The name Jonathan Keats is engraved on the back of the camera. He is the creator of the camera, which is supposed to last 1,000 years. (Image: tucson.com)
There is a special camera on Tumamoc Hill, a place in Tucson Arizona that is explored daily by hikers. This camera not only captures the landscape, but also lets you look 1,000 years into the future.
The Millennium Camera, conceived by experimental philosopher Jonathon Keats, a research fellow at the University of Arizona’s College of Fine Arts, aims to capture an entire millennium in a single photo.
This is how the Millennium Camera works
Creating a recording that will last a millennium requires simplicity. A tiny hole in a thin disk of 24-karat gold allows light to enter a small copper cylinder. The cylinder, in turn, is located on a steel mast.
Over 10 centuries, sunlight reflecting off the Tucson landscape will illuminate a light-sensitive surface with Rosenmadder pigment. Future generations will find an extremely long exposure image of Tucson when the camera is opened.
The Millennium Camera is focused on the city of Tucson. (Image: news.arizona.edu)
Keats deliberately chose the location of the Millennium Camera. Because next to the camera, a bench invites you to linger and think. Visitors are encouraged to think about it. Namely, what Tucson will look like in 1,000 years. Some people will imagine a dystopian future. At the same time, the camera may encourage people to think productively about the future of humanity – at least that’s what the philosopher hopes.
The challenge with the camera was to choose a technology that not only worked today, but would endure in the future. Traditional analog cameras use chemicals to quickly develop photos. Future generations may lack access to necessary materials. Therefore an alternative had to be found.
The choice therefore fell on the bleaching Rosenmadder pigment. This is intended to ensure continuous exposure over the centuries.
What is Rosenmadder? Rosenmadder is a pigment extracted from the roots of the madder plant (Rubia tinctorum). This natural dye pigment has traditionally been used for the production of paints and dyes. The name refers to the reddish to pink shade of the pigment.
The success of the project is uncertain
Jonathon Keats points out: »A thousand years is a long time and there are many reasons why the project might not work. The camera might no longer exist in a millennium. There are forces of nature and decisions that people make, whether administrative or criminal, that could cause the camera not to last.«
However, if the camera stands the test of time and the project works as he envisions it, then the resulting image will provide interesting insights. Landscapes and mountains should appear sharp and dynamic elements, such as the city of Tucson itself or the vegetation, will blur into one another.
Tumamoc Hill is a popular hiking trail in Tucson, Arizona. The first millennium camera is here. (Image: tucsontopia)
The question arises as to whether after 1,000 years the photo will simply be completely overexposed. The Rosenmadder used is sensitive to light, but not as much as, for example, film strips. It can best be compared to a traffic sign that gradually fades in the sun. We will find out whether the philosopher’s project will be successful… no, perhaps future generations will find out, but not us.
With the goal of offering this special perspective in other locations, Keats plans to install additional cameras on Tumamoc Hill in different directions. He also envisions locations worldwide, including China, the Austrian Alps and Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Jonathon Keats hopes for a global project that reimagines the Earth for future generations.
By the way, the longest photography exposure ever made was with a beer can. The photo shows sunrises and sunsets over a period of 8 years.
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What is your opinion about the Millennium Camera? Do you think it will last 1,000 years or whether it will even produce a usable image? And what do you think of the idea itself? Does the Millennium Camera make you think about future generations? Feel free to write us your opinion on the topic in the comments!
