Eterne Text
Time isn't a passive dimension but an active force emerging from the complex interactions of living systems. Here we envision a shift in temporal understanding by examining how apple trees both experience and create time through multiple, concurrent processes. Drawing from Jane Bennett's concept of vibrant matter, we discover a model where every living entity actively participates in creating temporal reality, with human time representing just one voice in a vast chorus of temporal experiences. The apple tree reveals itself not merely as an object existing in time, but as an active timekeeper orchestrating multiple temporal streams: from microsecond cellular exchanges to centuries-long evolutionary adaptations.
By acknowledging these overlapping temporalities – how the tree maintains multiple states of being while participating in broader ecological rhythms – we begin to understand time not as a uniform flow but as a democratic field of temporal creation. This framework suggests that authentic ecological thinking requires us to acknowledge the diverse ways that different species construct and experience time, pointing toward more sustainable and inclusive ways of living within multi-species temporal communities. By acknowledging these overlapping temporalities – how the tree maintains multiple states of being while participating in broader ecological rhythms – we begin to understand time not as a uniform flow but as a democratic field of temporal creation. This framework suggests that authentic ecological thinking requires us to acknowledge the diverse ways that different species construct and experience time, pointing toward more sustainable and inclusive ways of living within multi-species temporal communities.
Sundials are signifiers, marking not only time itself but a specific historical shift in how humans choose to organize themselves. While their mechanics draw from celestial movements, they fundamentally center human experience disguised as solar tracking. We've come to treat time as a background element, noticing its presence mainly when we perceive its scarcity. Sundials are signifiers, marking not only time itself but a specific historical shift in how humans choose to organize themselves. While their mechanics draw from celestial movements, they fundamentally center human experience disguised as solar tracking. We've come to treat time as a background element, noticing its presence mainly when we perceive its scarcity.
Our biological rhythms have been forced to adapt to this artificial linearity, constantly resisting our bodies' natural tendencies toward cyclical patterns. But what if we understood time as an active force rather than a passive measurement? What if it expanded in multiple dimensions instead of flowing in one direction? What if we experienced time from a non-human perspective? The apple tree stands as both witness and participant in humanity's unrelenting ‘quest’ to understand the universe, making it uniquely suited to guide us toward a new temporal paradigm. From Newton's gravitational insights to Turing's death by poisoned apple, from the tree of knowledge to the golden apples in the garden of Hesperides, this species has repeatedly served as a pivot point for human understanding and cultural transformation.
Nested Temporality A model of time where multiple temporal scales exist simultaneously within and alongside each other. These scales interact and influence each other while maintaining their own distinct rhythms.
Yet we've traditionally cast the apple tree as a passive player in these narratives, missing its own vibrant materiality – its active participation in shaping our world through complex chemical exchanges, ecological relationships, and temporal patterns ignored. Jane Bennett's concept of vibrant matter reminds us that the apple tree isn't merely a backdrop for human discovery but an active agent, continuously engaging in sophisticated processes that transcend our limited temporal framework. Its lifecycle demonstrates an alternative way of experiencing time: one that operates simultaneously across multiple scales, from rapid cellular metabolism to generational adaptation. Yet we've traditionally cast the apple tree as a passive player in these narratives, missing its own vibrant materiality – its active participation in shaping our world through complex chemical exchanges, ecological relationships, and temporal patterns ignored. Jane Bennett's concept of vibrant matter reminds us that the apple tree isn't merely a backdrop for human discovery but an active agent, continuously engaging in sophisticated processes that transcend our limited temporal framework. Its lifecycle demonstrates an alternative way of experiencing time: one that operates simultaneously across multiple scales, from rapid cellular metabolism to generational adaptation.
By centering this unassuming yet sophisticated organism in our temporal model, we acknowledge both its historical significance and its ongoing role as a temporal choreographer – orchestrating complex relationships between pollinators, soil microbes, weather patterns, and human cultivation. The apple tree becomes a teacher not through human projection but through its own demonstrated mastery of multiple, overlapping temporalities, offering us a way to reimagine our relationship with our own overlapping temporalities and time itself. By centering this unassuming yet sophisticated organism in our temporal model, we acknowledge both its historical significance and its ongoing role as a temporal choreographer – orchestrating complex relationships between pollinators, soil microbes, weather patterns, and human cultivation. The apple tree becomes a teacher not through human projection but through its own demonstrated mastery of multiple, overlapping temporalities, offering us a way to reimagine our relationship with our own overlapping temporalities and time itself.
From Newton's gravitational insights to Turing's death by poisoned apple, from the tree of knowledge to the golden apples in the garden of Hesperides, this species has repeatedly served as a pivot point for human understanding and cultural transformation.
Ancient varietals appear as nexus Ancient varietals appear as nexus points of intense temporal activity, their genetics carrying memories of countless seasons. The river's influence appears as a temporal current, affecting the rhythms of surrounding orchards. Southern Hemisphere apple growing regions reimagined. The inverse growing season creates a distinct signature, with heritage cider orchards appearing as complex temporal ecosystems. The intersection of wild and cultivated apple species creates zones of temporal hybridisation.points of intense temporal activity, their genetics carrying memories of countless seasons. The river's influence appears as a temporal current, affecting the rhythms of surrounding orchards. Southern Hemisphere apple growing regions reimagined. The inverse growing season creates a distinct signature, with heritage cider orchards appearing as complex temporal ecosystems. The intersection of wild and cultivated apple species creates zones of temporal hybridisation.
