邊界
biānjiè research group
邊界_RG its an artist collective and a research group. They work at the edge of language, memory, and machine cognition. Their collaboration explores the aesthetics of the recursive interplay between generative systems, speculative design, experimental essay, and posthuman modes of communication.
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After Notre Dame
/ burning_church / techno-linguistic program for the Artic Circle
Arash Farhadi
12.01.2025
publication collaboration cybernetics language
memory
abstraction economy computation interface policy theory-fiction
burning_church
When the ocean retreats, an extensive desert emerges / the museum lies across it, 9 days on foot, 1 more day for the cult. We studied the cathedral's blueprints hoping to find signs of the assassination / my beloved new face is built upon abstract machines. It narrates the face being performed, the burning territory / in a dream, the cathedral was burning. The verticality of the structure / the verticality of the fire / manifested the mediocrity of the fall, its numbness. We imagined forests surrounding the ruins of what we had annihilated / burning_church rises from my beloved new face or, rather, detaches from it, taking the form of a museum in a desert; you will reach this -final- place, and, once arrived, there will be nothing left to do / Arabesque Dune / the face in burning_church emerges around the mask - "worship of the body" / body in flames / the flute inside Saddam’s bunker, and the air runs out.
In the apartment, we reviewed Notre Dame’s blueprints: 3 portals, Gallery of Kings, 2 towers, 6 sections of ribbed vaults in the central nave, 1 vault in each transept, 4 vaults in the choir, South Rose Window, North Rose Window, Western Rose Window (approximately 110 stained glass windows), 26 flying buttresses.
(…)
We stand before a great corpse, ground zero of global infection / the planet is wrapped in a complex Gothic linguistic system / Notre Dame opens its doors, and it’s a grand event; the "Notre Dame Summit" or the spectacle at the final axis of a map / burning_church or the third space age / the code for a debit card.
We review the documents we have decrypted: a 3D reconstruction of a basement (35.159286, 36.751338), AI reproduction of the Rosetta Stone, thermographic image of a Leleka-100 captured in motion, photograph of Amitabh Patel riding a bicycle (Sabarmati, March 11th, 1930), MSI GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER GAMING X SLIM 16GB GDDR6X DLSS3, image taken at midnight, a composition of magnetometry data across the EU, an anthropomorphic invertebrate model in PNG format, an urban plan of Jerusalem printed with annotations in cryptic formulas, and a .txt file that says “parts of an assassination weapon.”
After Notre Dame
We were taken in by an occupied space, it seemed to have been left half-built. At the door, Honda Civic, Chevrolet Camaro, Volkswagen Golf, all out of use. We had to navigate around them. The interior was spacious: 10 windows, each 4 meters high, covered with thermal blankets and duct tape. Chairs were grouped together with several screens gathered around various corners. It (QbHgLq8613) emitted a count next to a graph that kept changing; a dirty screen and a hub connected to a tower. The fan was making a stuck noise:
(
13:02 Section 6 - 172 or 173 cm, 3 km/h northeast direction, (probably crouching).
13:48 Section 6 - 168 to 170 cm, 5 km/h north direction (probably accompanied by an animal: dog).
15:17 Section 6 - 180 cm, 6 km/h north direction.
16:28 Section 7 - group of 6 (from north to south: 165 cm, 165 cm, 170 cm, 168 cm, 175 cm, 164 cm) 6-7 km/h northeast direction.
17:05 Section 6 - 176 cm, 4 km/h east direction, (possibly carrying a heavy load on their back).
18:12 Section 3 - 160 to 162 cm, 3 km/h northeast direction (paused activity, frequent changes in pace).
19:45 Section 8 - group of 4 (from east to west: 172 cm, 178 cm, 165 cm, 169 cm) 5 km/h north direction, (one of them limping, irregular pace).
20:10 Section 6 - 180 cm, 7 km/h southeast direction (probably running, no visible lights).
21:36 Section 5 - group of 2 (from north to south: 170 cm and 174 cm) 4 km/h east direction (traces indicate brief interaction with another group).
23:02 Section 6 - group of 3 (from north to south: 162 cm, 166 cm, 159 cm), 2-3 km/h southwest direction, (signs of intermittent resting).
