Exploring Passion and Legacy in the Anthropocene: Batool and Santiago’s Art Project

In the context of the Anthropocene, where human existence and nature are interwoven in complex ways, artists often reflect on personal narratives to grapple with larger existential themes. Batool and Santiago’s ideas for Project 1 in the Art and the Anthropocene class both explore the fleeting nature of time, the evolution of passion, and the enduring question of legacy. Their projects, while distinct in execution, share a deep meditation on the human experience, particularly focusing on the transitory and material aspects of life.

Batool: The Evolution of Passion Through Cyanotype and Fabric

Batool’s project centers on the evolution of passion and how it shifts over time, particularly through the lens of relationships and creative drive. Her installation features cyanotype prints on natural materials like fabric, cotton, and starch, emphasizing the organic, ever-changing nature of passion and creativity. The installation includes a sketch that visually depicts this journey—words such as "شغف" (passion), "إصرار" (determination), "حب" (love), "إلهام" (inspiration), and "هدف" (goal) are inscribed on a ladder-like structure. Each step represents different stages of emotional and artistic growth.

At the base of the structure are stones, possibly symbolizing the obstacles or foundation from which ambition grows. The cyanotype process, a photographic technique that uses sunlight, mirrors the transformative power of relationships—just as sunlight develops the cyanotype, so too can love, mentorship, and friendships reignite one’s creative spark. Batool’s use of natural materials like starch and cotton enhances this sense of transience, suggesting that passion is fragile yet capable of renewal.

Her installation juxtaposes imagery of her hometown and the desert with these emotional themes, offering a poetic meditation on the ebb and flow of ambition. Just as the desert can seem barren yet full of potential, passion may feel lost at times but can be revitalized through human connection. Through this poetic exploration, Batool’s work reflects on how creative energy can be sustained and transformed, even in the face of challenges and emotional loss.

Digital sketch of the composition

Santiago: Reflecting on Life Through Death

Santiago’s project complements Batool’s by exploring legacy and how we might be remembered once we are gone. He raises the crucial question: how do we want to be remembered—through the energy of our youth or the slower reflections of our later years? By viewing life through the lens of death, Santiago offers a fresh perspective on how memory and legacy are constructed.

His installation focuses on the materiality of memory and time. Rice paper, delicate and ephemeral, reflects the fragility of life, while cotton, symbolizing youth, is soft and easily changed, much like our own existence. Finally, wood, a material that shows signs of both growth and degradation, mirrors the human lifecycle, from youthful vitality to eventual decay.

Santiago’s use of these materials resonates with Zimmer’s belief that materials themselves carry meaning and can influence both the artist and the viewer. Rice paper’s temporary nature reminds us of our limited time on Earth, while wood and cotton represent the interplay between growth and loss, permanence and change. Through these materials, Santiago asks the viewer to reflect on the nature of their own legacy—what memories and moments will endure, and how will they be remembered?

A Shared Reflection

Though Batool and Santiago take different approaches, both artists engage deeply with the themes of time, memory, and legacy. Batool’s exploration of passion’s evolution and Santiago’s focus on how we want to be remembered offer complementary perspectives—one grounded in the process of living and creating, the other in the reflection on what remains after we’re gone.

Their works remind us that in the Anthropocene, where human impact on the planet is undeniable, it is often our personal narratives—our passions, relationships, and legacies—that shape how we understand ourselves and our place in the world. By thoughtfully incorporating natural materials such as cyanotype, fabric, rice paper, and wood, both Batool and Santiago craft deeply personal yet universal reflections on the human experience.