WALKWORK-WW
Dr. Miguel de las Doblas Lavigne
AM ’85, Harvard University; Ph.D. Universidad Complutense de Madrid, (UCM)
Retired Geoscientist of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Institute of Geosciences, IGEO (CSIC-UCM). Email: mdoblaslavigne@gmail.com.
Madrid, Spain
ABSTRACT
We propose a new/practical
solidarity project with the goal of helping the numerous socially/economically
groups of deprived, unemployed, vulnerable, migrants, marginal or excluded poor
people and in general the different generations that are confronted with an
existential emptiness with no apparent way out and a sad future due to the 2020
Covid-19 pandemic. We suggest the novel notion that it is possible to “Work while Walking” (WALKWORK-WW project) using diverse/exclusive
forms of art. We propose a very simple tool that consists of modest rural/urban
excursions along trails/streets to collect samples of different loose materials
or take photos of outcrops/landscapes, which can be sold because of their
artistic uniqueness. WW is profusely
illustrated and consists of two sections. 1) GEOART ("geological
artistic curiosities") which is commercially the most important one,
especially the loose pebbles called "mimetoliths" (rocks that remind us of something else)
that are easy to collect and transport. There are also other forms of
geological curiosities at all scales that cannot be collected and that are economically
less interesting (photographs/collages of outcrops, landscapes, walls, floors,
etc.). 2) MOREART (“non-geological artistic curiosities”) is
subordinate from a commercial point of view and we only include it to further stimulate
our imagination: loose fragments, photographs, collages, all kinds of curious,
original or "meaningful" rural/urban elements. It is essential that our
WW project achieves a true practical
use and we must find the most effective way to reach the largest number of
citizens through social networks, media, NGO’s, public organizations or private
companies. WW brings together two
supposedly contradictory activities: obligation (working) and devotion (walking).
We will work enjoying ourselves while doing physical and mental exercise and we
will not have to bear the usual work-related problems, assuming a “timeless
self-contract” that will only depend on us. This project has also an important
educational, didactic and cultural component and involves a powerful training
stimulating the creative, inquisitive, scientific mind and the agility of
lateral thinking.
Our WW project
can be downloaded in Spanish and English in the following links of our
BlogSpot:
https://freegeobrainstormingblog.blogspot.com/2020/08/proyecto-solidario-rocarte.html
https://freegeobrainstormingblog.blogspot.com/2021/01/walkwork-ww.html
1. INTRODUCTION
Our solidarity project WW consists of two sections whose
relative importance is very different:
1) GEOART: This is by far the more
important of the two when trying to obtain a minimum economical profit and it is
based on the different art-forms that arise from geological observations at all
possible scales. We should point out that the vast majority of commercial
benefits that “walkworkers” may
obtain come from loose peebles/boulders called "mimetoliths" or
“viewing stones with a meaning" that are very abundant, that nobody looks
for, that are easy to collect and whose size is suitable for transport. In the GEOART
section there are many examples of other types of mimetoliths or forms of
geological art that cannot be collected/transported, that we can only display
as photographs, framed rock-samples, rock-boxes, collages, etc., and that are
more difficult to commercialize: small examples included in rock outcrops ;
curious shapes of the landscape; “evocative” forms on a microscopic, satellite
or astronomical scale; walls or floors in the urban environment with pavements,
tiles or walls of “prepared” natural rocks that contain “meaningfull” elements
or mimetolithic features.
2) MOREART: This second section
is secondary and we only include it to offer a wider range of creative
possibilities that may stimulate our imagination during the walks, although its
commercialization is much more difficult since we fully enter into the well-worn
and wide-ranging field of the Arts (photography, painting, sculpture, etc.). We
can obtain good examples of MOREART in any village, field, mountain or beach
where we walk along paths, roads, or streets. MOREART includes samples, photos
or collages of different types of curious, original or "meaningful"
elements: anthropic materials, flora, fauna, streets, walls, floors, lights,
water, snow, ice, buildings, clouds, loose fragments (wood, shells, glass,
tiles, bricks), etc. If we decide to become walkworkers, the same excursions should
be valuable to search for GEOART and MOREART examples.
Our project is profusely illustrated
with an extensive album that includes nearly 400 photos and/or collages
subdivided into 61 plates or figures: 1) GEOART: 13 chapters with 31 composite
plates; and, 2) MOREART: 17 chapters with 30 composite plates. We will explain/expose
our 61 figures after the written part of the project, as an easy-to-view final
section. In this sense, we do not follow the usual practice of scientific
manuscripts that intercalate figures and text, since we do not want to
interrupt the written discourse with the multitude of plates. However, when it
is necessary to illustrate a concept, we will cite certain relevant figures
within the text.
In addition to the economic aspect, the WW project involves a powerful and
effective mental training that becomes addictive. We are generating new and
interesting ideas instead of wandering around like “zombies” looking for
“pokemons” or making banal “selfies” for our social networks of “influencers”.
We believe that the important attitude is to be original in our proposals and to
question everything we see. The creative and inquisitive mind and the agility
of lateral thinking are significantly reinforced by this playful practice and
we can take advantage of a simple walk to think actively, observing and
carefully analyzing everything around us. This will help us reinforce the
scientific potential of our mind and we will end up understanding that human
progress is not based on the standard answers
that are given to us by society and that we have pigeonholed in our “unthinking” brain (lethargic by so much
technological saturation: television, mobiles, games, bets, etc.), but the new questions that we are able to ask and
that nobody dares to imagine. A recent article suggests that the new North
American administration is determined to encourage arts as a tool stimulating
human creativity that has been critically altered by the pandemic (Ref. 1).
Hopefully, the Covid19 calamity may bring about a change in mentality that
helps restructure our “unsustainable” way of life: the saying "every cloud has a silver lining" might
become true since a fundamental change is necessary to achieve a less consumerist,
more supportive and less polluting society.