23:45 Section 6 - 175 cm, 4 km/h west direction (constant movement, possibly light equipment).
00:18 Section 6 - group of 5 (from north to south: 168 cm, 170 cm, 165 cm, 172 cm, 167 cm) 3 km/h northeast direction, (coordinated activity, no noises detected).
01:12 Section 7 - 160 to 162 cm, 2 km/h south direction (static activity, probably sitting or resting).
02:07 Section 6 - 178 cm, 6 km/h southwest direction (firm steps, steady pace).
)
Too many objects. We were sent an impression with a series of diagrams full of annotations. Another page described an abstract cathedral with many cameras, sections. Under the impression was an USB containing a folder called "1 cut"
"1 cut: A fruit vendor arrives panting: 3 papayas, 1 guava, 2 lychees, 4 pomegranates, 2 figs, 5 apricots, 15 blackberries, 2 grapefruits, 1 tangerine, and 2 persimmons. What do you do?"
The Summit of Notre Dame has gathered to decide who among us can do without our marrow; there will be a vote. We follow the matter live while QbHgLq8613 manages 3 drones simultaneously and continues its count. We can switch to thermal vision, the gray spectacle projects onto a concrete wall and (we) shout as QbHgLq8613 emits its count:
(
03:22 Section 8 - group of 4 (from west to east: 170 cm, 175 cm, 168 cm, 171 cm) 4-5 km/h north direction (possible conversation or slight interaction detected by rhythm fluctuations).
04:50 Section 6 - 165 cm, 7 km/h southeast direction (accelerated movement, possible pursuit or escape).
05:14 Section 6 - 173 cm, 4 km/h northeast direction, (brief stop, thermal signal indicates possible manual activity).
06:38 Section 6 - group of 2 (from north to south: 176 cm, 178 cm) 5 km/h west direction (regular rhythm, synchronized steps).
07:20 Section 2 - 180 cm, 6 km/h northeast direction, (likely exiting the area, straight path with no speed changes).
08:04 Section 4 - 160 cm, 3 km/h northeast direction, (signs of fatigue, erratic movement).
08:57 Section 7 - 168 to 170 cm, 4 km/h north direction, (likely searching for shelter, slow pace).
09:25 Section 5 - group of 3 (from north to south: 172 cm, 165 cm, 169 cm), 3 km/h northwest direction, (silent activity, possible concealment attempt).
)
There are those who do not look, navigation is more interesting than sitting on a plastic chair or there are also those without eyes. QbHgLq8613 goes around on a bike while playing the flute. This activity does not require eyes. With the movement of the bike, QbHgLq8613 describes a face or an obsolete system that recalls the printed diagram. We are sent a compressed file called "1 box"
"1 box: You are given a looping code titled -Recursive Diagram of one Speculative Becoming-"
A screen shows an aerial image taken at midnight of a bright city and it starts over and QbHgLq8613 whispers to me that it gradually notices how time stops for it. One must interpret the noise. QbHgLq8613 emits its new count through a low-deep sound, a broken vibration that escalates and stops and starts again but differently:
(
10:11 Section 3 - 180 cm, 5 km/h east direction, (continuous movement, no stops detected).
10:49 Section 3 - 170 cm, 4 km/h southwest direction, (erratic movement, frequent changes in direction).
11:22 Section 3 - group of 6 (from east to west: 160 cm, 162 cm, 165 cm, 168 cm, 172 cm, 175 cm), 6 km/h northeast direction, (likely organized displacement).
12:08 Section 3 - 176 cm, 3 km/h north direction, (possibly carrying a light load, steady rhythm).
12:45 Section 4 - group of 2 (from north to south: 169 cm, 174 cm), 5 km/h west direction, (one moving slower, possible injury).
13:30 Section 3 - 165 cm, 4 km/h southeast direction, (brief stop near a structure, manual activity detected).
14:07 Section 3 - group of 4 (from north to south: 178 cm, 165 cm, 170 cm, 172 cm), 3-4 km/h north direction, (signals of communication between individuals).
