Calx ruderalis subsp. istanbulensis (1) is an exemplary formation of the current geological era often found in the Prince Islands of Istanbul, a suburban archipelago in the Marmara Sea. A protected urban and historical site since 1984 without motorized traffic, Prince Islands present a stark contrast to the congestion and rapid urban growth within the rest of the city, whose littoral zones constitute a litmus test for the effects of construction waste on marine and terrestrial ecosystems of Istanbul.

Best examples of the Calx ruderalis subsp. Istanbulensis can be found in the Natural History Museum of Istanbul (NHMI). NHMI is the first example of its kind; its specimens are collected following the maxim “staying with the trouble” (2) according to the principles of neo-natural science based on qualitative research, occasionally complemented by quantitative data.

The work presented is a video entry for Calx ruderalis subsp. Istanbulensis (CRI), and comprises meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and description of things in several media, but not its counts or measures.  In the video, the compressed timescale of this feral geological entity is revealed through a minute observation of its immediate surroundings juxtaposed with its recently formed qualities.

What does the inclusion of CRI as a natural formation in a subverted museum of natural history based on qualitative research say about today and the future? What other reasonings and positionings can the research produce beyond the condemnation and criticism of the forces and systems which act upon Istanbul, its growth cycle, and the rights of its non-human residents?

(1) We propose the use of binomial nomenclature, usually reserved for the classification of living species, for the taxonomy of anthropogenic geological formations.
(2) Haraway, D. J. (2016) Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene.

Elif Kendir-Beraha, Aslıhan Demirtaş, Ali Mahmut Demirel.