2) GEOART (Figures 1 to
31)
This section is subdivided into
four chapters: 1) Importance of stones or rocks in society; 2) Concepts of
mimetoliths and PAH triad; 3) Collection and preparation of mimetoliths; and,
4) Selling mimetoliths: The example of the Suisekis.
2-1) IMPORTANCE OF STONES OR ROCKS IN
SOCIETY
The words rock and stone are used in
different contexts. The term rock is
normally used in geology: “a solid
material of natural origin formed by an association of minerals which
constitutes an important part of the earth's crust” (Ref. 2). On the other
hand, the word stone is more
colloquial, has a much broader definition and covers a dozen different meanings
in almost all human activities (Ref. 3): geology, construction, medicine,
meteorology, games, philosophy, religion, culture, archeology, technology, etc.
There are more than 50 terms that use the word stone together with other ones
to define something much more specific (Ref. 3): Touch..stone..(black jasper to know the Law of Au); Foundation…(the first
stone of a building); Rosetta…(deciphering the Egyptian hieroglyphs); Magnetite…(base
of the compass that allowed travelling); … Spark…; Sharpen…; Bezoar…; Grinding…;
… of scandal; Philosopher’s…; Zodiacal …., etc. It is an indisputable fact that
stones "sensu-lato" have been, are and will be vital for the progress
of humanity. The earliest human tools were prehistoric flint artifacts carved
for cutting, tearing, or polishing. Similarly, the first human weapons were
stones: prehistoric flint artifacts tooled as axes or arrows to fight, hunt and
kill; stones or balls thrown with slingshots or cannons; stones to “stone
women” according to the atrocious "traditions" of monotheistic
religions; obsidian knives for the Aztec sacrifices, etc. All our industrial society
is based on stones “sensu lato”: 1) The Industrial Revolution was grounded on
the steam engine powered by coal. 2) The world economy is firmly founded on
hydrocarbons, natural gas, rare-earth minerals, gold, platinum, silver, uranium,
aluminum, lead, zinc, chromium, manganese, titanium, tantalium, nickel, copper,
chromium, tin, iron, phosphates, lithium, salt, coltan, gems (diamonds,
emeralds, rubies, sapphires) etc. 3) The most economically secure value guarded
by the bank reserves of all countries is the gold bullion that ensures the
liquidity of the cash we handle. It is also undeniable that the Climate Change
and Global Warming of the Earth are due to the excessive use that humanity has
made of the non-renewable fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal, etc.).
In this sense, we take the opportunity
to remind the capital importance of geology for society as a whole. In advanced
countries, the opinion of a geologist is essential in the initial phases of major
engineering works (highways, dams, viaducts, power plants, skyscrapers, etc.).
Geologists are the only professionals capable of locating and adequately
exploiting all types of mines to make them profitable (coal, sulfides, precious
metals) or hydrocarbon deposits. Unfortunately, in Spain, geology is considered
a secondary subject in school or university.
2-2) CONCEPTS OF MIMETOLITHS AND PAH TRIAD
The notion of "mimetolith" (from the Greek "mimetes, imitator,
and;" lithos ", stone) was introduced in 1989 by R.V. Dietrich in a
continuously updated website (until today; Ref. 4). According to Dietrich, a
mimetolith is “a rock, mineral, outcrop,
rocky landscape or topographic relief whose shape reminds us to something else
(an animal, a face, a person, a plant, an object, etc.)”. The scale of the
mimetoliths can range from microscopic thin-sections, mesoscopic hand-samples, macroscopic
outcrops, aerial/satellite photographies to astronomical images. Mimetolith
recognition is definitely complex and requires discipline and training: in
Dietrich's words "welcome to the
world of equivocation and ambiguity" and "keep your eyes and mind open: look, observe and use your imagination."
Dietrich reminds that almost everyone has looked at one thing and discovered
that it resembled something else. In fact, references to these types of observations
proliferate in the literature (Ref. 4): Lo-Tien (8th century), Shakespeare
(16th to 17th centuries), Mark Twain, R.W. Wood (19th to 20th centuries), etc.
Archaeologist P. Bustamante described
why humans have the ability to see mimetoliths (Ref. 5). He introduced the psychological
concepts of Pareidolia, Apophenia and Hierophany (the PAH triad), which explain
the sacralization of certain sites and the origin of animism, religion, art, astronomy,
etc. The PAH psychological triad is inherent to hominids of all times, cultures
and continents, explaining some of our "transversal behaviors" (Ref.
5). Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon where a vague and random stimulus
is perceived as a recognizable shape. It allows our brain to find order and
identify shapes in chaotic signals or specific objects. Apophenia is the
experience of seeing patterns in seemingly meaningless random events/data.
Hierophany introduces the sacred or divine. When examining archaeological sites
in all continents, cultures and times, Pareidolia emerges as a trigger and the
PAH triad as a consequence: Pareidolia identified a figure in the environment
that was interpreted by our ancestors; Apophenia associated this form and its
presence with a coherent story that was transformed into a timeless legend,
and; Hierophany associated this feature
with gods and suggested it had a sacred character, later becoming a place of worship
(Ref. 5).
According to Bustamante (Ref. 5), the
PAH triad is at the origin of astronomy, which started by dividing the sky into
segments with groups of stars similar to animal figures and objects (zodiac
signs). Modern astronomy allows us to observe thousands of constellations,
galaxies and nebulae that are often named by their resemblance to something:
the Hand of God, the Crab, the Medusa, the Horse Head, the Cat Eye, the Clown
Face, etc.
The PAH Triad also seems to be at
the origin of art (Ref. 5): when primitive men found a natural form similar to
a living being in a cave, they added the missing components to highlight its
resemblance. In his work on the origin of art and symbols (two million years
ago), J. Harrod (Ref. 6) mentions the famous findings that defined the initial
lineage of hominids in Tanzania (Olduvai) and Kenya (Lake Turkana), where the
first examples of “stones that do not
look like stones” were found: small rock samples retouched to look like
baboon heads (Ref. 6). R. Bednarik (Ref. 7) discovered the first authentic
mimetolith (supposedly unworked), collected and stored three million years ago by
a South African preaustralopithecus: the renowned “Makapangast Stone”, a pebble of jasperite that is supposed to be the
first artistic expression of the human species (a face; Fig. 1A). This author
(and many other schools of Paleoanthropogy; Ref. 8), mention that these
primitive hominids had the habit of collecting small rock samples that looked
like heads or human figures, although they retouched them to accentuate their
resemblance.