15:00 Section 5 - 180 cm, 7 km/h northeast direction, (hurried movement, steady pace).
15:43 Section 3 - 172 or 173 cm, 4 km/h southwest direction, (cautious movement, possible search for cover).
16:18 Section 2 - group of 3 (from east to west: 165 cm, 168 cm, 170 cm), 3 km/h north direction, (brief stop, possible signs of observation).
16:56 Section 3 - 180 cm, 5 km/h northeast direction, (linear trajectory, no changes detected).
17:24 Section 2 - 160 to 162 cm, 6 km/h southeast direction, (hurried activity, stress signals in movement pattern).
)
The Artic Circle
Drone Vision: Marked as the Other, retinal tracking mirrors elements entering a specific visual field, or the limit definition of all that your vision can see as the Other has been trained, or seeing is the set of assembled mechanisms that map the visual surface.
The eye is not able to see without the assembly: “Geometry” that appears as trainable input assisted-by. Or “the eye” is thus a cognitive process capable of signifying ageometry in a constant geographical learning -the eye itself is impossible-.
Marked as the Other, what are your given pieces? Or the collection of data accumulate in an accident-body / your given pieces accumulate in repetitions and re-formations of the possible in a cybernetic technology that tends towards absolute contingency (1). Or “marked” reveals the functionality of horror as material value (2): a line extends, a map emerges on which you are “marked”. Or being a sign is an Arctic military program trained from a desert bunker; the engineering of metaphysics is the production of linearities and intersections: Geometric command has a circle-shaped output around a highly magnetic cold-axis. The approach to the object leads to the hardware efficiency of the new planetary economy system: Entropy is the Other.
We begin by going over the sequences that “it” expels while it moves in circles in its apparatus -360º vision- only that “it” does not see as I see. We will call “it” as “wet” or the numerical significance of a cube followed by the physical characteristics of mercury -mercury glove (3)-. How will his gesture be?
Throw a sign: QBHGLQ8613
Verbalize the sequence: 13:02 section 6 ,172 or 173 cm, 3 km/h direction northeast, (probably crouched).
Change route: Assimilation.
Start over: We begin by reviewing the sequences that QBHGLQ8613 expels while riding in circles on his bicycle while playing the flute. We'll call QBHGLQ8613 as mercury; it's the wet residue of an Arctic military techno-linguistic program spawned by the Notre Dame summit or how to prescide from your marrow.
Throw a sign: Cube-Box-Mercury (chemical)-Liquid-Quantum-Eight (Cube)-Six (Cube)-One is the beginning of the wet state-Density.
Verbalize sequence: 13:48 section 2, 168 to 170 cm, 5 km/h northbound (probably accompanied by an animal: dog)
Change route: Absorption.
Start over: We begin by reviewing the sequences that the Wet Box expels as he rides in circles on his bicycle while playing the flute while building a sand tower while writing the “poem of language”. We will call Wet Box as the Structure of Emplacement: It produces the Unknown, is not the hand that plays an agent that assembles me, or “I” defining the Other with the tool with which I navigate the Unknown? Shall we forget “the eye”?
Throw a sign: d/wb -desert/wet box- is a cybernetic techno-linguistic program that seeks to explore navigation beyond vision using abstraction models, encryption codes and digital media.
Verbalize sequence: 15:17 section 6, 180 cm, 6 km/h northbound.
Change route: Action.
00<:0<<
Object / Target: Do you dream of the hand that caresses your tongue? Of the glass from which you drink? Do you know the place through which what falls moves? Discovering the Object / Target, a tower of smoke, ash on a face, we imagine ourselves crawling across the surface of the circle, cutting our body / we cut our flesh / there are times when I remember the piece that is my body / there are times when I know my body as a piece / there are times when I know myself to be the thin thread of that badly cut. Is there something in this body that wants to connect to things? Do you seek to connect to things? Things, if there is a small hole with golden fibers in the middle and you look through what do they see? Do they see the temples that were erected? The ruin of the little text box. Box and form.
00<00:;0<<0<<00U00E
Cathedrals: The abstraction of a box is the opening of the box (4): text box and encrypted form that constitutes the feedback process that resignifies the text box and its content as a text box. We will call this recursive process of resignification of the text box “wet”. The text box is a body of faces that reformulate the language in a continuum.
