.” I opened

to a steel stick. He told me not to breathe, and only to do so when we

150

151

P. M . G . When I started he asked me if I could drive a skiff, and if I

the bag and passed them, he looked and started to move the compass

knew the island. I said, “Yes. I was there before.” During cruising I

again. Then said, “Okay we need to find another one.” “I think we need

was helping the guys, the crew-members, and when we arrived I was

to go there,” he said, pointing across the beach. But that was another

Mr Charles’ personal driver. In the beginning we took a small skiff, Mr

day, because it was already evening and Mr Charles was not so young.

Charles and me, and he said, “Okay, I want to go there. I want to see

N . S . Did you find the second one?

this, that, and… .” I was very close to him. I don’t know why.

P. M . G . Yes. It was the same, a lot of rocks near two small coconut

N . S . Did he bring a map with him?

trees. It was really easy.

P. M . G . He had big bag, and inside it there were lots of very old papers.

N . S . Did he tell you how many arrows there were to find?

I saw them many times because he was always asking, “Pepe, can you

P. M . G . He showed me another page and said that we need to find

pass me the paper?” I saw that the paper was very old, the writing

three. He also showed another paper with the island’s coastline to

too. They were kept in plastic. All the time he told me—I was carrying

some other people. They had different pages with the coastline over

the bag—“Pepe, my papers.” He was always carrying a compass, a

time—one with its 1800 coastline in green ink, another from 1825 in

very nice big compass. Whenever I gave him a paper he opened the

yellow, 1850, 1875, and 1900. They put them on top of each other on a

compass, started to read the paper, and looked at the compass.

big glass table and compared them. They could tell how the coast had

N . S . Was it just maps or were there other kinds of instructions?

changed in 200 years. After discussing they decided on the point. We

P. M . G . Most of the papers were letters. He read them all the time. I

went there to look for an arrow on a big old iron tree, but the tree was

saw only one map, with a very old picture of the island’s coastline that

no longer there. But Mr Charles was really sure we were in the right

I recognized. One of the things that I saw was arrow symbols. On the

place so he made some calculations from the point where the tree

map there was some little writing. We went looking for arrows on the

was supposed to be. It was a triangulation. He calculated where we

beach at Chatham. Eventually we found some, carved into rocks.

needed to dig.

N . S . Did you know where to look or did you just search everywhere?

N . S . How long did you dig for? How deep was it? What happened

P. M . G . When we arrived—I don’t know why or how, but he was really

then?

sure—Mr Charles knew where he wanted to go. He said that according

P. M . G . We dug for many days. It was very difficult because we needed

to the papers where we were used to be land but now wasn’t. I never

to work with the tide. It was really hard to keep it from collapsing. We

saw a location in the papers, just marks. He was reading all the time.

had to put steel beams around it to support the sand. I remember that

We walked around the beach for a bit and he showed me one of the

on the first day we began around midday, and after three hours the tide

arrows and said, “Pepe, we need to find something like this.” It was

started to come in. The next morning it had completely filled up and

just me and him walking. He told me to take my time and to check

so we had to start again. It was really hard. It took us around ten days

every rock one by one. We were there for about four or five hours and

just to put in the pieces of steel. We brought a crane to the island and a

then I found it.

backup to do this. We also had to have big water pumps that were run by

N . S . What happened then?

a generator sitting on a floating buoy. It was really hard.

P. M . G . I said, “Hey, Mr Charles, something like this?” and he smiled.

N . S . Did you have metal detector?

He didn’t say anything. He just smiled. He sat on the rock, opened his

P. M . G . I remember helping one man who used a steel box connected

shirt, took out his compass and said, “Pass me my papers.” I opened

to a steel stick. He told me not to breathe, and only to do so when we

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heard a peeping sound. Inside there was a kind of computer.

N . S . So it was clear that the equipment wasn't up to the task of

N . S . Did Charles ever tell you exactly what he was looking for?

recovering it, even if it was there. When was the moment where it

What the treasure was?

was decided that the search would be given up? Did you discuss

P. M . G . He said it was gold, pearls, sapphires, rubies—many things.

returning with better equipment?

N . S . Did he say that he would give you some of it?

P. M . G . Mr Charles said, “Okay, stop. We can do nothing. We are not

P. M . G . Two times. We were the only two persons on the boat who

prepared enough. We cannot do it now, but we need to come back

smoked. He had a pipe, and a couple of times when we were on a break

because I know it's here.” When we arrived back in Puntarenas he

he said to me, “Pepe, if we find this then you, your son, your daughter,

said that he wanted to return. After five or six months he came back

your grandson, your great grandson—they will never need to work, just

to Costa Rica, and I saw him at Caldera Harbour. He said, “Pepe, I am

study.”

sorry but we cannot do it because the government will not give me

N . S . How long did it take after digging the hole before the expedition

another permit.” It was around that time that the government was

ended?

talking about Cocos Island being a national park.

P. M . G . We were here for two months and three weeks.

N . S . Did you ever consider finding some Costa Ricans to look for it

N . S . Did you dig any other holes?

with you? To partner with someone else to sell your knowledge to

P. M . G . Only one.

somebody?

N . S . What was it like when it started to become clear that maybe

P. M . G . The hole was there so everybody knew about it. It just that

you weren't going to find this treasure?

there was no more permission. It’s a disaster.

P. M . G . We found some things in the hole. First we found two very old

N . S . Then how long after that did it take for you to return to Coco?

bottles and three door hinges. One of the hinges was connected to a

P. M . G . When I started working for the Undersea Hunter company in

piece of wood. A Japanese man who was in charge of many things

1997, about twelve years later.

took it to the boat’s lab, and after three hours they knew that the wood

N . S . In your time working with this company, has anyone ever tried

could have only come from Spain or Portugal. In the old days they used

to look for treasure in a serious way—or in secret—that you know

this kind of wood to make chests. After that we found a piece of gold

about?

chain. That was all.

P. M . G . When I was working on one of the dive trips two old Russian

N . S . You kept digging and digging?

guys came along but they were not divers. The Captain told me that

P. M . G . We continued for a long time and the hole got very deep, but

they wanted a photo tour between the dives. I put them in the skiff,

after a while mistakes started to happen. One the arms on our backhoe

but they brought some things with them. They asked me to take them

was short so we changed it for another, but even that was not long

to three specific places—one was close to the hole. They also talked

enough. The water pumps started to break one after the other because

about a big stone and told me to move close to a rock. They were up to

we had them running day and night. Mr Charles was always sitting on

something. Every day of the seven-day trip they asked to go back to the

a rock with his notebook. He started to say that we had made some

same place, more or less within around a twenty meter area, and I just

miscalculations—that we did not think about the treasure’s weight, and

kept the skiff still. They had some electric apparatus with them; the

that after 200 years in the sand it would not be just three or four meters

only thing that I heard was a peep-peep, peep-peep sound. That was

underground. He realized that it had been sinking all that time.

all. I don’t know what they were doing because they never showed

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153

heard a peeping sound. Inside there was a kind of computer.

N . S . So it was clear that the equipment wasn't up to the task of

N . S . Did Charles ever tell you exactly what he was looking for?

recovering it, even if it was there. When was the moment where it

What the treasure was?

was decided that the search would be given up? Did you discuss

P. M . G . He said it was gold, pearls, sapphires, rubies—many things.

returning with better equipment?

N . S . Did he say that he would give you some of it?

P. M . G . Mr Charles said, “Okay, stop. We can do nothing. We are not

P. M . G . Two times. We were the only two persons on the boat who

prepared enough. We cannot do it now, but we need to come back

smoked. He had a pipe, and a couple of times when we were on a break

because I know it's here.” When we arrived back in Puntarenas he

he said to me, “Pepe, if we find this then you, your son, your daughter,

said that he wanted to return. After five or six months he came back

your grandson, your great grandson—they will never need to work, just

to Costa Rica, and I saw him at Caldera Harbour. He said, “Pepe, I am

study.”

sorry but we cannot do it because the government will not give me

N . S . How long did it take after digging the hole before the expedition

another permit.” It was around that time that the government was

ended?

talking about Cocos Island being a national park.

P. M . G . We were here for two months and three weeks.

N . S . Did you ever consider finding some Costa Ricans to look for it

N . S . Did you dig any other holes?

with you? To partner with someone else to sell your knowledge to

P. M . G . Only one.

somebody?

N . S . What was it like when it started to become clear that maybe

P. M . G . The hole was there so everybody knew about it. It just that

you weren't going to find this treasure?

there was no more permission. It’s a disaster.

P. M . G . We found some things in the hole. First we found two very old

N . S . Then how long after that did it take for you to return to Coco?

bottles and three door hinges. One of the hinges was connected to a

P. M . G . When I started working for the Undersea Hunter company in

piece of wood. A Japanese man who was in charge of many things

1997, about twelve years later.

took it to the boat’s lab, and after three hours they knew that the wood

N . S . In your time working with this company, has anyone ever tried

could have only come from Spain or Portugal. In the old days they used

to look for treasure in a serious way—or in secret—that you know

this kind of wood to make chests. After that we found a piece of gold

about?

chain. That was all.

P. M . G . When I was working on one of the dive trips two old Russian

N . S . You kept digging and digging?

guys came along but they were not divers. The Captain told me that

P. M . G . We continued for a long time and the hole got very deep, but

they wanted a photo tour between the dives. I put them in the skiff,

after a while mistakes started to happen. One the arms on our backhoe

but they brought some things with them. They asked me to take them

was short so we changed it for another, but even that was not long

to three specific places—one was close to the hole. They also talked

enough. The water pumps started to break one after the other because

about a big stone and told me to move close to a rock. They were up to

we had them running day and night. Mr Charles was always sitting on

something. Every day of the seven-day trip they asked to go back to the

a rock with his notebook. He started to say that we had made some

same place, more or less within around a twenty meter area, and I just

miscalculations—that we did not think about the treasure’s weight, and

kept the skiff still. They had some electric apparatus with them; the

that after 200 years in the sand it would not be just three or four meters

only thing that I heard was a peep-peep, peep-peep sound. That was

underground. He realized that it had been sinking all that time.

all. I don’t know what they were doing because they never showed

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153

me anything, and the moment they were finished they put it back in a bag. After that trip I went back to Puntarenas, and when I returned to Coco on the next trip I was surprised to find that these two old men were back. They took a second trip in a row and we did it all over again.

Eventually they told me they wanted to get a government permit and come back with a big ship. I never saw them again.

N . S . What do you think about our project?

P. M . G . Honest?

N . S . Please be very honest.

P. M . G . I like it. For me it is another spirit. It’s like what I told you this

FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES

evening when we were on the skiff: Maybe when I am eighty-five or ninety years old I can tell my grandson, “Do you know what? I was part of one trip and… .” Just a little story. Maybe names—I don’t know—but not where. Just, “One day, on the island… .”

N A D I M S A M M A N There are a lot of stories about buried treasure on Isla del Coco. In recent years the park has tried to stop people looking for buried treasure. Can you tell me something about the history of treasure hunting in your time as the Director of the Coco National Park?

F E R N A N D O Q U I R O S B R E N E S There are three main treasures that are the focus of most of the legends. The first is the Treasure of Lima. I personally think that this treasure never arrived on the island.

There is certainly a lot of information about it, but this is my opinion.

N . S . What are the two other main treasures? And why don’t you think the Treasure of Lima was ever here?

F. Q . B . With regard to the Treasure of Lima—there are many stories, but I think it is more likely that its riches were spent during the Peruvian War of Independence. The main reason to think this is because there have been more than 200 expeditions intent on finding it since then.

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155

me anything, and the moment they were finished they put it back in a bag. After that trip I went back to Puntarenas, and when I returned to Coco on the next trip I was surprised to find that these two old men were back. They took a second trip in a row and we did it all over again.

Eventually they told me they wanted to get a government permit and come back with a big ship. I never saw them again.

N . S . What do you think about our project?

P. M . G . Honest?

N . S . Please be very honest.

P. M . G . I like it. For me it is another spirit. It’s like what I told you this

FERNANDO QUIROS BRENES

evening when we were on the skiff: Maybe when I am eighty-five or ninety years old I can tell my grandson, “Do you know what? I was part of one trip and… .” Just a little story. Maybe names—I don’t know—but not where. Just, “One day, on the island… .”

N A D I M S A M M A N There are a lot of stories about buried treasure on Isla del Coco. In recent years the park has tried to stop people looking for buried treasure. Can you tell me something about the history of treasure hunting in your time as the Director of the Coco National Park?

F E R N A N D O Q U I R O S B R E N E S There are three main treasures that are the focus of most of the legends. The first is the Treasure of Lima. I personally think that this treasure never arrived on the island.

There is certainly a lot of information about it, but this is my opinion.

N . S . What are the two other main treasures? And why don’t you think the Treasure of Lima was ever here?

F. Q . B . With regard to the Treasure of Lima—there are many stories, but I think it is more likely that its riches were spent during the Peruvian War of Independence. The main reason to think this is because there have been more than 200 expeditions intent on finding it since then.

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155

Even more recently, despite all the technology employed in various

a serious case then there is an open space in the law to allow for it.

searches, and all the effort, nobody found anything.

N . S . How can one present a serious proposal if you haven't been

N . S . What of the other two treasures?

here first? Does it all have to be done by satellite? Don’t you have

F. Q . B . The other two famous stories relate to the treasure of Captain

to check the island out in person in order to present a proposal?

William Davis, and another pirate called Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito.