Some recent studies introduce new ideas
that complement the concepts of mimetoliths and PAH, suggesting that certain
topographic forms or natural cosmological phenomena could have had a decisive
influence on the first artistic manifestations or monuments erected by humanity
(Refs. 9, 10, 11).
Apparently, certain ancestral nomadic
tribes that travelled the Sahara desert
were inspired by erosive (protruding outcrops) or cumulative (dunes) aeolian
topographic reliefs that they had observed on their trips (Ref.9): these erosive
forms or pyramidal dunes could have inspired the Egyptian civilization when
they designed their more emblematic monuments: the sphinx and the pyramids.
Recent cosmological researches have
defined the so-called “Peratt instabilities”, violent high-energy plasma
electrical discharges that occur in our atmosphere and in the extraterrestrial
space of the Solar System: they are observable from Earth and have been
reproduced in the laboratory (Refs. 10, 11). These "celestial dramas"
that also occurred in ancient times (with different shapes, colors and lights
that were beautiful, strange or terrifying), were called "the rays of the
gods" and were accurately depicted in a wide variety of
"petroglyphs" (marks painted/scratched on walls by early hominids),
very similar in all continents and cultures (Pleistocene to Paleolithic; Refs.
10, 11): toroids, spheroids, ellipses, steps, crosses, separators, vortices,
auroras, eye-masks, anthropomorphic markings, animal shapes, etc.
The PAH triad may be at the origin of
animism and religion (Ref. 5). An outstanding mountain or site where a face
could be recognized was supposed to possess a more powerful spirit and was sacralized
(animism; Ref. 5). There are hundreds of examples around the world of these
sacralizations that have been called “Pareidolic Landscapes” (Refs. 5, 12): Chinese
mountains associated with different gods; mountains, hills, volcanoes in Chile,
Peru, Mexico (Moches, Incas, Aztecs); menhirs/dolmens; standing stones of
Stonehenge; Idols of Easter Island; etc.
In the different monotheistic religions
that emerged in the Middle East, sacralization of rocks or outcrops is also
common. Moses' "Table of the Ten Commandments" was supposedly carved by
“divine fire" on a stone slab. In Jerusalem, the name of the mount
"Calvary or Golgotha" (where Jesus Christ was crucified) comes from
an outcrop that looks like a skull on one side of the hill (Ref. 13). The
Catholic religion is based on the “Stone” on which Peter built his church: “Tu
es Petrus” (You are the Stone) is the title of the Popes. In the Kaaba of
Mecca, the Islamic religion venerates a black stone (supposedly from paradise)
of probable extraterrestrial origin (a meteorite).
Pareidolia seems fashionable as a recent
press article explains how science has managed to reveal the mystery of "why don't we stop seeing faces everywhere?"
(Ref. 14). According to a paper published in the journal "Psychological
Science", the basic pattern of characteristics that defines the human face
is something with which our brain is particularly familiar (Ref. 14). The
authors of the article suggest that this phenomenon represents many
evolutionary advantages: our efficiency in detecting faces is important to
facilitate our social interactions and to discover possible predators (Ref.
14).
2-3) COLLECTION AND PREPARATION OF
MIMETOLITHS
In order to be able to “work walking” with mimetoliths, it is crucial
to change our mind and our way of seeing/looking at things: we must consciously
observe and search. It is only a matter of time and of focusing our attention
on certain rocks that are everywhere, but that nobody looks for. To do this, we
must train ourselves to focus our senses on everything that surrounds us during
the seeking-walk, "putting-on the WW glasses to exercise the mimetolithic
eye", letting the imagination fly freely, boosting creativity,
stimulating the inquisitive mind and reinforcing our lateral-thinking ability
instead of the tunnel-vision of our society.
The collection and sale of mimetoliths
is an unexploited form of natural craft, with abundant samples that are easy to
find and carry. It is a suitable activity for flea markets, shops, art
galleries, Internet sales, exhibitions, etc., which can provide a minimal
income to many deprived people. During these catastrophic times of pandemic, it
is necessary to reinvent ourselves and look for new forms of subsistence. Of
all the existing mimetoliths, the majority of those that can provide immediate cash
are the loose hand samples easy to transport with a shopping cart or a backpack
(pebbles or boulders measuring 2 to 20 cm).
The essential material that walkworkers must
carry to search for mimetoliths on country trails, mountain tracks, beaches,
etc., is basically the same that a normal hiker needs for a field excursion: a backpack,
comfortable country clothes with many pockets, warm clothes, boots, a cap, a
first-aid kit, water, food, a raincoat, an umbrella, a cell phone with gps,
etc. We should notify someone of the area we are going to visit and the time we
plan to be away. A small geologist's hammer is very useful for loosening
"meaningful" rocks that we might find within consolidated outcrops.
It is advisable to carry a small/high-quality camera to take valuable photos of
the curiosities that we may find along the way. Any photo should incorporate a
recognizable scale (coin, pencil, etc.). It is important to bring material to
wrap/identify our samples (plastic bags, newspapers, bubble wrap, permanent markers,
etc.), as we should not carry all the stones together: with the walking-movement
they scratch each other and some fragile mimetoliths might be damaged (slate, shale,
gypsum, sandstone, etc.). We must analyze the field areas that we are going to
explore as some of them may be prohibited or dangerous: hunting reserves,
wildlife protection areas, fields with free livestock, Natural Parks, etc.
