The Big Here and the Long Now History

The Big Here and the Long Now History for Sustainability Libby Robin libby. robin@anu. edu. au Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University/ Centre for Historical Research, National Museum of Australia Image: Julie Kennett Table of the Long Now

The global imagination ‘Only One Earth’ View of Apollo 11 Space Mission 16 July 1969

Since 1969… • Information Technology revolution • The end of equilibrium • the Great Acceleration

Clock (above) and Orrery (below) of the Long Now http: //www. longnow. org/

Millennium Clock The Millennium Clock Tower is over ten-metres tall, constructed in wood, metal and glass, containing fragments of the story of the millennium, with its disasters, tragedies and its human, scientific and artistic achievements. It is displayed at the Royal Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh in the shared space between the old museum and the new National Museum of Scotland. Clock makers EDUARD BERSUDSKY TIM STEAD ANNICA SANDSTRÖM JŰRGEN TŰRBBECKE TATIANA JAKOVSKAY MAGGY LENERT

Rather than rigidly fixing the boards of the table to each other, they are held together (and apart) by wooden butterfly joints that allow the individual planks to move independently as they expand shrink over time. The joints are not glued, but rather held in place with the use of a lashing or binding system that… (offers) flexibility and sympathy to the wood material… Julie Kennett, Artist’s Statement, 2007

Lashes like these, working with butterfly joints ‘allow the wood to maintain its innate qualities and move with the natural forces working upon it’ Julie Kennett, Artist’s Statement, 2007