If this is the case, do you give permission for people to come for

There has also been lots of talk but not really any physical proof

reconnaissance while preparing their proposals?

matching up to the ideas that people arrived on Coco with. Those that

F. Q . B . If it is a project that is presented in a very professional way

came to look for these treasures always became very disappointed

with serious technology then this will be possible. Lately, however, the

that they didn’t find a mark, a sign that conformed to anything on

proposals that we have received have not been very serious.

their treasure maps. There have been some serious professional

N . S . The important question at this point is why would the

treasure hunting companies with access to Coco and even they

government be interested in considering any proposals? Would it

failed. Recently, a very powerful Russian company stated that it had

involve the sharing of any potential revenues?

precise information about a big amount of gold and treasure on the

F. Q . B . It is a very delicate and complex issue from a legal point of

island through satellite images. But they never approached the park

view, and this would need to be managed very discreetly. But the

or the government in a serious way regarding how they would like to

government would be interested if there were an economic benefit.

deal with its confirmation. In the 1990s a German company made a

N . S . Benefiting the general economy of Costa Rica or just the park?

contract with the government and came to dig. This was before the

F. Q . B . The system of Costa Rica’s national parks. This would be it. The

law changed. But they didn’t respect the conditions of the contract.

proceeds would be dedicated to that, not other things.

There was a very serious environmental impact on the island.

N . S . What would be the division of the treasure between the

N . S . How did they break the rules?

government and the hunters?

F. Q . B . There was a weak presence of rangers on the island at that

F. Q . B . Costa Rican law has no fixed rule for this. But the real problem

time, so they went beyond the limits of where they could dig. They did

is what could happen with the country where the treasure originated.

more than what was proposed because they found nothing in their

It might become a case of international law—this is basically what

agreed area of focus. It ended in a bad way for both the company and

happened with lots of underwater salvage projects. There was a big

the government. After that, in 1995, after such a bad experience with

fight between nations.

a supposedly serious company, the government decided to put a stop

N . S . The law says treasure hunting is generally not allowed, but

to treasure hunting—to refuse any more permits, and to declare the

does the restriction expire?

island a natural reserve. This was last reserve established in Costa

F. Q . B . There are just a couple of lines that say no one is allowed to

Rica.

come to the island to look for treasure by any method. This is a decree

N . S . I have also heard stories that some people once used ­dynamite.

that could be changed.

F. Q . B . As far as I know, explosives were never used. Anyway, at the

N . S . Is this a statute of the general law of Costa Rica or is it some

moment—given our current government—I think that a serious project

part of parks law?

with very precise information relating to the possible location of a

F. Q . B . It is not a rule of the park, it is a decree of law and signed by

treasure would probably receive a permit. If a company can present

the Minister of Environment and the President.

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157

Even more recently, despite all the technology employed in various

a serious case then there is an open space in the law to allow for it.

searches, and all the effort, nobody found anything.

N . S . How can one present a serious proposal if you haven't been

N . S . What of the other two treasures?

here first? Does it all have to be done by satellite? Don’t you have

F. Q . B . The other two famous stories relate to the treasure of Captain

to check the island out in person in order to present a proposal?

William Davis, and another pirate called Benito “Bloody Sword” Bonito.

If this is the case, do you give permission for people to come for

There has also been lots of talk but not really any physical proof

reconnaissance while preparing their proposals?

matching up to the ideas that people arrived on Coco with. Those that

F. Q . B . If it is a project that is presented in a very professional way

came to look for these treasures always became very disappointed

with serious technology then this will be possible. Lately, however, the

that they didn’t find a mark, a sign that conformed to anything on

proposals that we have received have not been very serious.

their treasure maps. There have been some serious professional

N . S . The important question at this point is why would the

treasure hunting companies with access to Coco and even they

government be interested in considering any proposals? Would it

failed. Recently, a very powerful Russian company stated that it had

involve the sharing of any potential revenues?

precise information about a big amount of gold and treasure on the

F. Q . B . It is a very delicate and complex issue from a legal point of

island through satellite images. But they never approached the park

view, and this would need to be managed very discreetly. But the

or the government in a serious way regarding how they would like to

government would be interested if there were an economic benefit.

deal with its confirmation. In the 1990s a German company made a

N . S . Benefiting the general economy of Costa Rica or just the park?

contract with the government and came to dig. This was before the

F. Q . B . The system of Costa Rica’s national parks. This would be it. The

law changed. But they didn’t respect the conditions of the contract.

proceeds would be dedicated to that, not other things.

There was a very serious environmental impact on the island.

N . S . What would be the division of the treasure between the

N . S . How did they break the rules?

government and the hunters?

F. Q . B . There was a weak presence of rangers on the island at that

F. Q . B . Costa Rican law has no fixed rule for this. But the real problem

time, so they went beyond the limits of where they could dig. They did

is what could happen with the country where the treasure originated.

more than what was proposed because they found nothing in their

It might become a case of international law—this is basically what

agreed area of focus. It ended in a bad way for both the company and

happened with lots of underwater salvage projects. There was a big

the government. After that, in 1995, after such a bad experience with

fight between nations.

a supposedly serious company, the government decided to put a stop

N . S . The law says treasure hunting is generally not allowed, but

to treasure hunting—to refuse any more permits, and to declare the

does the restriction expire?

island a natural reserve. This was last reserve established in Costa

F. Q . B . There are just a couple of lines that say no one is allowed to

Rica.

come to the island to look for treasure by any method. This is a decree

N . S . I have also heard stories that some people once used ­dynamite.

that could be changed.

F. Q . B . As far as I know, explosives were never used. Anyway, at the

N . S . Is this a statute of the general law of Costa Rica or is it some

moment—given our current government—I think that a serious project

part of parks law?

with very precise information relating to the possible location of a

F. Q . B . It is not a rule of the park, it is a decree of law and signed by

treasure would probably receive a permit. If a company can present

the Minister of Environment and the President.

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157

N . S . Okay, so if the government received a very professional proposal

sailors on the stones at Chatham Bay. The rocks with the carvings have

to look for treasure they might accept it, and understanding that

not been declared part of the cultural patrimony of the country but

the reason they might accept it and change the decree is because

they are not supposed to leave the island. They are under the general

there may be an economic benefit to the park, does that not imply

law that you cannot take anything away from the island.

that the government believes there is treasure buried here? Isn’t

N . S . What are the current challenges for Coco in terms of human

this contrary to your opinion? Do any of your colleagues think

impact? I know there are rangers who live here. I also understand

differently?

there is some drug-running activity in the area, and that an antenna

F. Q . B . There are many of my colleagues who think the same as I do—

is being installed to monitor this. What else?

especially about the Treasure of Lima. The reason why they think this

F. Q . B . Any activity with humans on the island produces an impact,

is because they believe that the person who argues that the treasure

this is very clear. All the politics of the park are dedicated to keeping

never arrived is a real expert. He is a very respected person, but the

this human impact to a minimum. We are trying to keep all human

public has not really heard him.

presence on and around the island limited to small areas where the

N . S . In your fifteen years as Director, has anything happened on

impact was already felt before the park was created. There is a big

Coco relating to illegal treasure hunting?

interest in avoiding any major building projects or structures on the

F. Q . B . Just a little bit before I became Director there was a German

island.

expedition that came here illegally. They got onto the island but were

N . S . What about the narco-traffickers and the antenna?

stopped immediately. Then there were other attempts in which persons

F. Q . B . The project is the construction of an antenna on the island. It

approached the government as if they were conducting geological

will be about sixty meters tall, with a base of four by four meters.

investigations but had treasure as their real goal. They never got onto

N . S . Do the smugglers only pass by, or do they ever come to Coco?

the island.

Has it ever been used for this kind of modern piracy?

N . S . There are historical artifacts like rock carvings—and even

F. Q . B . The heavy route is between Cocos and the mainland, about

physical structures left behind by previous treasure hunting

sixty miles north east of the island. It is a very difficult thing to

expeditions. Does the park consider any of these items relating to

control, because they are using different tools—from planes to boats

treasure hunting to be part of the history and heritage of Coco that

to submarines—all the time.

fall under your protection?

N . S . So the antenna will be there just to spot them in the surrounding

F. Q . B . There are some tools from the 1920s and 1930s in Chatham

waters—to get a better view?

Bay but they are now covered by vegetation. They are on the island but

F. Q . B . It's not just a project for Coco. It's a project that encompasses

there is no protection. There is another thing from the expedition of the

the whole coast of Costa Rica. The idea is that there will be several

American President Roose­velt who came to the island with the excuse

hundred antennas.

of sport fishing, but then they found a box… . It was from a detector for

N . S . Bringing it now to our project—why did you accept it? What

mines and explosives that was obviously used as a treasure hunting

do you think about it?

tool. It is still in the main saloon of the ranger house. But it is not really

F. Q . B . I think it is very important that a group of people are interested

considered a historical item. There is an idea for a future museum,

in supporting the island. The country is very worried about the

but at the moment the only protected things are the carvings of the

sustainability of the system of national parks. I am impressed by this

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159

N . S . Okay, so if the government received a very professional proposal

sailors on the stones at Chatham Bay. The rocks with the carvings have

to look for treasure they might accept it, and understanding that

not been declared part of the cultural patrimony of the country but

the reason they might accept it and change the decree is because

they are not supposed to leave the island. They are under the general

there may be an economic benefit to the park, does that not imply

law that you cannot take anything away from the island.

that the government believes there is treasure buried here? Isn’t

N . S . What are the current challenges for Coco in terms of human

this contrary to your opinion? Do any of your colleagues think

impact? I know there are rangers who live here. I also understand

differently?

there is some drug-running activity in the area, and that an antenna

F. Q . B . There are many of my colleagues who think the same as I do—

is being installed to monitor this. What else?

especially about the Treasure of Lima. The reason why they think this

F. Q . B . Any activity with humans on the island produces an impact,

is because they believe that the person who argues that the treasure

this is very clear. All the politics of the park are dedicated to keeping

never arrived is a real expert. He is a very respected person, but the

this human impact to a minimum. We are trying to keep all human

public has not really heard him.

presence on and around the island limited to small areas where the

N . S . In your fifteen years as Director, has anything happened on

impact was already felt before the park was created. There is a big

Coco relating to illegal treasure hunting?

interest in avoiding any major building projects or structures on the

F. Q . B . Just a little bit before I became Director there was a German

island.

expedition that came here illegally. They got onto the island but were

N . S . What about the narco-traffickers and the antenna?

stopped immediately. Then there were other attempts in which persons

F. Q . B . The project is the construction of an antenna on the island. It

approached the government as if they were conducting geological

will be about sixty meters tall, with a base of four by four meters.

investigations but had treasure as their real goal. They never got onto

N . S . Do the smugglers only pass by, or do they ever come to Coco?

the island.

Has it ever been used for this kind of modern piracy?

N . S . There are historical artifacts like rock carvings—and even

F. Q . B . The heavy route is between Cocos and the mainland, about

physical structures left behind by previous treasure hunting

sixty miles north east of the island. It is a very difficult thing to

expeditions. Does the park consider any of these items relating to

control, because they are using different tools—from planes to boats

treasure hunting to be part of the history and heritage of Coco that

to submarines—all the time.

fall under your protection?

N . S . So the antenna will be there just to spot them in the surrounding

F. Q . B . There are some tools from the 1920s and 1930s in Chatham

waters—to get a better view?

Bay but they are now covered by vegetation. They are on the island but

F. Q . B . It's not just a project for Coco. It's a project that encompasses

there is no protection. There is another thing from the expedition of the

the whole coast of Costa Rica. The idea is that there will be several

American President Roose­velt who came to the island with the excuse

hundred antennas.

of sport fishing, but then they found a box… . It was from a detector for

N . S . Bringing it now to our project—why did you accept it? What

mines and explosives that was obviously used as a treasure hunting

do you think about it?

tool. It is still in the main saloon of the ranger house. But it is not really

F. Q . B . I think it is very important that a group of people are interested

considered a historical item. There is an idea for a future museum,

in supporting the island. The country is very worried about the

but at the moment the only protected things are the carvings of the

sustainability of the system of national parks. I am impressed by this

158

159

new approach—this donation for the system in a creative and original way. I am positive about it. In recent years the government has cut a lot of funding, and they have advised us to look for new ways to get funds from other countries to help with environmental administration.

I see that there will be absolutely no significant environmental impact by your project, and I think its creativity can push other people to develop a new system of fundraising for environmental needs. The other directors share my opinion.

ANDREW RANVILLE N A D I M S A M M A N Let’s talk about how we recorded the location of the exhibition. What did you do?

A N D R E W R A N V I L L E I worked with Captain Brady and we gathered three GPS recorders from the ship, along with my own GPS. We tested them all while onboard the Dardanella, and we were averaging seven or eight satellites. One of our GPS was not really functioning so we rejected it. We set all the remaining ones to the same map datum and the same map spheroid.

N . S . What is the spheroid?

A . R . Basically, the map spheroid is how the grid lines of mapping infrastructure are projected onto the world. The map datum is the actual grid, and the spheroid is the shape of the globe that you’re using.

So you are projecting the former onto the latter. If you think about it, our earth is a kind of mutable form—in relation to the moon’s pull the sea is actually bulging. It is not a perfect sphere. It is a spheroid, because it is a little bit elliptical in shape.

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161

new approach—this donation for the system in a creative and original way. I am positive about it. In recent years the government has cut a lot of funding, and they have advised us to look for new ways to get funds from other countries to help with environmental administration.

I see that there will be absolutely no significant environmental impact by your project, and I think its creativity can push other people to develop a new system of fundraising for environmental needs. The other directors share my opinion.

ANDREW RANVILLE N A D I M S A M M A N Let’s talk about how we recorded the location of the exhibition. What did you do?