Elevation changes appear as temporal compression zones, where trees adapt their rhythms to different atmospheric conditions. Ancient trade routes appear as temporal corridors, marking the historical movement of apple genetics across the landscape. The intersection of multiple microclimates creates distinct temporal territories, with each valley developing its own characteristic signature. Traditional espalier techniques create unique patterns of temporal organisation visible in the landscape. Elevation changes appear as temporal compression zones, where trees adapt their rhythms to different atmospheric conditions. Ancient trade routes appear as temporal corridors, marking the historical movement of apple genetics across the landscape. The intersection of multiple microclimates creates distinct temporal territories, with each valley developing its own characteristic signature. Traditional espalier techniques create unique patterns of temporal organisation visible in the landscape.
Sphere of Concurrent Experience A model where multiple time scales and processes operate simultaneously within a single entity or system, demonstrating how different temporal streams can coexist and interact within the same space-time framework.
Temporal Stream A specific pattern or cycle of time operating at a particular scale within a system. Each living thing participates in multiple temporal streams simultaneously. Chronobiology The study of biological rhythms and their synchronization with environmental cycles, examining how organisms coordinate their internal processes with external temporal patterns. Circadian Rhythm A roughly 24-hour cycle in physiological processes found in most living things, persisting in constant conditions but resettable by environmental cues. Temporal Stream A specific pattern or cycle of time operating at a particular scale within a system. Each living thing participates in multiple temporal streams simultaneously. Chronobiology The study of biological rhythms and their synchronization with environmental cycles, examining how organisms coordinate their internal processes with external temporal patterns. Circadian Rhythm A roughly 24-hour cycle in physiological processes found in most living things, persisting in constant conditions but resettable by environmental cues.
Figure 2: Aomori Prefecture, Japan Google Maps baseline: 40.8224° N, 140.7524° E - Aomori Sightseeing Apple Orchard Marusen Kawamura Traditional Japanese apple growing regions Influenced by traditional pruning techniques that create unique temporal architectures. Mountain slopes appear as gradients of temporal density, with elevation changes visible as shifts in temporal rhythm rather than physical height. Aomori Prefecture, Japan Google Maps baseline: 40.8224° N, 140.7524° E - Aomori Sightseeing Apple Orchard Marusen Kawamura Traditional Japanese apple growing regions Influenced by traditional pruning techniques that create unique temporal architectures. Mountain slopes appear as gradients of temporal density, with elevation changes visible as shifts in temporal rhythm rather than physical height.
Intensive growing systems create dense zones of overlapping temporalities, while abandoned heritage orchards appear as temporal ghosts in the landscape. The seasonal influence of Antarctic air masses creates visible waves of temporal modulation.
The Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian calendar, is a liturgical calendar used by the farming populace in Egypt and used by the Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic churches. It was used for fiscal purposes in Egypt until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar on 11 September 1875 (1st Thout 1592 AM).[1] This calendar is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar. To avoid the calendar creep of the latter (which contained only 365 days each year, year after year, so that the seasons shifted about one day every four years), a reform of the ancient Egyptian calendar was introduced at the time of Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus, in 238 BC) which consisted of adding an extra day every fourth year. The Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian calendar, is a liturgical calendar used by the farming populace in Egypt and used by the Coptic Orthodox and Coptic Catholic churches. It was used for fiscal purposes in Egypt until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar on 11 September 1875 (1st Thout 1592 AM).[1] This calendar is based on the ancient Egyptian calendar. To avoid the calendar creep of the latter (which contained only 365 days each year, year after year, so that the seasons shifted about one day every four years), a reform of the ancient Egyptian calendar was introduced at the time of Ptolemy III (Decree of Canopus, in 238 BC) which consisted of adding an extra day every fourth year.
The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years differently so as to make the average calendar year 365.2425 days long, more closely approximating the 365.2422-day "tropical" or "solar" year that is determined by the Earth's revolution around the Sun. Every year that is exactly divisible by four is a leap year, except for years that are exactly divisible by 100, but these centurial years are leap years if they are exactly divisible by 400. For example, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 are not leap years, but the year 2000 is. The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It went into effect in October 1582 following the papal bull Inter gravissimas issued by Pope Gregory XIII, which introduced it as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years differently so as to make the average calendar year 365.2425 days long, more closely approximating the 365.2422-day "tropical" or "solar" year that is determined by the Earth's revolution around the Sun. Every year that is exactly divisible by four is a leap year, except for years that are exactly divisible by 100, but these centurial years are leap years if they are exactly divisible by 400. For example, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 are not leap years, but the year 2000 is.
Eterne features two distinct-but-related display and text families. As a self-taught type designer, Kia has described his approach as “designating space for a unity between unconventional forms and utility.” Eterne is no exception, and it marks an evolution. With its brusque geometric forms and nervy angles, Eterne’s combination of elemental and sinuous shapes abut white space with an uncommon flourish, glimmering elegantly with a showmanship that belies its functional construction.