Post-Anthropocene Provocations: Human-Sized Scholars’ Rocks, Cronenbergian Flesh Caves and Zen Garden Design Cues for a Future Proof Re(image)ining

Abstract This research explores concertinaing past, present and future interventional creative and pedagogical practices to address the challenges of the Post-Anthropocene era. We argue that the Post-Anthropocene is marked by biotechnological entanglements, environmental violence and digital overstimulation. The discussions herein critique a hyperattentive achievement society characterised by a scattering of attention, a near-constant screen-mediated stream of digital material and tasks and the commodification of leisure time. Enlisting Byung-Chul Han’s concept of hyperattention and themes and motifs from David Cronenberg’s films, the authors propose “FUTURE PROOF re(image)ining” as a collaborative Cli-Fi narrative concept. The project reimagines objects from an initial art installation with a diffusion-based machine learning model. By drawing on a constellation of Taoist philosophical practices, Zen garden design, scholars’ rocks and Cronenbergian themes, the authors propose an exhibition featuring reimagined cave-like gongshi rock structures and objects. A triangulation of spaces for FUTURE PROOF participants to inhabit facilitates an unfolding contemplative-creative trajectory. The concept includes a sensory deprivation cave, a View-Master cave for focused stereoscopic image viewing and a haiku/soundscape cave to initiate experiences. FUTURE PROOF aims to promote deep contemplation, challenging some of the deleterious aspects of Western digital-algorithmic screen culture and cultivating relationality with an always more-than-human world.