A N D R E W R A N V I L L E I worked with Captain Brady and we gathered three GPS recorders from the ship, along with my own GPS. We tested them all while onboard the Dardanella, and we were averaging seven or eight satellites. One of our GPS was not really functioning so we rejected it. We set all the remaining ones to the same map datum and the same map spheroid.

N . S . What is the spheroid?

A . R . Basically, the map spheroid is how the grid lines of mapping infrastructure are projected onto the world. The map datum is the actual grid, and the spheroid is the shape of the globe that you’re using.

So you are projecting the former onto the latter. If you think about it, our earth is a kind of mutable form—in relation to the moon’s pull the sea is actually bulging. It is not a perfect sphere. It is a spheroid, because it is a little bit elliptical in shape.

160

161

N . S . How did you pick the spheroid?

A . R . If you took a GPS with that exact coordinate you would get within

A . R . The most accurate projection of the shape of the earth and the

a hundred feet of the actual location of the buried exhibition.

data points that are applied to it is called WGS 84—the 84 represents

N . S . So there is a margin there.

when it was developed, in 1984. There are older ones that are specific

A . R . Even you are able to extract the GPS point from the encryption,

to certain countries. If you look in the settings of a lot of mapping

when you actually plot it on a satellite map of Coco it might show up as

software almost every country has its own data, because they like to

being in the ocean. It might show up on the coast, it might show up on a

project things slightly differently. Often the projection is centered on

rock. There is a degree of inaccuracy that results from the limitations of

their boundaries, but this throws the coordinates off for mapping that

the GPS technology available for civilian use, and Google Earth. The latter

you might like to do in other places. I was tempted to use the Costa

is just free software. Military GPS is being recalibrated everyday, from

Rican national grid but that was probably not going to be any more

within a bunker somewhere in Colorado: They calibrate all the time, on

accurate than even North American datum 73. I picked WGS because it

the hour. When it comes to Google Earth, which model of the globe are

is the world global system.

they using to project the satellite images onto? Actually, their satellite

N . S . What next?

data is projected on multiple spheroids applied across the whole globe.

A . R . Then we took those three GPS on the burial expedition. On site

They project it as close as possible but the end product is just a kind of

only two of our devices were connecting properly to satellites. It was a

average of these spheroids. In a sense, traditional treasure maps might

very challenging location—which made it harder to connect to satellites.

be a better thing, as they might include landmarks like promontories,

So while we were on site we were only connecting to maybe three

rocks and other more or less permanent fixtures. But, ultimately, I

or four on the two working GPS. The third didn’t connect to anything.

think X never truly marks the spot. If you think about it, there is not

That redundancy, having two fairly accurate GPS connected to three

only the idea of the GPS projection having some fallibility but there is

or four satellites—and not necessarily the same ones—was good. One

also the mutability of the actual landscape. Coco moves. It moves two

of the devices that we used was the Garmin Etrex, which is good but

centimeters a year. It is just one visible tip of a tectonic plate that is

not quite as accurate as mine as it doesn’t have as much triangulation

shifting. The earth is not a solid thing. It is floating on a molten soup. So

power between the satellites. Mine was the Organ 300, which was

the fact is, the longer the buyer takes to decrypt the code the more the

hitting within an accuracy of eighty-six feet. It was fluctuating, and the

treasure moves.

Etrex was fluctuating between 106 and 120 feet. In the end we recorded

N . S . A lot of the old treasure maps relating to Coco go by landmarks—

a point with both of those, seconds apart, and then loaded the data

and then of course the trees get blown off the side of the mountain

into some very simple Garmin software called Basecamp, which we

in a hurricane, rocks tumble down valleys, landslides occur. So are

then used to discern the Universal Transmercator coordinates. It is

you saying that we should have created a map that was a set of

important that we used the UTM grid system, which is popular for any

landmarks?

sort of land based coordinate recordings. From there we translated the

A . R . It is quite beautiful that nothing can be right on. You are never

UTM coordinates to latitude and longitude—our degrees in minutes and

going to have a pinpoint of an X—that rarely occurs. From treasure maps

then hundreds and thousands of minutes.

in early history right through to contemporary GPS, there is always a

N . S . So you took an average calculation between two GPS points.

level of expectation for the human to use their own brain. You can only

Now we have this average, how accurate is it?

get so close—with civilian GPS the most accurate you can get is about

162

163

N . S . How did you pick the spheroid?

A . R . If you took a GPS with that exact coordinate you would get within

A . R . The most accurate projection of the shape of the earth and the

a hundred feet of the actual location of the buried exhibition.

data points that are applied to it is called WGS 84—the 84 represents

N . S . So there is a margin there.

when it was developed, in 1984. There are older ones that are specific

A . R . Even you are able to extract the GPS point from the encryption,

to certain countries. If you look in the settings of a lot of mapping

when you actually plot it on a satellite map of Coco it might show up as

software almost every country has its own data, because they like to

being in the ocean. It might show up on the coast, it might show up on a

project things slightly differently. Often the projection is centered on

rock. There is a degree of inaccuracy that results from the limitations of

their boundaries, but this throws the coordinates off for mapping that

the GPS technology available for civilian use, and Google Earth. The latter

you might like to do in other places. I was tempted to use the Costa

is just free software. Military GPS is being recalibrated everyday, from

Rican national grid but that was probably not going to be any more

within a bunker somewhere in Colorado: They calibrate all the time, on

accurate than even North American datum 73. I picked WGS because it

the hour. When it comes to Google Earth, which model of the globe are

is the world global system.

they using to project the satellite images onto? Actually, their satellite

N . S . What next?

data is projected on multiple spheroids applied across the whole globe.

A . R . Then we took those three GPS on the burial expedition. On site

They project it as close as possible but the end product is just a kind of

only two of our devices were connecting properly to satellites. It was a

average of these spheroids. In a sense, traditional treasure maps might

very challenging location—which made it harder to connect to satellites.

be a better thing, as they might include landmarks like promontories,

So while we were on site we were only connecting to maybe three

rocks and other more or less permanent fixtures. But, ultimately, I

or four on the two working GPS. The third didn’t connect to anything.

think X never truly marks the spot. If you think about it, there is not

That redundancy, having two fairly accurate GPS connected to three

only the idea of the GPS projection having some fallibility but there is

or four satellites—and not necessarily the same ones—was good. One

also the mutability of the actual landscape. Coco moves. It moves two

of the devices that we used was the Garmin Etrex, which is good but

centimeters a year. It is just one visible tip of a tectonic plate that is

not quite as accurate as mine as it doesn’t have as much triangulation

shifting. The earth is not a solid thing. It is floating on a molten soup. So

power between the satellites. Mine was the Organ 300, which was

the fact is, the longer the buyer takes to decrypt the code the more the

hitting within an accuracy of eighty-six feet. It was fluctuating, and the

treasure moves.

Etrex was fluctuating between 106 and 120 feet. In the end we recorded

N . S . A lot of the old treasure maps relating to Coco go by landmarks—

a point with both of those, seconds apart, and then loaded the data

and then of course the trees get blown off the side of the mountain

into some very simple Garmin software called Basecamp, which we

in a hurricane, rocks tumble down valleys, landslides occur. So are

then used to discern the Universal Transmercator coordinates. It is

you saying that we should have created a map that was a set of

important that we used the UTM grid system, which is popular for any

landmarks?

sort of land based coordinate recordings. From there we translated the

A . R . It is quite beautiful that nothing can be right on. You are never

UTM coordinates to latitude and longitude—our degrees in minutes and

going to have a pinpoint of an X—that rarely occurs. From treasure maps

then hundreds and thousands of minutes.

in early history right through to contemporary GPS, there is always a

N . S . So you took an average calculation between two GPS points.

level of expectation for the human to use their own brain. You can only

Now we have this average, how accurate is it?

get so close—with civilian GPS the most accurate you can get is about

162

163

eight feet. With military spec tools, in collaboration with radar and laser

point is they will quickly realize that they are off, by maybe hundreds of

imaging, you can get accurate down to a few inches.

feet. There will be a discrepancy with the aerial imagery. Aerial imagery

N . S . The range by which our coordinate may be off—would you say

is only going to get you so far, especially when there is only an average

that’s pretty much as good as it gets for civilian equipment?

of the satellite which is projected as close as possible but not close

A . R . I would say that it’s acceptable. I would have loved for it to be

enough. When you are on the island it will be very obvious that the

within sixty feet but I think that it was fine, given the circumstances,

Google Earth projection is just a gross approximation.

the remoteness and the satellite coverage at the time—there were so

N . S . Isn’t it incredible to think about this in relation to all the people

many variables, including weather.

who came here looking for treasure on the basis of traditional

N . S . Now we have this average point: It doesn’t necessarily fall on

maps in the nineteenth century—like August Gissler, who lived here

the spot where the object is. It gives you the center point of a radius.

for eighteen years, searching, based on what he thought was an

If you plot that point into—for example—Google Earth what is likely

accurate chart? You would think that today, in an age of satellite

to happen?

positioning systems and handheld devices, that we could really

A . R . First you have the variables of Google Earth’s map datum. I did my

place an X on the spot.

research before I got here to try to find the most accurate map of Coco

A . R . You would think so, but there is something really romantic in the

that could be loaded onto my Garmin GPS. I found a topographic map,

idea that X is not necessarily the spot. It is a reference for the visitor

and it was quite difficult to come by. Anyway, the shape of the island

to use their own intuition on the ground, in the environment, to ask,

was so average, so rounded and imprecise on it. There has not been any

“Where would this actual exhibition be?” I think this project exhibits the

really accurate map data produced about the island. Google Earth will

inconsistency of what we see as advanced technologies. Even if we did

just take satellite imagery and project it onto whatever spheroid they

get it perfect with military grade equipment the earth still is changing.

are using. Using it you will probably be a few meters, maybe even ten

Coco is one little island on a huge tectonic plate that is shifting—a few

or twenty, into the sea—or you might be on a rock face or a cliff edge.

centimeters every year. Depending on how long it takes for someone

There is a lot of discrepancy.

to de-encrypt the code, they might have to establish a formula that

N . S . So the person who potentially recovers the data and manages

corrects for every year of the island’s movement. There is a beauty in

to de-encrypt the GPS coordinates will put them into civilian

imprecision, and there is another layer of challenge for anyone who has

software like Google Earth, and then they will come up with a point

the gumption to try to visit or exhume this exhibition.

that is close but not the exact spot. Have we given them a map at

N . S . To access the exhibition experience.

all?

A . R . Well, they’re accessing it in a different way just by partaking in

A . R . I think we have given them a starting point. We have not given

the narrative. They know that maybe they do not get to see what is in

them the location. They will have to use their own intuition.

the actual exhibition architecture—but they are complicit, and enjoy

N . S . More precisely—the coordinates that they recover, when put

the fact that they are a part of that narrative.

into Google Earth, may drop a pin on a spot that may not actually

N . S . What do you think about what we are going to do with the

even be on the island. What happens when they get there in person?

coordinates? We have already spoken about a whole field of

A . R . They should realize that the projection loaded into Google Earth is

variables and imprecision—even before the challenge posed by

incorrect. If they start to use satellite imagery to say this is where the

Constant Dullaart’s encryption.

164

165

eight feet. With military spec tools, in collaboration with radar and laser

point is they will quickly realize that they are off, by maybe hundreds of

imaging, you can get accurate down to a few inches.

feet. There will be a discrepancy with the aerial imagery. Aerial imagery

N . S . The range by which our coordinate may be off—would you say

is only going to get you so far, especially when there is only an average

that’s pretty much as good as it gets for civilian equipment?

of the satellite which is projected as close as possible but not close

A . R . I would say that it’s acceptable. I would have loved for it to be

enough. When you are on the island it will be very obvious that the

within sixty feet but I think that it was fine, given the circumstances,

Google Earth projection is just a gross approximation.

the remoteness and the satellite coverage at the time—there were so

N . S . Isn’t it incredible to think about this in relation to all the people

many variables, including weather.

who came here looking for treasure on the basis of traditional

N . S . Now we have this average point: It doesn’t necessarily fall on

maps in the nineteenth century—like August Gissler, who lived here

the spot where the object is. It gives you the center point of a radius.

for eighteen years, searching, based on what he thought was an

If you plot that point into—for example—Google Earth what is likely

accurate chart? You would think that today, in an age of satellite

to happen?

positioning systems and handheld devices, that we could really

A . R . First you have the variables of Google Earth’s map datum. I did my

place an X on the spot.

research before I got here to try to find the most accurate map of Coco

A . R . You would think so, but there is something really romantic in the

that could be loaded onto my Garmin GPS. I found a topographic map,

idea that X is not necessarily the spot. It is a reference for the visitor

and it was quite difficult to come by. Anyway, the shape of the island

to use their own intuition on the ground, in the environment, to ask,

was so average, so rounded and imprecise on it. There has not been any

“Where would this actual exhibition be?” I think this project exhibits the

really accurate map data produced about the island. Google Earth will

inconsistency of what we see as advanced technologies. Even if we did

just take satellite imagery and project it onto whatever spheroid they

get it perfect with military grade equipment the earth still is changing.

are using. Using it you will probably be a few meters, maybe even ten

Coco is one little island on a huge tectonic plate that is shifting—a few

or twenty, into the sea—or you might be on a rock face or a cliff edge.

centimeters every year. Depending on how long it takes for someone

There is a lot of discrepancy.

to de-encrypt the code, they might have to establish a formula that

N . S . So the person who potentially recovers the data and manages

corrects for every year of the island’s movement. There is a beauty in

to de-encrypt the GPS coordinates will put them into civilian

imprecision, and there is another layer of challenge for anyone who has

software like Google Earth, and then they will come up with a point

the gumption to try to visit or exhume this exhibition.

that is close but not the exact spot. Have we given them a map at

N . S . To access the exhibition experience.

all?