The text box is what we look at when we have to locate a swarm in a risk section -section 2, section 6, blue section, section 9, tokenized K-section...-.
The text box determines the number of potentiality agents (<capable<of<being>fragmented>as<An Object>-again, this time different-).
The text box is an Arctic military program -the end of every system- wrapped in a web of recursive ex-formation and in-formation that agitate the possibility of the map.
The text box is a succession of vanishing points breaking into another succession(s) of vanishing points.
How does one make / Cathedrals / out of a text box?
The text box is a large metallic rock inter-linked as a black cube inter-linked as a line of ornaments inter-linked as the tower of a thousand and one arches inter-linked as a sand plaza inter-linked as a desert beetle inter-linked as the serial number inter-linked as a space that ends inter-linked as a piece of mirror inter-linked as my great castle inter-linked as the sphinx on a rooftop inter-linked as the snake beneath the ground inter-linked as blood on dry skin inter-linked as the combustion of a candle inter-linked as the midnight photograph inter-linked as the mouth hole inter-linked as the path returning through the river basin inter-linked as the dune you sit on inter-linked as the bicycle and the flute inter-linked as the bouncing ball inter-linked as the burning house of mama inter-linked as the dream of a fading slumber inter-linked as the drawing of a spiral inter-linked as a sequence of zeros inter-linked as the potentiality of objects.
00>>0:;00>00E0<0=0>>0;>00<0
d/Bunker Tool: We begin by reviewing the encrypted report annotations describing the "d/Bunker Tool" game / describing intra-activity (5) with an apparent open-cycle environment. Here, the "wet" value denotes the process's ability not only to absorb contingencies but to produce them. The opening of the circular map permits such from / arising out of the contingent necessity of the entities that form it and/or are produced. Wet space.
d/Bunker Tool appears as a gestalt-environment where figure and ground coexist: "The figure is the figure of the ground, and the ground is the ground of the figure" (6). A navigable environment composed of chambers containing / producing abstract technological agents; abstract machines, broken faces. That is, the object's potentiality as an infectious apparatus characteristic.
d/Bunker Tool is a linguistic archive that puts into play the performativity of technique as an Arctic military program: The desert appears in many forms as a vast plane; it is where it arises, and, being its own cause, the entity emerges as a metaphysical telos (7). The bunker is a vast Black Box constantly recoding the technical potentialities escaping object-becoming. It is, thus, in the necessity of its constant ageometry, a cybernetic machine. The object is something that lacks duration (8), something stopped in time (9), the solid does not last, a game without memory.
d/Bunker Tool constitutes a space that destroys the token as a sign by extracting its meaning; the wet-tokenization shown as a contingent interface allows for the non-linear evolution of the signifier of each presented piece. On the piece, you will see the sign's potentiality. The Arctic military program is a relational practice that shapes a possible value system / the game arises by collectivizing the experience of the possible (10).
d/Bunker Tool seeks to parasitize the ground as an agent incapable of fragmenting; intra-activity always determines and potentially defines it.
From itself arise xeno-entities that allow bunker navigability. It constantly revises possible assembly models in order to generate aniconic, asignifier, moral/value systems, regarding the understanding of technology as recursive mediation with the user's cognitive possibility. On a carpet, you will see an abstract piece, upon it, a small text box: "An arrow, a vanishing point, over the desert, east and west."
d/Bunker Tool is (in) the desert cathedral and temple / escape is impossible / you will find pieces composing a home appliance / assassination weapon.
00T0:;0;:0<<0<00R
Oeconomicus Map: We begin by reviewing a .pdf titled “Instructions and Parts for Assembling a Dyson V15 Detect”. QBHGLQ8613 takes irregular turns on his bicycle while playing the flute while building a sand tower while writing the “language poem” while making a speculative map of a house basement while generating potential stones and rocks with inscriptions while decoding a thermal image of a “cold spot” moving over trees while rewriting the history of a river in India while taking .png images of nightscapes while analyzing magnetogrammetries of the Arctic circle.
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