To obtain good photos of mimetoliths in
rocky outcrops, it is essential to take into account the lighting conditions,
the meteorology (cloudy, rainy, sunny, foggy, snowy, etc.), the orientation,
the observation distance, the seasons of the year (different solar orientation),
etc. As geologists, we are aware that when we return to a known outcrop, we
usually find structures that we had not seen before, but that had always been
there. Mimetoliths can only be detected when samples are favorably orientated
and therefore it is advisable to move the loose pebbles with the foot or to
pick them up and examine them in detail; the same happens with the landscape
that must be observed from different perspectives. It is also very common to
wet the prospective samples with water (or saliva) to better highlight the “meaningfull”
features we want to discover.
The walkworker who wants to sell his mimetoliths
can do it in person or online. Nowadays, with the Covid 19 pandemic, the second
option is the most reasonable, creating a website for the online sale of
mimetoliths, photographic collages, sample-boxes, framed rocks, and other
curiosities (including photos, prices, payment/shipping options, etc.). Once
the pandemic threat is over, live-sale will be more feasible in flea markets,
bazaars, shops, art galleries, exhibitions, etc. Walkworkers can also choose the
direct street-vending option using a van with portable stands to display their GEOART
in the different urban or rural markets, seaside promenades, fairs, etc. It is
also conceivable for a daring walkworker to lead a “bohemian” life as a permanent
traveler that does not need to keep a bank account or pay the rent/mortgage of a
house. This adventurer will find and sell native mimetoliths wherever he goes, provided
he undertakes a geological planning of the potentially interesting sites he
might find in his prospective trip.
The preparation of samples for sale can
be done in many different ways, always keeping in mind that they must be
correctly oriented in order to exhibit their “mimetolithic face”. Ideally, the
best/easier samples of mimetoliths are the natural/loose boulders, pebbles or
angular stones that are "just waiting" to be collected during our
country walks (Figs. 1-5): this is a free material that does not need any retouching
to be sold. On the other hand, there are many possibilities of exposing our
“oriented” mimetoliths with some retouching or additions: 1) A putty/silicone
base can be adhered to some samples after cutting a small support plane on one of
their borders; these specimens can also be glued on different types of bases
(methacrylate, plastic, wood, ceramic, etc.). 2) Samples can be exposed using convenient
foldup-plastic displays. 3) Mimetoliths are often varnished or polished to
highlight their characteristics. 4) The mimetolith should include a small sketch
of the visible form or a label in the case of a trophy (Fig. 24C). 5) Additional
items can be added to make the mimetolith more appealing (stone, wood, etc.; Fig.
25; Figs. 29 A, C). 6) Different parts can be drawn with permanent markers to
highlight certain aspects (Figs. 29 E, F, G). 7) Rock samples can be cut into slabs,
cubes, piramids, etc. (a small stone cutting and polishing machine is needed).
Mimetoliths can be used as paperweights,
keychains, coasters, framed rock-collages, posters, pendants, trophies,
decorative objects within the house or larger blocks at the entrance of the
house or in the garden. Famous ornamental rocks are exposed using artistic frames
as occurs with paintings (the "Paesine" marble of Florence; Figs. 24
D, E). “Meaningful” thin natural strata are often used to cover walls of fences
or houses (slates, sandstones, etc.; Fig. 11A).
Another very interesting goal (although
more difficult to achieve) is to collect samples that show one or more
recognizable letters (usually high-grade metamorphic rocks) and search in Google
the name/surname-initials of famous individuals that match our “lettered”
specimens. The idea is to contact these people and try to sell them these exclusive
mimetoliths (interesting prices should be expected; Fig. 5): W (Wyoming); OC
(Ortega Cano); MV (Manuel Vicent); SS (Santiago Segura); VV (Vicente Verdu). Some
mimetoliths with peculiar faces/forms may interest specific people in accordance
with their professions or tastes. For example, the punky profile of figure 3B perfectly
matches the style of Spanish rock stars Alaska or Loquillo.
In addition to mimetoliths, certain
emblematic samples collected by mountaineers might be very interesting: e.g., specimens
from the highest mountains of the world can easily be sold at good prices (Everest,
Kilimanjaro, Mc Kinley, Aconcagua, Elbrus, etc.). In these cases, and given
their rarity, they can be cut into small cubes or slabs, varnished and mounted
on methacrylate bases, displaying the name of the famed peak (Fig. 24C). Stones
from the highest mountains of Spain (or any other country) can also be sold:
Teide, Almanzor, Veleta, Mulhacen, Aneto, Peñalara, etc. In addition to rock
samples, it is also interesting to collect gravels, sand, mud or water from
these mountains, using small watertight plastic containers and plastic bags. Any
habitual touristic-traveler should carry small plastic bags/cans to collect specimens
from the places he visits. We personally have a collection of this type of “sample-mixing”
from at least 20 different countries around the world.
When looking for mimetoliths suitable
for commercialization, practically all rural areas with country trails,
mountain paths, beaches, fluvial meanders, lacustrine banks, etc., can provide
us with valuable samples. However, there are certain searching-areas that are
preferable due to the abundance and/or quality of the specimens that can be
found. Coastal areas with pebble/boulder beaches are among the most interesting
sites to obtain “meaningful” samples of suitable sizes. As far as we know, the
best area to find extraordinary mimetoliths in Spain are the beaches of the Granada’s
Tropical-Coast (bearing high-grade metamorphic rocks with folds and faults). In
addition, it is particularly attractive to locate good mimetoliths when snorkeling
along these shores: the samples are wet and can be easily be moved/collected.