A . R . Well, they’re accessing it in a different way just by partaking in

A . R . I think we have given them a starting point. We have not given

the narrative. They know that maybe they do not get to see what is in

them the location. They will have to use their own intuition.

the actual exhibition architecture—but they are complicit, and enjoy

N . S . More precisely—the coordinates that they recover, when put

the fact that they are a part of that narrative.

into Google Earth, may drop a pin on a spot that may not actually

N . S . What do you think about what we are going to do with the

even be on the island. What happens when they get there in person?

coordinates? We have already spoken about a whole field of

A . R . They should realize that the projection loaded into Google Earth is

variables and imprecision—even before the challenge posed by

incorrect. If they start to use satellite imagery to say this is where the

Constant Dullaart’s encryption.

164

165

A . R . There are so many different layers and variables. Encoding that

expect. All of a sudden we were here, and only after a couple of days we

data is just compounding that. A lot of things could be answered if you

were off to bury the treasure. But the plan came together. There were

just had the GPS coordinates and photo references. Things would totally

so many moving parts, my attitude was always to do what I could to

change if there was imagery included with the coordinates. It would

facilitate it happening.

vastly increase the potential of someone finding the exact location. We

N . S . Is this an exhibition? Is it just a fundraising project? Is it a folly?

shot tons of footage. I would be more concerned about people having a

A . R . I think it is a story, but I think a story can be an exhibition. I think

set of four photographs than having this GPS right now. If you had four

the work in the ground is a cache of cultural items that are of varying

shots from varying focal lengths that would be far more damning as a

degrees of relevance to the project itself, and to contemporary art. I

map than a simple GPS coordinate.

would call it a time capsule, but that implies that it is supposed to be

N . S . We have talked about the physical location, but do you think

recovered and that it has a story to tell about the time period in which

there is any other kind of mapping going on in this project?

it was buried. I think that a lot of pieces in the chest are more timeless.

A . R . There is hopefully some sort of mapping that is being proposed

It’s an exhibition, a story, a cosmic joke—almost. It is good that it is a lot

for artists and researchers, to more carefully find their way through

of things. It is better that you can’t put one tag on it.

material explorations in a creative way. In my own work, if I make

N . S . What is being exhibited then, if we are not showing the works

something that is a map it can actually be a useful artifact that describes

in the chest?

a landscape on a scientific or cartographic level. But at the same time

A . R . There is an element of the art of it that can only be experienced by

the artistic gesture involves highlighting a certain understanding and

the players involved. There is a different experience—but maybe more

engagement with the landscape. Thinking about the material process of

profound one—that people who engage with the story will get, because

mapping a place ties into ecology and conservation. This kind of thing

we will be able to present this idea in a curated fashion. All of the stories

is another X that the people involved in our project are trying to find

that happen around this, and the other works and ephemera that get

their way towards—a roadmap to a successful intermingling of art and

made around it, will bolster the narrative. It is the narrative: Let’s be

conservation. One of the most altruistic goals of art is to make the

blunt—we buried a treasure on Treasure Island with no intention of

world a better place, not just through cultural influence but through

getting it back!

actual on the ground interactions with the landscape. Artists should

N . S . And we are really hoping that someone is going to buy the

not be ignorant of the fact that in painting something red some of their

coordinates… ?

materials might have destroyed a certain beetle, or that in order to

A . R . And someone probably will! And they will be supporting a great

paint something green a certain plant has been killed. We were thinking

idea: There is a bunch of great work in a box, buried on treasure island

about these things when we buried the steel chest on Coco. I think our

and no one is going to get to see it. Too many people are trying to

action was a really poignant way of putting this issue to the fore. The

praise the work of leading contemporary artists by sticking it in gross

project engages with the history of the landscape, and the reason why

buildings that have been overdesigned. Why don’t we just bury it in

it is protected.

a natural landscape where no one is ever going to see it? The story,

N . S . Do you have any other reflections on what it was like to take

combined with the desire to know, is powerful.

part in this project? What did you expect?

N . S . I did take pleasure in throwing mud on that sculpted object.

A . R . It all came together so quickly that I didn’t really know what to

A . R . Yes, it was becoming part of the landscape then.

166

167

A . R . There are so many different layers and variables. Encoding that

expect. All of a sudden we were here, and only after a couple of days we

data is just compounding that. A lot of things could be answered if you

were off to bury the treasure. But the plan came together. There were

just had the GPS coordinates and photo references. Things would totally

so many moving parts, my attitude was always to do what I could to

change if there was imagery included with the coordinates. It would

facilitate it happening.

vastly increase the potential of someone finding the exact location. We

N . S . Is this an exhibition? Is it just a fundraising project? Is it a folly?

shot tons of footage. I would be more concerned about people having a

A . R . I think it is a story, but I think a story can be an exhibition. I think

set of four photographs than having this GPS right now. If you had four

the work in the ground is a cache of cultural items that are of varying

shots from varying focal lengths that would be far more damning as a

degrees of relevance to the project itself, and to contemporary art. I

map than a simple GPS coordinate.

would call it a time capsule, but that implies that it is supposed to be

N . S . We have talked about the physical location, but do you think

recovered and that it has a story to tell about the time period in which

there is any other kind of mapping going on in this project?

it was buried. I think that a lot of pieces in the chest are more timeless.

A . R . There is hopefully some sort of mapping that is being proposed

It’s an exhibition, a story, a cosmic joke—almost. It is good that it is a lot

for artists and researchers, to more carefully find their way through

of things. It is better that you can’t put one tag on it.

material explorations in a creative way. In my own work, if I make

N . S . What is being exhibited then, if we are not showing the works

something that is a map it can actually be a useful artifact that describes

in the chest?

a landscape on a scientific or cartographic level. But at the same time

A . R . There is an element of the art of it that can only be experienced by

the artistic gesture involves highlighting a certain understanding and

the players involved. There is a different experience—but maybe more

engagement with the landscape. Thinking about the material process of

profound one—that people who engage with the story will get, because

mapping a place ties into ecology and conservation. This kind of thing

we will be able to present this idea in a curated fashion. All of the stories

is another X that the people involved in our project are trying to find

that happen around this, and the other works and ephemera that get

their way towards—a roadmap to a successful intermingling of art and

made around it, will bolster the narrative. It is the narrative: Let’s be

conservation. One of the most altruistic goals of art is to make the

blunt—we buried a treasure on Treasure Island with no intention of

world a better place, not just through cultural influence but through

getting it back!

actual on the ground interactions with the landscape. Artists should

N . S . And we are really hoping that someone is going to buy the

not be ignorant of the fact that in painting something red some of their

coordinates… ?

materials might have destroyed a certain beetle, or that in order to

A . R . And someone probably will! And they will be supporting a great

paint something green a certain plant has been killed. We were thinking

idea: There is a bunch of great work in a box, buried on treasure island

about these things when we buried the steel chest on Coco. I think our

and no one is going to get to see it. Too many people are trying to

action was a really poignant way of putting this issue to the fore. The

praise the work of leading contemporary artists by sticking it in gross

project engages with the history of the landscape, and the reason why

buildings that have been overdesigned. Why don’t we just bury it in

it is protected.

a natural landscape where no one is ever going to see it? The story,

N . S . Do you have any other reflections on what it was like to take

combined with the desire to know, is powerful.

part in this project? What did you expect?

N . S . I did take pleasure in throwing mud on that sculpted object.

A . R . It all came together so quickly that I didn’t really know what to

A . R . Yes, it was becoming part of the landscape then.

166

167

169 APPENDIX

168

169 APPENDIX

168

BIOGRAPHIES Marina Abramovic´ is a New York-based,

and The Renaissance Society, Chicago (1999).

Serbian-born

Angela Bulloch was born in Ontario, Canada,

of globalization and notions of time-space

in 1965, to British parents. She graduated in

compression. He has exhibited at the Lyon

Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, London, in

Biennial and is currently preparing a major

1988 and currently lives and works in Berlin.

solo-exhibition for the Musée Cantonal des

born

Important group exhibition representation

In 1997 Bulloch was short-listed for the

Beaux Arts, Lausanne, after winning the

in 1946. Active for over four decades, her

includes the Tate Triennial, Tate Britain

Turner Prize. Recent solo exhibitions include:

Manor Vaud Art Prize 2014.

work explores the relationship between

(2009); Moscow Biennale (2007); Turner Prize,

“Short Big Drama”, Witte De With, Rotterdam

performer and audience, the limits of the

Tate Britain (2005); “Busan Biennale” (2004);

(2012); “Time & Line”, Städtische Galerie,

body, and the possibilities of the mind.

Venice Biennale (2003); Berlin Biennale

Wolfsburg (2011); “Information, Manifesto,

He studied at the University of Manchester

Abramovic´ was awarded the Golden Lion for

(2001), “Sensation” (1997–1999).

Rules And Other Leaks...”, Berlinische Galerie,

and the University of Ulster. Since the

Berlin (2011). Group exhibitions include: “1984

1990s his practice has addressed image-

performance

artist

Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale. In

Phil Collins was born in 1970 in England.

2008, she was decorated with the Austrian

Aranda\Lasch is a New York and Tucson-

– 1999 The Decade”, Centre Pompidou-Metz;

making, examining how we participate

Commander Cross for her contribution to

based

“Datascape”; 8 Berlin Biennale; “The Whole

in and understand culture through the

art history. In 2010, Abramovic´ had her first

experimental

Earth”, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin;

camera’s lens. His works are represented

major U.S. retrospective and simultaneously

building. Established in 2003 by Benjamin

performed for over 700 hours in The Artist

Aranda and Chris Lasch, the studio designs

Istanbul

is Present at the Museum of Modern Art in

buildings, installations and objects through

culturel Louis Vuitton, Paris (2012).

Manhattan.

deep

design

studio

research

investigation

of

dedicated and

to

innovative

materials

“datascapes”,

Borusan

(2013);

Contemporary,

“Turbulences”,

L’espace

in collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim London;

Museum,

National

New

Gallery

York; of

Tate,

Canada;

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of

and

structure. Winners of the United States

Los Carpinteros work between Havana

Modern Art, New York; Moderna Museet,

Doug Aitken was born in 1968 and is based

Artists Award and Young Architects Award

and Madrid. Formed in 1991, the trio (Marco

Stockholm; MoCA, Chicago; and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. He currently lives in

between Los Angeles and New York. Aitken

in 2007, in 2008 they were commissioned

Castillo, Dagoberto Rodríguez, and, until his

utilizes media ranging from photography,

by the Museum of Modern Art in New York

departure in June 2003, Alexandre Arrechea)

Berlin and Cologne, where he is Professor

sculpture, and architectural interventions, to

to produce a large-scale installation. They

adopted their name in 1994, renouncing

of Video Art at the Academy of Media Arts.

films, sound, single and multi-channel video

collaborated

the notion of individual authorship while

works, and installations. His work has featured

The Morning Line, commissioned by TBA-

referring to an older tradition of artisan

Constant Dullaart is a Dutch artist born in

in museums including Whitney Museum of

21, and featured in 2008 and 2010 Venice

guilds. Exploring the intersection between

1979 and based in Berlin. He works primarily

American Art; The Museum of Modern Art;

Architecture Biennials. Aranda\Lasch also

art and society, they merge architecture,

with the Internet as an alternative space

the Vienna Secession; the Serpentine Gallery

develops experimental furniture products

design, and sculpture in unexpected and

of presentation and (mis)representation.

in London and the Centre Georges Pompidou

that explore new concepts in fabrication

often humorous ways. Their works are part

His often political approach is critical of

in Paris. He was recipient of the International

and assembly.

of collections including Los Angeles County

the control that corporate systems have

with

Matthew

Ritchie

on

Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art,

upon our perception of the world, and the

Nam June Paik Art Center Prize; and the 2013

Julius von Bismarck spent his youth in

New York; Guggenheim, New York; Reina

way in which we passively adopt their

Smithsonian Magazine American Ingenuity

Saudi Arabia and Germany. He lived in

Sofia,

Award: Visual Arts.

New York before studying at the Fine Arts

Contemporary, Vienna; and Centro Cultural

University of Berlin (UDK) and the Institut

de Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico.

Darren Almond was born in 1971 in the UK.

für Raumexperimente with Olafur Eliasson.

Prize at the Venice Biennale, 1999; the 2012

Madrid;

Thyssen-­ B ornemisza

Art

languages.

Dullaart’s

practice

includes

websites, performances, installations and manipulated found images, presented both offline and in the public space of the Internet.

Dullaart explores the Internet’s opacity and

His work, incorporating film, installation,

Drawing on techniques from the fields of

Julian Charrière was born in 1987 in

sculpture and photography, incorporates

visual arts, film, social and physical sciences,

Morges, Switzerland. He currently lives and

highlights the extent to which onscreen

meditations on time as well as the themes

his

work

works in Berlin, where he studied at the

data is controlled, enhanced, distorted, and

of personal and historical memory. Solo

explores

representation

Institut für Raumexperimente in 2013 under

often presented as unmediated content.

exhibitions include FRAC Haute-Normandie,

and reconstruction of reality. His previous

Olafur Eliasson. Charrière’s work oscillates

Rouen

artistic the

and

cinematographic

perception,

objects, installations and devices have

between

examined these themes through reference

ecological,

mystical

hagen, Denmark of Icelandic parentage.

