Tree Material

Tree Material

What is material? what is physical? what is form? what is function? what is performativity? what is practice? what is agency? what is imbrication?

Well, it is all the substance of this great book. It is really enlightening, if you like this sort of thing - especially when you research technology, its development, use and effects.

The tree is material. It is physically made up of particles, atoms, cellulose, lignin, water. It has a genetic structure, reproduces, and evolves over space and time. We suppose it has the same form and substance in different places, but this will be perceived differently by human observers. We attribute different forms to it based on our perception and needs. In this instance it is a beautiful ornamental artefact, a substance of nature, that we planted in the garden. Temporally, it is at its most interesting in April (now) as the leaves are a lovely peachy or salmon pink colour. They then turn a beautiful lime green in around 2 weeks time.

The tree when processed can also become pages of a book. The book is in the tree. We conceive the book, because the paper has embedded performativity. Its function draws us to write on it, immersing us in creative and important acts. The book is intended for an audience. We see the book, read it, and it encourages or stimulates us to perform practices and actions. This is the point when the material becomes sociomaterial practice. The tree has offered us an affordance to perform acts, or engage in practice.

Wow, all this from sitting in the garden and reading this great book. That is no innocent tree sitting there. It is indirectly directing what we do and how we live.

Is there anything that is material that is not social, and anything that is social that is not material. It is all an entanglement in practice (Orlikowski) - perhaps??

Now - what is an agential cut?