The recent volcanic areas (e.g., Canary Islands) are especially interesting
because they display complex lava flows with fluidal/cordate, pillow or chaotic
textures, triggering abundant and spectacular mimetoliths. The same occurs with
the granitic zones of the eroded old basement in central Spain: the Guadarrama
and Gredos mountains show whole-outcrop-scale spectacular mimetoliths known as “Knight Stones” with many recognizable forms
(e.g., La Pedriza). Any karstic area with caves and erosive forms is especially
favorable to find remarkable mimetoliths and they are very abundant in Spain
(Alcarria, Asturias, Pyrenees, Betics, etc.). One of the best examples of karstic
morphology is the so-called “Enchanted
City” of Cuenca (the name says it all), given the abundance of standing/perforated
outcrops with “meaningful” forms of all kind. It would be interesting to
include all these Spanish mimetolithic sites on an interactive Google Earth map
where walkworkers can locate their georeferenced findings, with a brief
description and representative photos.
To get started in the difficult art of
recognizing mimetoliths, the most accessible examples that we know are located in
the urban area of Colmenar Viejo (northern Madrid): two permanent open-air
exhibitions are displayed there with spectacular blocks of the best geological
specimens of the Spanish Central Mountains, after being transported and
installed for several decades by naturalist/gemologist Martín-Fernández (ref.
15). We can also find valuable examples of “retouched” GEOART in the urban
environment of any world city, thus allowing the organization of "low-cost"
geological excursions for groups of students or tourists. Several universities of
the world have published small urban guides with specific itineraries, including
many geological points of interest (e.g., https://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucfbrxs/Homepage/UrbanGeology.htm). Years ago, we
prepared a leaflet including some curious "geopoints" along the main
boulevard of Madrid (La Castellana): “GeoMadrid
Project”: https://freegeobrainstormingblog.blogspot.com/2021/01/proyecto-geomadrid-pgm.html. Examples of
floors, walls, bar worktops, shop counters, etc., with spectacular natural-stone
tiles/slabs are very abundant in Madrid (and in any city of the world): subway,
shopping centers, "luxury" shops, paved streets, etc. Unfortunately,
geology is the great forgotten of most rural/urban touristic routes in Spain that
usually focus on flora, fauna, history, gastronomy, architecture or landscape.
Finally, a walkworker should put into
practice the famous saying of Antonio Machado “There is not a way for a walker; you make your way when you walk”. Our
WW project joins together two
activities that apparently seem contradictory: working (negative connotation)
and walking (positive connotation), combining obligation with devotion. We will
enjoy working while doing physical/mental exercise, exploring the world with an
open/creative mind. This alternative type of work does not have bosses,
schedules, mobbing, productivity, competitiveness or unstable contracts. Once
we decide to adopt this type of "working life", we assume a
"timeless self-contract" that we will manage on our own and that will
offer us freedom and happiness. The search for transportable and marketable
mimetoliths thus becomes a form of open air “work” and a real fun in which the
family can participate (the more people, the greater the chances of finding
samples), taking advantage of the weekends, walking around country roads,
mountain paths, beaches, river meanders, lacustrine banks, etc. In addition, we
will not have to suffer the usual urban agglomerations (collapsed traffic, slow
and saturated public transport, crowded streets).
The objective of any walkworker should
be to materialize the philosophical wisdom expressed in two famed Spanish
sayings: "the Catalan makes bread
out of stones"; and, "That
one gets money from under the stones". In this way, we will dismantle
once and for all the infamous and utterly false saying of “a stone gives less” (“menos
dá una piedra” in Spanish) that geologists hate so much because it
extremely popular in our language.
2-4) SELLING MIMETOLITHS: THE EXAMPLE
OF THE SUISEKIS (Fig.
31; Ref. 16)
We will now describe some famous natural
mimetoliths that have been incorporated for centuries to the Chinese, Japanese
and Korean cultures and are called, respectively, Shangshi, Suisekis (cosmic or
water stones) or Suseok. This "stone
art" (originally Chinese from the 6th and 7th centuries) is very
popular and consists of exposing mimetoliths of a suitable size on hardwood
supports (custom-carved and varnished) or on ceramic/metallic trays.
Supposedly, they recall landscapes, human beings, animals, plants or other
natural objects or they evoke climatological conditions, cosmic scenarios or
abstract forms. They must combine delicate colors and enhance with equilibrium the
power of suggestion, in order to stimulate serenity and peace of mind. In
Japan, Suisekis are displayed at home in a place of honor, accompanied by bonsais
and/or calligraphic paintings. It is considered as the "art of contemplating stones",
usually associated with the tea ceremony, supposedly stimulating the body,
purifying the soul and elevating the spirit. The occidental culture has partially
incorporated this tradition with the so-called "landscape stones" or
"viewing stones" (Ref. 16).
Figure 31A shows an exhibition of 1700
Suisekis at the Chinsekikan Museum in Chichibu, Japan ("room of curious stones"; Ref. 16a):
there are faces (famous or not), heads or other recognizable forms.
Figure 31I is a screenshot of a webpage selling
Suisekis: prices range from 50 to 800 Euros (Ref. 16h). This clearly
demonstrates the feasibility of our WW
project: the different social groups in need can surely obtain a minimum income
with the commercialization of these “meaningful”
stones.
3) MOREART (Figures 32 to
61)
The WW
project also includes a subordinate section that we called MOREART (“non-geological artistic curiosities”).
This section is less effective when trying to obtain a vital income (this is the
main objective of our solidarity project), since the samples, photos or collages
belong to the wide field of the arts where there is fierce competition and
production is infinite. However, we believe that it is interesting to include
it in our project since it increases our creativity and mental agility, thus
complementing the skills needed to become a prolific walkworker. In the
extensive album of plates that we have prepared, one can see the varied range
of curious, interesting and original non-geological artistic elements that we
can discover in our rural or urban walks: plants, trees, flowers, animals,
insects, fruits, clouds, water (liquid, snow, ice), wood, shells, anthropic
remains (glass, tiles, bricks, ceramics), lights/shadows, walls/floors,
buildings, urban furniture, etc. The list of creative possibilities in MOREART
is unlimited and covers all the objects, elements or phenomena that we may encounter
during our excursions (we only described a few ones in the present work): e.g.,
sunrises, sunsets, rain, storms, wind, rainbows, vehicles, animals, edifices, etc.
4) PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF THE WW
PROJECT
If we want that the WW project might be of real/practical use in these times of pandemic,
we must find the most efficient way to reach the largest number of citizens.
One possibility would be to send our blogpost-link through the many social
networks, but the reach would be too restricted for what is desirable. It would
be much more interesting that Institutional Organisms (Autonomous Communities,
Town Councils, Ministries, Universities, etc.) or private companies would
commit themselves to incorporate this project into their cultural, recreational
or work proposals: web pages, temporary or permanent exhibitions, guided field
trips, conferences, courses, brochures, books, etc.
An example of what can be organized with
interesting GEOART samples through a Municipal/Institutional collaboration was the
“Touch-Rock” exhibition that we
designed in 2006 as a section of a larger exposition from the National Museum
of Natural Sciences of Madrid in Tremor de Arriba, Leon (Miguel de las Doblas
was then Vicedirector of Exhibitions and Public Programs of this CSIC
Institution; Fig. 30; Ref. 17). In this exhibition, visitors had the
opportunity to observe and touch a series of emblematic, curious or
"meaningful" rocks: natural rock-art; "Assassin Rocks"
(sismites, lavas, meteorites, tsunamites); "Touching World’s Roofs"
(Everest, Kilimanjaro, Mc.Kinley, Elbrus); “The Oldest World Rock” (Acasta gneiss,
Canada, ~ 4000 Ma); “Touching World” (mixing of sands/muds from 15 different countries);
“Touching Spain” (samples from the center and the four corners of the
peninsula); the Summit of the “Madrid Autonomous Community” (Peñalara);
"Touching Gold" (sands, dikes and sulfides containing Au).
A temporary or permanent exhibition of
this type is very easy to prepare in any Public Institution or City Council. We
have all the necessary samples and we have many additional ideas to design such
an “exclusive” event that would be of great interest (a large exhibition of
these characteristics has never been organized). Some of the sections of such an
exhibition could be: 1) "The World In Your Hands" preparing balls,
cubes, pendants, key-rings, etc., made up of a mixture of pebbles, gravel, sand
or mud from many countries in the world (conveniently pulverized and kneaded);
2) “Look-Rock”, formed exclusively by clearly recognizable mimetoliths of all
sizes; 3) “Palpate-Rocks”, valid for any visitor, but especially for the blind
so that they can experience by touch the different textures/geometries of
contrasting rocks: rough (volcanic), perforated (karstic limestone), polished/asymmetric
(ventifacts), polished/symmetric (boulder), striated/smooth (fault slickensides),
fossils with marked features, mimetoliths with finger-detectable shapes (Figs.
1B, 2A, 2G, 3F, 5C), etc.; 4) "Assassin-Stones", adding to those
already described, a multitude of other samples: stones or gallstones triggering
diseases in the human body (gallbladder, kidney, prostate); mud from catastrophic
landslides; radioactive rocks; volcanic ash (Pompeii, Pelee); asbestos; tempestites;
tsunamites; natural cannon balls; prehistoric flint axes; Aztec obsidian
knives; etc.
The figure of a "Municipal WW Guide" (MWG) could be
established, thus constituting potential jobs in many cities. In this sense, Municipalities
are encouraged to bet on culture, tourism and education in schools,
universities, senior centers or NGO’s. These MWGs can prepare real or virtual
excursions in the city or the countryside, design leaflets, public panels,
conferences, workshops, exhibitions, etc.
5) REFERENCES
-Ref.1- https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/12/the-arts-may-heal-under-biden-harris-administration-say-experts/
-Ref.2. https://dle.rae.es/roca
-Ref.3. https://dle.rae.es/piedra
-Ref.4-R.V. Dietrich, 2018.
Mimetoliths. http://stoneplus.cst.cmich.edu/mimetoliths/
-Ref.5-P.Bustamante-Díaz,
2017: Pareidolia, una década desde su introducción en la arqueología. http://www.rupestreweb.info/pareidolia10.html
-Ref.6-Harrod, J. 1992.Two million
years ago: The origins of art and symbol. Continuum, 2, 1: 4-29
-Ref.7-Bednarik, R.G. 2003. The earliest
evidence of palaeoart. Rock Art Research, 20, 2; 89-135.
-Ref.8-http://www.paleolithicartmagazine.org/pagina19.html
; http://www.museoorigini.it/pagina69.html
-Ref.9-https://explorer.aapg.org/story/articleid/20779/geology-inspires-desert-wonders
-Ref.10-Perratt, A.L., 2003.
Characteristics for the occurrence of a High-Current Z-Pinch Aurora as recorded
in Antiquity. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 31,6: 1192-1214.
-Ref.11-Talbott, D. y Thornhill, W.,
2004. Thunderbolts of the Gods. Mikamar Publishing, Portland, Oregon. 29 pp.
-Ref.12-Sánchez, R. y Golte, J.
2004. Sawasiray-Pitusiray,
la antigüedad del concepto y santuario en los Andes. Investigaciones Sociales,
8, 13: 15-29.
-Ref.13-https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvario
-Ref.14-Biosca, P. 2020. La
ciencia explica el misterio de las pareidolias: ¿por qué no dejamos de ver
caras por todas partes? https://www.abc.es/ciencia/abci-ciencia-explica-misterio-pareidolias-no-dejamos-caras-todas-partes-202008172104_noticia.html
-Ref.15-Fernández Hernán, M.,
Santos Santos, G., García Guinea, J. (coord.). 2011. Geología de Colmenar Viejo
y alrededores más próximos. Ayuntamiento de Colmenar Viejo. Madrid, 131
páginas.