SITE Santa Fe (2007); Museum Folkwang,

to

spaces,

themes. In 2013 Charrière won the Swiss

He attended the Royal Academy of Arts

Essen

(2005);

authorship and ownership. Von Bismarck

Art Award / Kiefer Hablitzel Prize for his

in Copenhagen from 1989 to 1995. He

Britain,

received the Ars Electronica, 2008 Golden

project We Are All Astronauts Aboard A Little

has participated in numerous exhibitions

Nica, for his work Image Fulgurator.

Spaceship Called Earth, exploring themes

worldwide and his work is represented in

and

FRAC

(2006);

Kunsthalle

K21,

Zürich

Auvergne,

Düsseldorf (2001);

Tate

London (2001); De Appel, Amsterdam (2001)

170

the

construction

of

urban

science

and

art,

environmental

scrutinizing

Olafur Eliasson was born in 1967 in Copen­

Clermont

Ferrand (2011); Parasol Unit, London (2008);

and

171

BIOGRAPHIES Marina Abramovic´ is a New York-based,

and The Renaissance Society, Chicago (1999).

Serbian-born

Angela Bulloch was born in Ontario, Canada,

of globalization and notions of time-space

in 1965, to British parents. She graduated in

compression. He has exhibited at the Lyon

Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, London, in

Biennial and is currently preparing a major

1988 and currently lives and works in Berlin.

solo-exhibition for the Musée Cantonal des

born

Important group exhibition representation

In 1997 Bulloch was short-listed for the

Beaux Arts, Lausanne, after winning the

in 1946. Active for over four decades, her

includes the Tate Triennial, Tate Britain

Turner Prize. Recent solo exhibitions include:

Manor Vaud Art Prize 2014.

work explores the relationship between

(2009); Moscow Biennale (2007); Turner Prize,

“Short Big Drama”, Witte De With, Rotterdam

performer and audience, the limits of the

Tate Britain (2005); “Busan Biennale” (2004);

(2012); “Time & Line”, Städtische Galerie,

body, and the possibilities of the mind.

Venice Biennale (2003); Berlin Biennale

Wolfsburg (2011); “Information, Manifesto,

He studied at the University of Manchester

Abramovic´ was awarded the Golden Lion for

(2001), “Sensation” (1997–1999).

Rules And Other Leaks...”, Berlinische Galerie,

and the University of Ulster. Since the

Berlin (2011). Group exhibitions include: “1984

1990s his practice has addressed image-

performance

artist

Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale. In

Phil Collins was born in 1970 in England.

2008, she was decorated with the Austrian

Aranda\Lasch is a New York and Tucson-

– 1999 The Decade”, Centre Pompidou-Metz;

making, examining how we participate

Commander Cross for her contribution to

based

“Datascape”; 8 Berlin Biennale; “The Whole

in and understand culture through the

art history. In 2010, Abramovic´ had her first

experimental

Earth”, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin;

camera’s lens. His works are represented

major U.S. retrospective and simultaneously

building. Established in 2003 by Benjamin

performed for over 700 hours in The Artist

Aranda and Chris Lasch, the studio designs

Istanbul

is Present at the Museum of Modern Art in

buildings, installations and objects through

culturel Louis Vuitton, Paris (2012).

Manhattan.

deep

design

studio

research

investigation

of

dedicated and

to

innovative

materials

“datascapes”,

Borusan

(2013);

Contemporary,

“Turbulences”,

L’espace

in collections including the Solomon R. Guggenheim London;

Museum,

National

New

Gallery

York; of

Tate,

Canada;

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Museum of

and

structure. Winners of the United States

Los Carpinteros work between Havana

Modern Art, New York; Moderna Museet,

Doug Aitken was born in 1968 and is based

Artists Award and Young Architects Award

and Madrid. Formed in 1991, the trio (Marco

Stockholm; MoCA, Chicago; and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis. He currently lives in

between Los Angeles and New York. Aitken

in 2007, in 2008 they were commissioned

Castillo, Dagoberto Rodríguez, and, until his

utilizes media ranging from photography,

by the Museum of Modern Art in New York

departure in June 2003, Alexandre Arrechea)

Berlin and Cologne, where he is Professor

sculpture, and architectural interventions, to

to produce a large-scale installation. They

adopted their name in 1994, renouncing

of Video Art at the Academy of Media Arts.

films, sound, single and multi-channel video

collaborated

the notion of individual authorship while

works, and installations. His work has featured

The Morning Line, commissioned by TBA-

referring to an older tradition of artisan

Constant Dullaart is a Dutch artist born in

in museums including Whitney Museum of

21, and featured in 2008 and 2010 Venice

guilds. Exploring the intersection between

1979 and based in Berlin. He works primarily

American Art; The Museum of Modern Art;

Architecture Biennials. Aranda\Lasch also

art and society, they merge architecture,

with the Internet as an alternative space

the Vienna Secession; the Serpentine Gallery

develops experimental furniture products

design, and sculpture in unexpected and

of presentation and (mis)representation.

in London and the Centre Georges Pompidou

that explore new concepts in fabrication

often humorous ways. Their works are part

His often political approach is critical of

in Paris. He was recipient of the International

and assembly.

of collections including Los Angeles County

the control that corporate systems have

with

Matthew

Ritchie

on

Museum of Art; Museum of Modern Art,

upon our perception of the world, and the

Nam June Paik Art Center Prize; and the 2013

Julius von Bismarck spent his youth in

New York; Guggenheim, New York; Reina

way in which we passively adopt their

Smithsonian Magazine American Ingenuity

Saudi Arabia and Germany. He lived in

Sofia,

Award: Visual Arts.

New York before studying at the Fine Arts

Contemporary, Vienna; and Centro Cultural

University of Berlin (UDK) and the Institut

de Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico.

Darren Almond was born in 1971 in the UK.

für Raumexperimente with Olafur Eliasson.

Prize at the Venice Biennale, 1999; the 2012

Madrid;

Thyssen-­ B ornemisza

Art

languages.

Dullaart’s

practice

includes

websites, performances, installations and manipulated found images, presented both offline and in the public space of the Internet.

Dullaart explores the Internet’s opacity and

His work, incorporating film, installation,

Drawing on techniques from the fields of

Julian Charrière was born in 1987 in

sculpture and photography, incorporates

visual arts, film, social and physical sciences,

Morges, Switzerland. He currently lives and

highlights the extent to which onscreen

meditations on time as well as the themes

his

work

works in Berlin, where he studied at the

data is controlled, enhanced, distorted, and

of personal and historical memory. Solo

explores

representation

Institut für Raumexperimente in 2013 under

often presented as unmediated content.

exhibitions include FRAC Haute-Normandie,

and reconstruction of reality. His previous

Olafur Eliasson. Charrière’s work oscillates

Rouen

artistic the

and

cinematographic

perception,

objects, installations and devices have

between

examined these themes through reference

ecological,

mystical

hagen, Denmark of Icelandic parentage.

SITE Santa Fe (2007); Museum Folkwang,

to

spaces,

themes. In 2013 Charrière won the Swiss

He attended the Royal Academy of Arts

Essen

(2005);

authorship and ownership. Von Bismarck

Art Award / Kiefer Hablitzel Prize for his

in Copenhagen from 1989 to 1995. He

Britain,

received the Ars Electronica, 2008 Golden

project We Are All Astronauts Aboard A Little

has participated in numerous exhibitions

Nica, for his work Image Fulgurator.

Spaceship Called Earth, exploring themes

worldwide and his work is represented in

and

FRAC

(2006);

Kunsthalle

K21,

Zürich

Auvergne,

Düsseldorf (2001);

Tate

London (2001); De Appel, Amsterdam (2001)

170

the

construction

of

urban

science

and

art,

environmental

scrutinizing

Olafur Eliasson was born in 1967 in Copen­

Clermont

Ferrand (2011); Parasol Unit, London (2008);

and

171

Antti Laitinen was born in northern Finland

public and private collections including the

John Gerrard was born in Dublin in 1974

Carl Michael von Hausswolff was born

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York,

and studied at the Ruskin School of Drawing

in 1956. He is a composer, visual artist and

in 1975. He completed his MA at The Finnish

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles,

& Fine Art, School of the Art Institute of

curator based in Stockholm, Sweden. His

Art Academy of Fine Arts in 2004 after years of photographic studies in Turku, Finland.

the Deste Foundation, Athens and Tate. He

Chicago and Trinity College, Dublin. His

main tools are recording devices (camera,

has had major solo exhibitions at Kunsthaus

works are concerned with contemporary

tape deck, radar, sonar) used in an ongoing

Laitinen’s work stems from performances

Bregenz; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de

power in the broadest sense, epitomizing

investigation

of

that are documented through photographs,

Paris; and ZKM (Center for Art and Media),

the networks of energy that characterized

architectural

space

paranormal

videos or objects. Using explicit and oblique

Karlsruhe. He represented Denmark in the

the intensification of human endeavor in the

electronic interference. Major exhibitions

cultural symbols, Laitinen’s performances

2003 Venice Biennale. He currently lives in

twentieth century. He exhibited at the Venice

representations include Manifesta (1996);

become the staged enactment of his vision

Berlin.

Biennale in 2009 and has recently shown

Documenta X (1997); the Johannesburg

of Finnish identity. Combining with a poetry of the absurd, the artist pushes his limits (both

electricity, and

frequency,

at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture

Biennial (1997); “Sound Art–Sound as Media”

Michael Esposito was born 1964 in Gary,

Garden, Washington DC, and the Museum of

at ICC in Tokyo (2000); the Venice Biennale

physical and mental) in while exploring the

Indiana. He is an artist and researcher

Contemporary Art, Sydney. Gerrard lives in

(2001, 2003 and 2005) and Portikus, Frankfurt

wild Nordic landscape. Laitinen represented

in Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). An

Vienna, Austria.

(2004). Hausswolff received a Prix Ars

Finland at the Venice Biennale in 2013.

Electronica award for Digital Music in 2002.

ancestor of Alfred Vail, who invented the

Sharon Lockhart is an American artist

Morse Code and several early telegraph

Kai Grehn was born is Grevesmühlen,

devices with his partner Samuel Morse.

Germany, in 1969. He is currently based

Alex Hoda was born in Canterbury in 1980. He

who was born in 1964. Her work frequently

Another ancestor, Jonathan Harned Vail

in Berlin. He first worked as a mailman

was educated at Wimbledon College of Art

considers social issues, primarily through

was

motion film and still photography. She

to

and on the editorial staff at the weekly

and Goldsmiths College, graduating from the

Thomas Edison in his later years when

newspaper Der Anzeiger. In 1991 he began

Royal Academy of Arts, London in 2008. In his

received her BFA from San Francisco Art

Edison was attempting to develop a device

directing studies at the Berlin Ernst Busch

current practice, Hoda also uses a technique

Institute in 1991 and her MFA from Art Center

to communicate with the dead. Michael

acting school and, simultaneously, worked

of automatism to challenge the viewer's

College of Design in 1993. She has been a

studied communication theory at Purdue

as an assistant director and director of

approach to figurative sculpture. Recent

Radcliffe fellow, a Guggenheim fellow, and a

office

manager

and

assistant

Dame,

Tanztheater Skoronel. After graduating in

solo exhibitions include University of the

Rockefeller fellow. Her films and photographic

American University in Cairo, Egypt and

1993 he worked extensively with the band

Arts London; Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne and

work

Governor’s

SANDOW, while producing radio plays and

Royal British Sculpture Society, London; 20

international film festivals and in museums,

Phantom Airwaves institution, Michael has

theatrical works. Since 2006 he has been the

Projects, Berlin. Recent group shows include

cultural institutions, and galleries around the

participated in hundreds of paranormal

co-organizer of the Lesereihe Bobrowskis

CCA Andratx, Mallorca; Allsopp Contemporary,

world. She is currently an associate professor

investigations all over the world.

Mühle. He lives and works as a freelance

London; 20 Projects, London; and “Newspeak,

at the University of Southern California’s

British Art Now” at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

Roski School of Fine Arts.

University,

University State

of

Notre

University.

Under

the

writer and director in Berlin.

have

been

widely

exhibited

at

Alex Hoda currently lives and works in London.

Oscar Figueroa was born in San José, Costa Rica, in 1986. His solo exhibitions

Noemie Goudal was born in 1984 and

include “Sistema Musaceae”, Pile De La

lives

Melaza 950m³, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San José, Costa Rica (2011);

Lucia Madriz was born in Costa Rica in 1973.

Pierre Huyghe was born in 1962 in Paris,

She lives and works in Karlsruhe, Germany,

interdisciplinary practice investigates the

France. He attended the École Nationale

and Costa Rica. Her recent solo exhibitions

photograph and film as dialectical image,

Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (1982–

include “Arte Ba”, Des Pacio Galería, Buenos

wherein truth and fiction cohabit in close

85). Employing folly, leisure, adventure, and

Aires,

Español, San José, Costa Rica (2011); “Para

proximity.

Her work is included in major

celebration in creating art, Huyghe’s films,

Centro

Exportación”,

public institutions and foundations including

installations, and public events range from

Costa Rica (2011); TIES, Galerie Borchardt,

José Figueres Ferrer, San José, Costa Rica

the Fotomuseum Winterthur; David Roberts

a small-town parade to a puppet theater,

Hamburg, Germany (2010); Veritas, Des Pacio

(2007); and “Sociedad Disímil”, Galería 1887,

Art

Foundation;

from a model amusement park to an

Galería, San José, Costa Rica (2010); “AXIS”,

San José, Costa Rica (2007). Group exhibitions

and KNMA. She was the 2013 recipient of

expedition to Antarctica. He is the recipient

Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

include

“Control+Alt+Suprimir”,

Centro

Cultural

Casa de Cultura Popular,

between

Foundation;

Paris

and

Conran

art

London.

