An independent print publishing project by Eric Hesselbo. FIELDNOTES is a visual note taking exercise featuring the contribution of talented works, collections and words of numerous London creatives.

A 3D Printed distorted skull. Painted in thermochromic paint which reacts to a change in temperature. The ‘Fleshless grin’ attempts to answer the question of how we would inform future populations about the dangers in the landscape as a result of historic nuclear testing. 

In Semipalatinsk, a city in the east of Kazakhstan, the Soviets tested their Atomic Bombs. The first of which, nicknamed ‘Joe One', was launched on the 29 August, 1949. Today the landscape is still contaminated and polluted, and yet, despite the dangers, is still inhabited. Following the testing, livestock and even humans had genetic mutations and birth defects such as distorted bone structures.

Nuclear waste exists as a danger for hundreds of thousands of years. Homo sapiens have been a species for 180,000 years, how in the future would we speak or communicate with a population over such duration of time (the earliest record of language we have is only from around 5,000 years ago)?

“We have a duty of care to warn future generations about what is there. How do you write a message that lasts thousands of years? What language do you use? What do you even say?” (Charton,P. 2016).

Exploring themes of material communication, changing face of language and the future use of coded/symbol culture in human discussion. A mixed media material research book, made up of risograph tests, found objects, 3D prints, xerox copier and emboss relief with a PVC Dust cover.