-Ref.16-
a-https://www.gentleman.elconfidencial.com/reportajes/2017-01-31/piedras-rocas-caras-museo-chinsekikan-japon-yoshiko-hayama_1323580/
b-https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suiseki
c--https://www.mistralbonsai.com/suiseki-arte-en-piedra/
d--https://www.pinterest.es/batracioverde/suiseki/
e-http://www.elhogarnatural.com/reportajes/Suiseki.htmf
f-https://www.bonsaiempire.es/origen/disciplinas-asociadas/suiseki
g-https://www.jardineriaon.com/suiseki-el-arte-de-la-piedra.html
h-https://www.bonsaiplaza.com/es/presentacion/suiseki/
-Ref.17- http://ania.urcm.net/spip.php?article19592
6) PHOTOS, COLLAGES, PLATES, FIGURES
Once the written part of our project is
finished, we go on to explain the extensive album illustrating WW and which is easy-to-view independently:
it consists of 382 photos, collages, retouching, etc., subdivided into 61
plates or figures.
1) GEOART
comprises 177 photos/collages grouped into 31 composite plates or figures,
subdivided into 13 chapters: hand samples of mimetoliths; rocks with
recognizable letters; framed rock-samples and collages "with
meaning"; small mimetoliths included in outcrops; rock outcrops with
recognizable shapes; urban mimetoliths and other curiosities; “meaningful”
small-scale images obtained with Google Earth; large-scale mimetoliths and
other curiosities obtained with Google Earth; microscopic mimetoliths;
astronomical mimetoliths; miscellany of mimetoliths and other geological
curiosities in collages, retouched specimens and exhibitions; "Touch-Rock"
exhibition; Suisekis.
2) MOREART
consists of 205 photos/collages grouped into 30 composite plates or figures,
subdivided into 17 chapters: varied tree forms; heart shapes in different
elements; images of urban/rural vanishing points; anthropic/natural
verticalities; author’s “autojokes”; floweries; curiosities "with meaning"
in clouds, lights, water, snow and ice; artistic views retouched with
Photoshop; banners; "meaningful" vegetables, fruits and others
elements; curiosities on floors, walls and buildings; caves and tunnels with
recognizable shapes; pairs of contrasted elements; atypical natural or
anthropic benches; assorted groups of different items; urban curiosities;
unusual animal scenarios.
7)
FIGURES (Images taken from the Internet have an asterisk *)
GEOART
FIGURES (1-31)
Figures
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Mimetoliths in boulders or other rock samples.
Figure
1. A) Jasperite pebble; Makapangast stone, South Africa (* oldest mimetolith in
the world; earliest artistic expression of humanity; 3 million year-old
pre-Australopitecus hominid; Ref. 7). B) Skull. C) Half-skull. D) Happy dog. E)
Sad dog. F) Primate head. G) Running-away hare. H) Sad lady “coiffée”. I)
Crusader Warrior.
Figure
2. A) The Spanish Emeritus King. B) The Mask. C) Owl. D) Tremendous scare. E)
Very sick. F) Eve in Wall-E. G) Nefertiti. H) Elvis. I) Fluid human-head
profile.
Figure
3. A) Fluid dog-head profile. B) Punky profile. C) Lizard. D) Dinosaur head. E)
Strange dancer. F) Broken heart. G) Fossil vulva (*). H) Fossil testicles (*).
I) Arrowhead.
Figure
4. A) Ascent of the Christ. B) Chaos. C) Microstairs. D) Shark fin. E) Stork
profile. F) A big ONE. G) Train of waves. H) Natural Arabic petroglyph. I)
Alphabet mixing.
Figure 5. Alfredo Aparicio (AA). B) Coco Chanel (CC). C)
Ludwig (L). D) Manuel Vicent (MV). E) Nicasio (N). F) Ortega Cano (OC). G)
Salvador Zapata (SZ). H) Santiago Segura SS). I) Vicente Verdú (VV). J) Wyoming
(W). K) Zacarias (Z).
------------------------------------
Figure
6. Meaningful rock-collages. A) Concentric pebbles. B) White & black specimens.
C) Samples with folds. D) Natural “written-stones”. E) Different stone textures:
polished (top left), rough/porous (top right) and smooth/striated (bottom).
-------------------------------------------
Figures
7 and 8. Photos of centimeter-scale mimetoliths in rock outcrops.
Figure
7- A) Observing “Death-Reaper”. B) Igneous Ghost. C) AH! D) A. E) Ascending phantom-waves. F)
Musical quavers.
-----------------------------------------
Figures
9 and 10. Outcrop-scale mimetoliths.
-----------------------
--------------
-------------
Figures
13 and 14. Large-scale satellite images (Google Earth) with mimetoliths or
other spectacular structures.
Figure
13- A) Antarctica pensive head. B) Joyful orogenic delirium. C) Nietzsche? D)
Oceanic tissue. E) One of the Daltons (Lucky Luke comics). F) Volcanic embryos.
------------------------------
Figure
15. Microscopic mimetoliths. A) Very angry. B) Cubist face. C) Hiding micro-führer.
------------------------------------
----------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Figure
18. “0.0 alcohol free”. A) Hydrothermal rings. B) Conical folds. C) Mineral &
coin.
--------------------------------
-------------------------------------------
Figure
20. Similar folds at different scales. A) 1:100,000-scale map. B) Vertical
rock-outcrop. C) Microscope thin-section.
-------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
Figure
22. Photoshopped artistic/retouched landscapes, rock outcrops and planets. A)
Lake sunset. B) Asturian mermaid, bird and shell. C) Boiling scenario. D)
Depressed Earth.
------------------------------------
Figures
23 and 24. Mimetoliths in quarries, exhibitions, trophies or framed
rock-samples.
Figure 23. A) Maphic ghost. B) Maphic paragliding. C) Hexagonal face. D) Inverted testicles E) Rocky bear.
--------------------------------------
Figure
25. Aprils Fool’s Day jokes using mimetoliths. A) The oldest hominid. C) Lithic
parthenogenesis.
------------------------------------
Figures
26 and 27. Mimetolithic interpretations of outcrops, samples and urban
elements.
Figure
26. A) Fountain with karstic blocks. B) Mimetolytic interpretation of this fountain
(more than 100). C) Mountain of Leon with more than 20 mimetoliths. D) Photoshopped
mimetolytic collage in the snow-covered Lozoya. E) Prehistoric Idol of Peña-Tu,
Asturias. F) Different mimetolithic interpretations of this Idol.