Her

Argentina Cultural

(2013); de

“Naturalmente”,

España,

San

José,

Concurso

the HSBC Prize, and runner up for the 2012

of numerous awards, including the Solomon

MADC, San José, Costa Rica (2008); “El Atlas

Centroamericano de Videocreación y arte

Paul Huf award at Foam, Amsterdam. Her

R. Guggenheim Museum’s Hugo Boss Prize

del Imperio”, 55th Venice Biennale Pabellón

digital Inquieta Imagen”, Museo de Arte y

solo museum exhibition “The Geometrical

(2002); the Special Award from the Jury of

de Latino América, Italy (2013); “Colores del

Diseño Contemporáneo San José, Costa Rica

Determination of the Sunrise” will tour from

the Venice Biennial (2001); and a Deutscher

Centro”, Mujeres artistas centroamericanas,

(2011); and “ArtBo | Feria Internacional de

The New Art Gallery Walsall, UK, to Foam,

Akademischer

Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo,

Arte de Bogotá”, Colombia (2011).

Amsterdam, in March 2015.

Fellowship (1999–2000).

172

“Sexta

edición

del

Austausch

Dienst

(DAAD)

San José, Costa Rica (2012).

173

Antti Laitinen was born in northern Finland

public and private collections including the

John Gerrard was born in Dublin in 1974

Carl Michael von Hausswolff was born

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York,

and studied at the Ruskin School of Drawing

in 1956. He is a composer, visual artist and

in 1975. He completed his MA at The Finnish

Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles,

& Fine Art, School of the Art Institute of

curator based in Stockholm, Sweden. His

Art Academy of Fine Arts in 2004 after years of photographic studies in Turku, Finland.

the Deste Foundation, Athens and Tate. He

Chicago and Trinity College, Dublin. His

main tools are recording devices (camera,

has had major solo exhibitions at Kunsthaus

works are concerned with contemporary

tape deck, radar, sonar) used in an ongoing

Laitinen’s work stems from performances

Bregenz; Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de

power in the broadest sense, epitomizing

investigation

of

that are documented through photographs,

Paris; and ZKM (Center for Art and Media),

the networks of energy that characterized

architectural

space

paranormal

videos or objects. Using explicit and oblique

Karlsruhe. He represented Denmark in the

the intensification of human endeavor in the

electronic interference. Major exhibitions

cultural symbols, Laitinen’s performances

2003 Venice Biennale. He currently lives in

twentieth century. He exhibited at the Venice

representations include Manifesta (1996);

become the staged enactment of his vision

Berlin.

Biennale in 2009 and has recently shown

Documenta X (1997); the Johannesburg

of Finnish identity. Combining with a poetry of the absurd, the artist pushes his limits (both

electricity, and

frequency,

at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture

Biennial (1997); “Sound Art–Sound as Media”

Michael Esposito was born 1964 in Gary,

Garden, Washington DC, and the Museum of

at ICC in Tokyo (2000); the Venice Biennale

physical and mental) in while exploring the

Indiana. He is an artist and researcher

Contemporary Art, Sydney. Gerrard lives in

(2001, 2003 and 2005) and Portikus, Frankfurt

wild Nordic landscape. Laitinen represented

in Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP). An

Vienna, Austria.

(2004). Hausswolff received a Prix Ars

Finland at the Venice Biennale in 2013.

Electronica award for Digital Music in 2002.

ancestor of Alfred Vail, who invented the

Sharon Lockhart is an American artist

Morse Code and several early telegraph

Kai Grehn was born is Grevesmühlen,

devices with his partner Samuel Morse.

Germany, in 1969. He is currently based

Alex Hoda was born in Canterbury in 1980. He

who was born in 1964. Her work frequently

Another ancestor, Jonathan Harned Vail

in Berlin. He first worked as a mailman

was educated at Wimbledon College of Art

considers social issues, primarily through

was

motion film and still photography. She

to

and on the editorial staff at the weekly

and Goldsmiths College, graduating from the

Thomas Edison in his later years when

newspaper Der Anzeiger. In 1991 he began

Royal Academy of Arts, London in 2008. In his

received her BFA from San Francisco Art

Edison was attempting to develop a device

directing studies at the Berlin Ernst Busch

current practice, Hoda also uses a technique

Institute in 1991 and her MFA from Art Center

to communicate with the dead. Michael

acting school and, simultaneously, worked

of automatism to challenge the viewer's

College of Design in 1993. She has been a

studied communication theory at Purdue

as an assistant director and director of

approach to figurative sculpture. Recent

Radcliffe fellow, a Guggenheim fellow, and a

office

manager

and

assistant

Dame,

Tanztheater Skoronel. After graduating in

solo exhibitions include University of the

Rockefeller fellow. Her films and photographic

American University in Cairo, Egypt and

1993 he worked extensively with the band

Arts London; Metro 5 Gallery, Melbourne and

work

Governor’s

SANDOW, while producing radio plays and

Royal British Sculpture Society, London; 20

international film festivals and in museums,

Phantom Airwaves institution, Michael has

theatrical works. Since 2006 he has been the

Projects, Berlin. Recent group shows include

cultural institutions, and galleries around the

participated in hundreds of paranormal

co-organizer of the Lesereihe Bobrowskis

CCA Andratx, Mallorca; Allsopp Contemporary,

world. She is currently an associate professor

investigations all over the world.

Mühle. He lives and works as a freelance

London; 20 Projects, London; and “Newspeak,

at the University of Southern California’s

British Art Now” at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

Roski School of Fine Arts.

University,

University State

of

Notre

University.

Under

the

writer and director in Berlin.

have

been

widely

exhibited

at

Alex Hoda currently lives and works in London.

Oscar Figueroa was born in San José, Costa Rica, in 1986. His solo exhibitions

Noemie Goudal was born in 1984 and

include “Sistema Musaceae”, Pile De La

lives

Melaza 950m³, Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo, San José, Costa Rica (2011);

Lucia Madriz was born in Costa Rica in 1973.

Pierre Huyghe was born in 1962 in Paris,

She lives and works in Karlsruhe, Germany,

interdisciplinary practice investigates the

France. He attended the École Nationale

and Costa Rica. Her recent solo exhibitions

photograph and film as dialectical image,

Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris (1982–

include “Arte Ba”, Des Pacio Galería, Buenos

wherein truth and fiction cohabit in close

85). Employing folly, leisure, adventure, and

Aires,

Español, San José, Costa Rica (2011); “Para

proximity.

Her work is included in major

celebration in creating art, Huyghe’s films,

Centro

Exportación”,

public institutions and foundations including

installations, and public events range from

Costa Rica (2011); TIES, Galerie Borchardt,

José Figueres Ferrer, San José, Costa Rica

the Fotomuseum Winterthur; David Roberts

a small-town parade to a puppet theater,

Hamburg, Germany (2010); Veritas, Des Pacio

(2007); and “Sociedad Disímil”, Galería 1887,

Art

Foundation;

from a model amusement park to an

Galería, San José, Costa Rica (2010); “AXIS”,

San José, Costa Rica (2007). Group exhibitions

and KNMA. She was the 2013 recipient of

expedition to Antarctica. He is the recipient

Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo

include

“Control+Alt+Suprimir”,

Centro

Cultural

Casa de Cultura Popular,

between

Foundation;

Paris

and

Conran

art

London.

Her

Argentina Cultural

(2013); de

“Naturalmente”,

España,

San

José,

Concurso

the HSBC Prize, and runner up for the 2012

of numerous awards, including the Solomon

MADC, San José, Costa Rica (2008); “El Atlas

Centroamericano de Videocreación y arte

Paul Huf award at Foam, Amsterdam. Her

R. Guggenheim Museum’s Hugo Boss Prize

del Imperio”, 55th Venice Biennale Pabellón

digital Inquieta Imagen”, Museo de Arte y

solo museum exhibition “The Geometrical

(2002); the Special Award from the Jury of

de Latino América, Italy (2013); “Colores del

Diseño Contemporáneo San José, Costa Rica

Determination of the Sunrise” will tour from

the Venice Biennial (2001); and a Deutscher

Centro”, Mujeres artistas centroamericanas,

(2011); and “ArtBo | Feria Internacional de

The New Art Gallery Walsall, UK, to Foam,

Akademischer

Museo de Arte y Diseño Contemporáneo,

Arte de Bogotá”, Colombia (2011).

Amsterdam, in March 2015.

Fellowship (1999–2000).

172

“Sexta

edición

del

Austausch

Dienst

(DAAD)

San José, Costa Rica (2012).

173

Carsten Nicolai was born 1965 in Karl-Marx-

1993, and 1991); and Documenta XI, Kassel,

Ranville developed and established the

Stadt, Germany. Influenced by scientific

Germany (2002).

Rabbit

reference systems, Nicolai often engages

Secession in 2003; “Deserted Conquest” at

His

SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico, 2007; “Next

work has been exhibited internationally

Time I’m Here I’ll Be There”, Barbican

Island

Residency

program.

mathematical patterns such as grids and

Lari Pittman was born in Los Angeles,

and installations of his work can be found

Art Gallery, London; “Internal Security”,

codes, as well as error, random and self-

California, in 1952. Pittman received both a

or have been shown in countries including

Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel; “Transport”,

organizing structures. He has participated

BFA (1974) and an MFA (1976) from California

Australia, China, Finland, Morocco, Spain,

Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn; “To Live is to Fly,

in

Institute of the Arts, Valencia. Inspired

UK, and the USA. He has lectured at various

Attitudes”, Espace d’arts contemporains,

Documenta X, and the 49th and 50th

by commercial advertising, folk art, and

universities worldwide.

Venice biennales. ­Nicolai’s solo exhibitions

decorative

international

exhibitions

including

traditions,

his

Geneva. Schabus represented Austria at the Venice Biennale in 2005. He is the winner of

meticulously

have taken place venues including Schirn

layered paintings transform pattern and

Matthew

London,

prizes including the 2006 Arnold Bode Preis,

Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; Neue Nationalgalerie,

signage

fraught

England, in 1964, and lives and works in New

Kassel, and the Preis der Stadt Wien, Vienna.

into

luxurious

scenes

Ritchie

was

born

in

Berlin; Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich; and CAC,

with complexity, difference, and desire.

York. He received a BFA from Camberwell

Vilnius. Under the pseudonym Noto, Nicolai

He has had major exhibitions at Institute

School of Art, London, and attended Boston

Chicks on Speed is a music and fine art

experiments with sound to create his own

of Contemporary Arts, London (1998); Los

University. His artistic mission is an attempt

ensemble, formed in Munich in 1997, when

code of signs, acoustic and visual symbols.

Angeles County Museum of Art (1996); and

to represent the entire universe and the

members

As Alva Noto he leads those experiments

Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston (1996).

structures of knowledge and belief that we

and New Yorker Melissa Logan met at the

into the field of electronic music.

He has participated in the Venice Biennale

use to understand and visualize it. Ritchie’s

Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Though Chicks

(2003); Documenta X (1997); and three

has had solo exhibitions at Dallas Museum

on Speed reached cult status throughout

Olaf Nicolai was born in 1962, in Halle/Saale,

Whitney Biennial exhibitions (1993, 1995,

of Art; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston;

the 2000s as catalysts of the musical genre

in the German Democratic Republic, and

1997). Pittman lives and works in Los Angeles.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary

Electroclash, Chicks on Speed continue to

Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and

pursue multidisciplinary art, working across

grew up in Chemnitz (formerly Karl-Marx-

Australian

Alex

Stadt). From 1983 to 1988 he read German

Jon Rafman was born in 1981 in Montreal.

Museum of Contemporary Art, North M ­ iami;

performance,

language and literature at the universities

Rafman’s work examines the effects of

among others. His work was also exhibited at

collage, textile design and fashion. Their

of Leipzig, Vienna and Budapest, and in 1992

contemporary technology, particularly on

the Whitney Biennial (1997); S ­ ydney Biennale

albums include The Un-­Releases (1999);

obtained a doctorate from Leipzig University.

interpersonal

(2002); and Bienal de São Paulo (2004).

Chicks On Speed Will Save Us All (2000); The

He also has a diploma in applied arts from

exhibitions include “The Nine Eyes of Google

the Fachhochschule für Angewandte Kunst

Streetview” at the Saatchi Gallery, London;

Ed Ruscha was born in Omaha, Nebraska in

Schneeberg. He lives and works in Berlin. Olaf “Remember Carthage”, New Online Art at

1937 and studied painting, photography, and

No Heads) (2004); Cutting The Edge (May,

Nicolai’s works were shown at Documenta X

the New Museum, NY and also at Palais de

graphic design at the Chouinard Art Institute

2010) and UTOPIA (2014).

(1997), and at the 49th and 51st Biennales in

Tokyo, Paris and Mirror Sites, International

(now CalArts). Major museum exhibitions

Venice (2001 and 2005, respectively).

Art Object Galleries, Los Angeles.

Group

include “Cotton Puffs, Q-Tips®, Smoke and

Daniel

shows include Speculations on Anonymous

Mirrors”, which toured U.S. museums in

born is 1977 in Barcelona, Spain, and is currently based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

relationships.