Figure
27. A) Highlighted primate-head features. B) Avila Cathedral with dozens of
mimetoliths. C) Sketch-map & logo of the “Madrid Autonomous Community” in a
rocky hole. D) Similar "castles". E) Open geological mind. F)
Mimetolith of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente.
-------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------
Figure 30. Our exhibition "Toca-Roca" (Touch-Stone) in Tremor de Arriba (2006): 1-Seismic assassin rocks. 2-Touching World Summits (Everest, Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Elbrus). 3-The oldest rock on Earth (Acasta gneiss; 4 billion years). 4-Touching-World (mixing of sands from 15 countries). 5-Touching-Spain (center and four corners). 6-A summit of Leon (Teleno mountain). 7-Touching-Gold (sands, dikes, sulfides). 8-Ornamental rock specimens. 9-Fake meteorites (iron-rich pebbles). 10-Natural artistic forms in rocks (SC shearing, M-fold, 1-fold, cross-veins, W-fold, SC shearing).
--------------------------------------------
MOREART
FIGURES (32-61)
Figures
32, 33 and 34. Trees, trunks and plants.
Figure
32. A) “You can’t see the forest for the tree”. B) Twisted growth. C) Fierce pruning.
D) Don't climb! E) Damned birds. F) Gigantic multi-trunk. G) We are nobody! H) &
I) Anthropic growing help. J) Screaming tree.
Figure
34. A) Dead monster. B) Waving Mickey Mouse. C) The snake. D) Awkward delivery.
E) Impact. F) Arboreal vulva. G) Bird’s home. H) Outstanding eye. I)
Hallucinated knot. J) Volcanic-like palm trunk.
--------------------------------------------------
Figures
35 and 36. Hearts.
Figure
35. A) Cloudy. B) & C) Trapped.
D) Parasite. E) Arboreal. F) Snowy.
Figure
36. A) Alpha Swan. B) Four teeth (*). C) Hollow. D) Dissected. E) Rocky. F)
Cemented.
-------------------------------------------------
Figures
37, 38 and 39. Vanishing/leakage points.
Figure
37. A) Urban highway. B) Asphalted rural road. C) Dirt country path. D) Urban
garden walk. E) Rocky rural trail. F) Snowy urban lane.
Figure
38. A) Monumental urban walk. B) Andalusian alley. C) Castilian stairs. D) Iron
horse. E) Hanging bridge. F) Foggy streetlights.
Figure
39. A) Mimosa trees. B) Olive trees. C) Pine forest. D) Runaway dam. E)
Friendly shadows. F) Storks-on-streetlamps.
----------------------------------------
Figure
40. Verticalities. A) Alpha pine. B) Dead tree. C) Anthropic garden (*). D) Town-square
cross. E) Castilian tower. F) Rural pillory. G) Concrete viaduct. H) Anthropic
dolmen.
---------------------------------------------------
Figures
41 and 42. Author’s “autojokes”.
Figure
41. A) Impassible friend. B) A helping hand C) Strongly-armed ! D) Does size
matter? E) Unstable geology. F) Monumental mouthful.
-------------------------------------
Figure
43. Floweries. A) Mixed flowers. B) Marrakech Roses. C) Flowery fields. D)
Almond flowers.
--------------------------------------
Figures
44, 45 and 46. Clouds, skies and waters.
Figure
44. A) A-irplanes. B) Different flights. C) Cloudy god. D) Cloudy Spanish Emeritus
King. E) Melancholic cloud. F) Cloudy sphinx.
Figure
45. A) UFO. B) From above. C) From below. D) Solar halo. E) Divine light. F) Lacustrine
animal.
-----------------------------------------
Figure
47. Artistic photoshoping images. A) Photo of a dinosaur-like soapy megapump.
B) Artistic Interpretation of A. C) Iberia. D) Walking on water. E) Toledo. F)
Picasso Tower, Madrid. G) Global warming warning. H) “Madrid Autonomous
Community” sketch map and logo in an outcrop hollow.
---------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
Figures 49 and 50. Vegetables, fruits, etc.
Figure
49 (A-C-D-E-F-G-H *). A) Turnip face. B) Defiant horned lemon. C) Handy carrot.
D) Small potato bear. E) Horny mushroom. F) Squash arse. G) Two watermelon
balls. H) Squatting female apple.
Figure 50 (A-C-D-E *). A) Sweet potato
embryo. B) Animal potato. C) Turnip foot. D) Alpha tomato. E) Carrot couple. F)
Virile prickly pear. G) Fecal mask. H) Manure warrior.
-------------------------------------------------
Figures
51 and 52. Sidewalks, walls and houses.
--------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Figures
54 and 55. Dual curiosities.
Figure
54. A) Walking the dog. B) 00-free alcohol. C) Mimetic mushroom growing on a boulder.
D) & E) Two contrasted balls. F) Predator and prey. G) Death/ghost riding. H)
Between two worlds.
---------------------------------------------
Figure
56. Natural seats. A) Natural granitic bench. B) Natural and anthropic seats.
C) Slab bench. D) Palm-trunk seat. E) Mixed natural seat.
------------------------------------------------------
Figures
57 and 58. Union is strength.
Figure
57. A) Mural hornet's nest. B) They plan something! C) Eating shit. D) V-shaped
stork flight. E) Aligned swallows. F) Urban fake mussels.
Figure
58. A) Ant volcanism. B) House of the wasp. C) Beach-resort for insects. D) Rocks
carved as cannon balls. E) Gastronomic puppets. F) Protective bushes.
----------------------------------------------
Figures 59 and 60. Urban/rural curiosities.
Figure
59. A) Diabolical barbecue. B) Faced coffee. C) Reflective soap megabubble. D) River
eyes. E) Home face. F) Nocturnal reflections.
-------------------------------------------------
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