Recent

solo

electronic

Murray-Leslie

dance

music,

Re-Releases of the Un-Releases (2001); 99 Cents (2003); Press the Spacebar (with the

Steegmann

Mangrané

was

Raymond Pettibon was born in 1957 in

Materials,

The

2004–05; “Ed Ruscha: Photographer”, Whitney

Tucson, Arizona, and graduated with a

Photographer’s Gallery, London; Screenshots

Museum of American Art and the Musée

His practice covers various media and

degree in economics from the University of

at

Art,

National Jeu de Paume, Paris (2006); “Fifty

oscillates between subtle, poetic and raw experiments that question the relationship

Fridericianum,

William

Benton

Kassel;

Museum

of

Connecticut; The Greater Cloud, Netherlands

Years of Painting”, Hayward Gallery, London

Media Art Institute, Amsterdam and From

(2009, and Haus der Kunst, Munich and

between language and world. Selected solo

Here On, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles.

Moderna Museet, Stockholm, 2010); “Road

exhibitions

include:

Tested”, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth,

Mangrané”,

CRAC

Andrew Ranville was born 1981 in Michigan,

Texas (2011); Los Angeles County Museum

Contemporain, Alsace (2014); “Cipó, Taioba,

sexuality. He has participated in a number

USA, and lives and works in London (UK),

of Art (2012); “Los Angeles Apartments”,

Yví ”, Casa França Brasil, Rio de Janeiro

of group exhibitions worldwide, including

since 2006. He received his MFA from the

Kunstmuseum Basel, (2013); and “In Focus:

(2013); “Bicho de nariz delicado, A Certain

the

Liverpool

Slade School of Fine Art in 2008. His projects

Ed Ruscha”, Getty Center, Los Angeles (2013).

Lack of Coherence”, Porto, Portugal (2013).

Biennial (2010); SITE Santa Fe, New Mexico

explore ideas related to site-specificity as

(2010 and 2004); Venice Biennale (2007 and

well as the viewer’s interaction. In 2012

Hans Schabus was born in 1970 in Watschig,

Generational Triennial”, The New Museum,

1999); Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum

Ranville exhibited at the 4th Marrakech

Austria, and lives and works in Vienna. Key

New York (, 2015); and “Ir para volver”, 12th

of American Art, New York (2004, 1997,

Biennale

solo exhibitions include “Astronaut”, Vienna

Biennal de Cuena, Ecuador (2014).

California, Los Angeles in 1977. work

embraces

a

wide

Pettibon’s

spectrum

of

American “high” and “low” culture, from the deviations of marginal youth to art history, literature, sports, religion, politics, and

174

Istanbul

Biennial

(2011);

in

Morocco.

From

2010–2013

“Daniel

Centre

Steegmann

Rhénan

d'Art

Selected group exhibitions include: “The

175

Carsten Nicolai was born 1965 in Karl-Marx-

1993, and 1991); and Documenta XI, Kassel,

Ranville developed and established the

Stadt, Germany. Influenced by scientific

Germany (2002).

Rabbit

reference systems, Nicolai often engages

Secession in 2003; “Deserted Conquest” at

His

SITE Santa Fe in New Mexico, 2007; “Next

work has been exhibited internationally

Time I’m Here I’ll Be There”, Barbican

Island

Residency

program.

mathematical patterns such as grids and

Lari Pittman was born in Los Angeles,

and installations of his work can be found

Art Gallery, London; “Internal Security”,

codes, as well as error, random and self-

California, in 1952. Pittman received both a

or have been shown in countries including

Kasseler Kunstverein, Kassel; “Transport”,

organizing structures. He has participated

BFA (1974) and an MFA (1976) from California

Australia, China, Finland, Morocco, Spain,

Bonner Kunstverein, Bonn; “To Live is to Fly,

in

Institute of the Arts, Valencia. Inspired

UK, and the USA. He has lectured at various

Attitudes”, Espace d’arts contemporains,

Documenta X, and the 49th and 50th

by commercial advertising, folk art, and

universities worldwide.

Venice biennales. ­Nicolai’s solo exhibitions

decorative

international

exhibitions

including

traditions,

his

Geneva. Schabus represented Austria at the Venice Biennale in 2005. He is the winner of

meticulously

have taken place venues including Schirn

layered paintings transform pattern and

Matthew

London,

prizes including the 2006 Arnold Bode Preis,

Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; Neue Nationalgalerie,

signage

fraught

England, in 1964, and lives and works in New

Kassel, and the Preis der Stadt Wien, Vienna.

into

luxurious

scenes

Ritchie

was

born

in

Berlin; Haus Konstruktiv, Zurich; and CAC,

with complexity, difference, and desire.

York. He received a BFA from Camberwell

Vilnius. Under the pseudonym Noto, Nicolai

He has had major exhibitions at Institute

School of Art, London, and attended Boston

Chicks on Speed is a music and fine art

experiments with sound to create his own

of Contemporary Arts, London (1998); Los

University. His artistic mission is an attempt

ensemble, formed in Munich in 1997, when

code of signs, acoustic and visual symbols.

Angeles County Museum of Art (1996); and

to represent the entire universe and the

members

As Alva Noto he leads those experiments

Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston (1996).

structures of knowledge and belief that we

and New Yorker Melissa Logan met at the

into the field of electronic music.

He has participated in the Venice Biennale

use to understand and visualize it. Ritchie’s

Munich Academy of Fine Arts. Though Chicks

(2003); Documenta X (1997); and three

has had solo exhibitions at Dallas Museum

on Speed reached cult status throughout

Olaf Nicolai was born in 1962, in Halle/Saale,

Whitney Biennial exhibitions (1993, 1995,

of Art; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston;

the 2000s as catalysts of the musical genre

in the German Democratic Republic, and

1997). Pittman lives and works in Los Angeles.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary

Electroclash, Chicks on Speed continue to

Art; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; and

pursue multidisciplinary art, working across

grew up in Chemnitz (formerly Karl-Marx-

Australian

Alex

Stadt). From 1983 to 1988 he read German

Jon Rafman was born in 1981 in Montreal.

Museum of Contemporary Art, North M ­ iami;

performance,

language and literature at the universities

Rafman’s work examines the effects of

among others. His work was also exhibited at

collage, textile design and fashion. Their

of Leipzig, Vienna and Budapest, and in 1992

contemporary technology, particularly on

the Whitney Biennial (1997); S ­ ydney Biennale

albums include The Un-­Releases (1999);

obtained a doctorate from Leipzig University.

interpersonal

(2002); and Bienal de São Paulo (2004).

Chicks On Speed Will Save Us All (2000); The

He also has a diploma in applied arts from

exhibitions include “The Nine Eyes of Google

the Fachhochschule für Angewandte Kunst

Streetview” at the Saatchi Gallery, London;

Ed Ruscha was born in Omaha, Nebraska in

Schneeberg. He lives and works in Berlin. Olaf “Remember Carthage”, New Online Art at

1937 and studied painting, photography, and

No Heads) (2004); Cutting The Edge (May,

Nicolai’s works were shown at Documenta X

the New Museum, NY and also at Palais de

graphic design at the Chouinard Art Institute

2010) and UTOPIA (2014).

(1997), and at the 49th and 51st Biennales in

Tokyo, Paris and Mirror Sites, International

(now CalArts). Major museum exhibitions

Venice (2001 and 2005, respectively).

Art Object Galleries, Los Angeles.

Group

include “Cotton Puffs, Q-Tips®, Smoke and

Daniel

shows include Speculations on Anonymous

Mirrors”, which toured U.S. museums in

born is 1977 in Barcelona, Spain, and is currently based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

relationships.

Recent

solo

electronic

Murray-Leslie

dance

music,

Re-Releases of the Un-Releases (2001); 99 Cents (2003); Press the Spacebar (with the

Steegmann

Mangrané

was

Raymond Pettibon was born in 1957 in

Materials,

The

2004–05; “Ed Ruscha: Photographer”, Whitney

Tucson, Arizona, and graduated with a

Photographer’s Gallery, London; Screenshots

Museum of American Art and the Musée

His practice covers various media and

degree in economics from the University of

at

Art,

National Jeu de Paume, Paris (2006); “Fifty

oscillates between subtle, poetic and raw experiments that question the relationship

Fridericianum,

William

Benton

Kassel;

Museum

of

Connecticut; The Greater Cloud, Netherlands

Years of Painting”, Hayward Gallery, London

Media Art Institute, Amsterdam and From

(2009, and Haus der Kunst, Munich and

between language and world. Selected solo

Here On, Les Rencontres d’Arles, Arles.

Moderna Museet, Stockholm, 2010); “Road

exhibitions

include:

Tested”, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth,

Mangrané”,

CRAC

Andrew Ranville was born 1981 in Michigan,

Texas (2011); Los Angeles County Museum

Contemporain, Alsace (2014); “Cipó, Taioba,

sexuality. He has participated in a number

USA, and lives and works in London (UK),

of Art (2012); “Los Angeles Apartments”,

Yví ”, Casa França Brasil, Rio de Janeiro

of group exhibitions worldwide, including

since 2006. He received his MFA from the

Kunstmuseum Basel, (2013); and “In Focus:

(2013); “Bicho de nariz delicado, A Certain

the

Liverpool

Slade School of Fine Art in 2008. His projects

Ed Ruscha”, Getty Center, Los Angeles (2013).

Lack of Coherence”, Porto, Portugal (2013).

Biennial (2010); SITE Santa Fe, New Mexico

explore ideas related to site-specificity as

(2010 and 2004); Venice Biennale (2007 and

well as the viewer’s interaction. In 2012

Hans Schabus was born in 1970 in Watschig,

Generational Triennial”, The New Museum,

1999); Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum

Ranville exhibited at the 4th Marrakech

Austria, and lives and works in Vienna. Key

New York (, 2015); and “Ir para volver”, 12th

of American Art, New York (2004, 1997,

Biennale

solo exhibitions include “Astronaut”, Vienna

Biennal de Cuena, Ecuador (2014).

California, Los Angeles in 1977. work

embraces

a

wide

Pettibon’s

spectrum

of

American “high” and “low” culture, from the deviations of marginal youth to art history, literature, sports, religion, politics, and

174

Istanbul

Biennial

(2011);

in

Morocco.

From

2010–2013

“Daniel

Centre

Steegmann

Rhénan

d'Art

Selected group exhibitions include: “The

175

Ryan Trecartin was born in 1981 in Webster,

Chris Watson was born in 1953 in Sheffield,

Texas. He received a BFA from the Rhode

UK, where he attended Rowlinson School

Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode

and Stannington College. Watson was a

Island in 2004. Solo exhibitions include

founding member of the influential Sheffield

“Any Ever”, which traveled from the Power

based experimental music group Cabaret

Plant, Toronto in 2009 to the Museum of

Voltaire during the 1970s and early 1980s. His

Contemporary Art, Los Angeles in 2010, then

sound recording career began in 1981 when

to the Museum of Contemporary Art, North

he joined Tyne Tees Television. Since then he

Miami, Florida in 2011; MoMA P.S.1, Long

has developed a particular and passionate

Island City, New York; Musée d'Art Moderne

interest in recording the wildlife sounds of

de la Ville de Paris, France (2011); Kunsthalle

animals, habitats and atmospheres from

Wien, Austria; Wexner Center for the Arts,

around the world. As a freelance composer

Columbus, Ohio; Hammer Museum, Los

and

Angeles; and Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York.

Watson specializes in natural history and

recordist

for

film,

TV

and

radio,

documentary location sound, together with Suzanne Treister was born in 1958 in London

sound design in post-production.

UK. Treister studied at St Martin's School of Art, London (1978-1981) and Chelsea College

Lawrence Weiner, one of the central figures

of Art and Design, London (1981–1982).

of Conceptual Art, was born in 1942 in the Bronx,

Initially recognized as a painter, she became

New York. After graduating from high school,

a pioneer in the digital/new media/web

Weiner had a variety of jobs—he worked on

based field from the beginning of the 1990s.

an oil tanker, on docks, and unloading railroad

Exhibitions include “HEXEN 2.0 at P.P.O.W.”,

cars. He traveled throughout North America

New York and Cleveland Institute of Art

before returning to New York, where he

(2013); “THE REAL TRUTH A WORLD'S FAIR”,

exhibited at Seth Siegelaub Contemporary Art

Raven Row, London (2012); “HEXEN 2.0”, the

in 1964 and 1965. Weiner’s early work included

Science Museum, London (2012); “Hartware”,

experiments with systematic approaches to

MedienKunstVerein,

shaped canvases and later, featured squares

Dortmund,

Germany

(2012); Secession, Vienna, Austria (2012).

cut out of carpeting or walls. His work has been exhibited at leading institutions internationally.

Janaina Tschäpe was born in 1973 in Munich and is based in New York. Tschäpe

Jana Winderen was born in Bodø, Norway

completed a Fine Arts degree in Hamburg,

in 1965. She was educated in Fine Art at

Germany, and a residency program in

Goldsmiths College in London, and with a

Salvador, Brazil, before moving to New York

background in mathematics, chemistry and

for her Masters of Fine Arts in 1997, where

fish ecology from the University in Oslo.

she currently partially works and resides.

She had an installation in the Park Avenue

Her work was been exhibited at institutions

Tunnel, New York City in the summer of 2014

including IMMA, Dublin; Rubin Museum,

and exhibited at MoMA, NYC in 2013. Jana is

New York; Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de

artist-in-residence at the TBA21 Academy

Janeiro; and Jeu de Paume, Paris. Tschäpe’s

and releases her audio-visual works on

work is held in public collections, including

Touch. In 2011 she won the Golden Nica, Ars

the Centre Pompidou, Paris; National Gallery

Electronica, for Digital Musics & Sound Art.

of Art, Washington; Solomon R. Guggenheim

Amongst her activities are immersive multi-

Museum, New York; Thyssen-Bornemisza

channel installations and concerts and has

Art Contemporary, Vienna, Austria.

performed all over the world. She currently lives and works in Oslo.

176

TBA21– ACADEMY

THE TBA21 FOUNDATION

REDEFINING THE ART INSTITUTION

Founded in 2002 by Francesca von Habsburg in Vienna, Austria, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art

TBA21–ACADEMY is an itinerant site of

Contemporary (TBA21) represents the fourth

cultural production and interdisciplinary

generation of the Thyssen family’s commit-

exchange; a fellowship organization bringing

ment to the arts. The foundation is dedi-

artists, scientists and thinkers together at

cated primarily to the commissioning and

sea and on land. The Academy commissions

dissemination of ambitious, experi­ mental,

ambitious projects informed by the iti­ ne­

and unconventional projects that defy tra-

rary of its vessel Dardanella – unique geo­

ditional categorizations. This approach has

graphical contexts that raise ecological,

gained the collection a pioneering reputa-

economic

TBA21–

tion throughout the world. The foundation’s

ACADEMY is an adventurous institution

projects promote artistic practices that are

exploring critical geographies, enabled by

architectural, context and site specific, per-

Thyssen-Bornemisza

formative, and often informed by an interest

and

social

Art

issues.

Contemporary

(www.tba21.org)

in social aesthetics and environmental concerns. Many of the projects reflect the shift away from disciplinary to transdisciplinary

A New Chapter in the Culture

practices, embracing architecture, sound,

of Exploration

music, and science. The “cross-pollination” of disciplines challenges interpretation and

TBA21–ACADEMY is reimagining the culture

the traditions of collecting, preserving, and

of exploration, opening a new chapter in the

presenting works of art. This approach re-

history of art at sea. The academy is a critical

flects the vision of TBA21’s founder, Franc-

platform for redefining the expedition in

esca von Habsburg. In addition, TBA21

the post-colonial era, asserting alternative

shares its collection and commissions with

typologies of the artist as explorer and the

numerous museums and public institutions.

sea voyage narrative.

Most commissions, initiated and produced by the foundation, form an integral part of major contemporary art exhibitions, such as

An Interdisciplinary Catalyst

the Venice Biennale, the Istanbul Biennial, and documenta, where new works are very

TBA21–ACADEMY is committed to broadening

much on the agenda. In past years, cross-

the aesthetic parameters by which marine

over performative projects were realized

and coastal realms are understood. Looking

through a number of collaborations, nota-

beyond the binary of the picturesque and

bly with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in

the documentary exposé, the academy

Berlin, Artangel in London, and the Wiener

commissions projects that complicate and

Festwochen.

deepen our relationship with the ocean.

Interdisciplinary approaches, including col­ la­borations between artists and scientists, are a strategic component of this agenda.

17 7

Ryan Trecartin was born in 1981 in Webster,

Chris Watson was born in 1953 in Sheffield,

Texas. He received a BFA from the Rhode

UK, where he attended Rowlinson School

Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode

and Stannington College. Watson was a

Island in 2004. Solo exhibitions include

founding member of the influential Sheffield

“Any Ever”, which traveled from the Power

based experimental music group Cabaret

Plant, Toronto in 2009 to the Museum of

Voltaire during the 1970s and early 1980s. His

Contemporary Art, Los Angeles in 2010, then

sound recording career began in 1981 when

to the Museum of Contemporary Art, North

he joined Tyne Tees Television. Since then he

Miami, Florida in 2011; MoMA P.S.1, Long

has developed a particular and passionate

Island City, New York; Musée d'Art Moderne

interest in recording the wildlife sounds of

de la Ville de Paris, France (2011); Kunsthalle

animals, habitats and atmospheres from

Wien, Austria; Wexner Center for the Arts,

around the world. As a freelance composer

Columbus, Ohio; Hammer Museum, Los

and

Angeles; and Elizabeth Dee Gallery, New York.

Watson specializes in natural history and

recordist

for

film,

TV

and

radio,

documentary location sound, together with Suzanne Treister was born in 1958 in London

sound design in post-production.

UK. Treister studied at St Martin's School of Art, London (1978-1981) and Chelsea College

Lawrence Weiner, one of the central figures

of Art and Design, London (1981–1982).

of Conceptual Art, was born in 1942 in the Bronx,

Initially recognized as a painter, she became

New York. After graduating from high school,

a pioneer in the digital/new media/web

Weiner had a variety of jobs—he worked on

based field from the beginning of the 1990s.

an oil tanker, on docks, and unloading railroad

Exhibitions include “HEXEN 2.0 at P.P.O.W.”,

cars. He traveled throughout North America

New York and Cleveland Institute of Art

before returning to New York, where he

(2013); “THE REAL TRUTH A WORLD'S FAIR”,

exhibited at Seth Siegelaub Contemporary Art

Raven Row, London (2012); “HEXEN 2.0”, the

in 1964 and 1965. Weiner’s early work included

Science Museum, London (2012); “Hartware”,

experiments with systematic approaches to

MedienKunstVerein,

shaped canvases and later, featured squares

Dortmund,

Germany

(2012); Secession, Vienna, Austria (2012).

cut out of carpeting or walls. His work has been exhibited at leading institutions internationally.

Janaina Tschäpe was born in 1973 in Munich and is based in New York. Tschäpe

Jana Winderen was born in Bodø, Norway

completed a Fine Arts degree in Hamburg,

in 1965. She was educated in Fine Art at

Germany, and a residency program in

Goldsmiths College in London, and with a

Salvador, Brazil, before moving to New York

background in mathematics, chemistry and

for her Masters of Fine Arts in 1997, where

fish ecology from the University in Oslo.

she currently partially works and resides.

She had an installation in the Park Avenue

Her work was been exhibited at institutions

Tunnel, New York City in the summer of 2014

including IMMA, Dublin; Rubin Museum,

and exhibited at MoMA, NYC in 2013. Jana is

New York; Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de

artist-in-residence at the TBA21 Academy

Janeiro; and Jeu de Paume, Paris. Tschäpe’s

and releases her audio-visual works on

work is held in public collections, including

Touch. In 2011 she won the Golden Nica, Ars

the Centre Pompidou, Paris; National Gallery

Electronica, for Digital Musics & Sound Art.

of Art, Washington; Solomon R. Guggenheim

Amongst her activities are immersive multi-

Museum, New York; Thyssen-Bornemisza

channel installations and concerts and has

Art Contemporary, Vienna, Austria.

performed all over the world. She currently lives and works in Oslo.

176

TBA21– ACADEMY

THE TBA21 FOUNDATION

REDEFINING THE ART INSTITUTION

Founded in 2002 by Francesca von Habsburg in Vienna, Austria, Thyssen-Bornemisza Art

TBA21–ACADEMY is an itinerant site of

Contemporary (TBA21) represents the fourth

cultural production and interdisciplinary

generation of the Thyssen family’s commit-

exchange; a fellowship organization bringing

ment to the arts. The foundation is dedi-

artists, scientists and thinkers together at

cated primarily to the commissioning and

sea and on land. The Academy commissions

dissemination of ambitious, experi­ mental,

ambitious projects informed by the iti­ ne­

and unconventional projects that defy tra-

rary of its vessel Dardanella – unique geo­

ditional categorizations. This approach has

graphical contexts that raise ecological,

gained the collection a pioneering reputa-

economic

TBA21–

tion throughout the world. The foundation’s

ACADEMY is an adventurous institution

projects promote artistic practices that are

exploring critical geographies, enabled by

architectural, context and site specific, per-

Thyssen-Bornemisza

formative, and often informed by an interest

and

social

Art

issues.

Contemporary

(www.tba21.org)

in social aesthetics and environmental concerns. Many of the projects reflect the shift away from disciplinary to transdisciplinary

A New Chapter in the Culture

practices, embracing architecture, sound,

of Exploration

music, and science. The “cross-pollination” of disciplines challenges interpretation and

TBA21–ACADEMY is reimagining the culture

the traditions of collecting, preserving, and

of exploration, opening a new chapter in the

presenting works of art. This approach re-

history of art at sea. The academy is a critical

flects the vision of TBA21’s founder, Franc-

platform for redefining the expedition in

esca von Habsburg. In addition, TBA21

the post-colonial era, asserting alternative

shares its collection and commissions with

typologies of the artist as explorer and the

numerous museums and public institutions.

sea voyage narrative.

Most commissions, initiated and produced by the foundation, form an integral part of major contemporary art exhibitions, such as

An Interdisciplinary Catalyst

the Venice Biennale, the Istanbul Biennial, and documenta, where new works are very

TBA21–ACADEMY is committed to broadening

much on the agenda. In past years, cross-

the aesthetic parameters by which marine

over performative projects were realized

and coastal realms are understood. Looking

through a number of collaborations, nota-

beyond the binary of the picturesque and

bly with the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in

the documentary exposé, the academy

Berlin, Artangel in London, and the Wiener

commissions projects that complicate and

Festwochen.

deepen our relationship with the ocean.

Interdisciplinary approaches, including col­ la­borations between artists and scientists, are a strategic component of this agenda.

17 7

PROJECT CREDITS

THANKS

Team

Pelagic Project Consultants

Francesca von Habsburg, Chairwoman

Dr Dayne Buddo

Markus Reymann, Director

Nico Ghersinich

Nadim Samman, Curator

Ocean Ramsey

Laura Egger, Project Management

Ilena Zanella

IMAGE CREDITS

Julia Koehn, Project Management Christian Url, Development Ocean Ramsey, Pelagic Project

Dardanella Crew

Consultant & Safety Diver Nico Ghersinich, Pelagic Project

Brady MacDonald, Captain

Consultant & Safety Diver

Jacob MacDonald, First Mate

Pepe Monge Garcia, Skiff Driver

Alex Martinez, Chief Engineer

José Alesandro Álvares, Underwater

Ryan Lombard, Deck Hand

Photography

Sandra Quintero, Chief Stewardess Stacy Burscough, Second Stewardess Sarah Gilbert, Chef

Advisors Nicolas Anouilh

Administration

Maria Wilhelm, CAMERON Companies Fernando Quiros Brenes, SINAC

Niclas Schmiedmaier,

Carlos Uribe, FAICO

Administration Manager Karin Berger, Finance Manager Beate Vásquez Valencia,

Chest & Map

PA to Francesca von Habsburg

Aranda/Lasch, Artists Constant Dullaart, Artist

Thyssen-Bornemisza

Phillip Krummel, Technical Consultant

Art Contemporary (TBA21)

Simone Sentall, Logistics

Koestlergasse 1/22, A-1060 Vienna

Wolfgang Prohaska, Chest Fabriation

T +43 1 513 98 56 | F +43 1 513 98 56 22

Bernhard Voslamber, Map Fabrication

office@tba21academy.org

Olaf Trommer, Map Modelling

For press and media enquiries please contact: press@tba21.org

Expedition Artists

www.tba21academy.org

Julian Charrière Carsten Nicolai Andrew Ranville Pascale Wyse

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179

PROJECT CREDITS

THANKS

Team

Pelagic Project Consultants

Francesca von Habsburg, Chairwoman

Dr Dayne Buddo

Markus Reymann, Director

Nico Ghersinich

Nadim Samman, Curator

Ocean Ramsey

Laura Egger, Project Management

Ilena Zanella

IMAGE CREDITS

Julia Koehn, Project Management Christian Url, Development Ocean Ramsey, Pelagic Project

Dardanella Crew

Consultant & Safety Diver Nico Ghersinich, Pelagic Project

Brady MacDonald, Captain

Consultant & Safety Diver

Jacob MacDonald, First Mate

Pepe Monge Garcia, Skiff Driver

Alex Martinez, Chief Engineer

José Alesandro Álvares, Underwater

Ryan Lombard, Deck Hand

Photography

Sandra Quintero, Chief Stewardess Stacy Burscough, Second Stewardess Sarah Gilbert, Chef

Advisors Nicolas Anouilh

Administration

Maria Wilhelm, CAMERON Companies Fernando Quiros Brenes, SINAC

Niclas Schmiedmaier,

Carlos Uribe, FAICO

Administration Manager Karin Berger, Finance Manager Beate Vásquez Valencia,

Chest & Map

PA to Francesca von Habsburg

Aranda/Lasch, Artists Constant Dullaart, Artist

Thyssen-Bornemisza

Phillip Krummel, Technical Consultant

Art Contemporary (TBA21)

Simone Sentall, Logistics

Koestlergasse 1/22, A-1060 Vienna

Wolfgang Prohaska, Chest Fabriation

T +43 1 513 98 56 | F +43 1 513 98 56 22

Bernhard Voslamber, Map Fabrication

office@tba21academy.org

Olaf Trommer, Map Modelling

For press and media enquiries please contact: press@tba21.org

Expedition Artists

www.tba21academy.org

Julian Charrière Carsten Nicolai Andrew Ranville Pascale Wyse

178

179

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition Published by Sternberg Press

Graphic design: schienerl d /ad , Vienna

Copyright Š ... Sternberg

Printed in the Czech Republic ISBN 978-3-95679-107-9

Sternberg Press Caroline Schneider Karl-Marx-Allee 78 D-10243 Berlin www.sternberg-press.com

180

Captain William Thompson Mariner, turncoat, and buccaneer Photo: private archive

COLOPHON

Treasure of Lima: A Buried Exhibition Published by Sternberg Press

Graphic design: schienerl d /ad , Vienna

Copyright Š ... Sternberg

Printed in the Czech Republic ISBN 978-3-95679-107-9

Sternberg Press Caroline Schneider Karl-Marx-Allee 78 D-10243 Berlin www.sternberg-press.com

180

Captain William Thompson Mariner, turncoat, and buccaneer Photo: private archive

COLOPHON

4

4