The first Imaginary Property intervention inspired a new thread of
research. As we decided to implement a non-structured experiment, Ted
Byfield, our guest, was invited to improvise on the topic of Imaginary
Property following a very loose and open structure. His intervention
revealed, by the end of the meeting, a powerful new approach to the
topic. Ted started introducing himself following salient events of his
own biography which could inject a reflection on our research; by the
end of his speech, I could draw an unexpected connection on my note
book: there are similarities between systems to define time, so to say
calendars, and domain name systems.
What is a calendar, the symbolic structure to measure time, if not
an attempt to posses the fourth dimension we live in, rendering it
comprehensible, controllable, subject to determinate (or determinist?)
annotation and definition? The symbolic structure has infinite use
values: sharing and having common addresses, making appointments and so
forth… "see you at half past four"… "Let’s meet on the 12th".
We cannot touch time, we only exist in time, and a system producing the
illusion of its structure allows us humans to perceive the illusion of
control, and possession. "I have two hours", "I don’t have time", "Please, be on time…", "What time?" .
In computing, a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) is a type of Uniform
Resource Identifier (URI) that specifies where an identified resource
is available and the mechanisms for retrieving it. A calendar is a
system to organize days for social, religious, commercial, or
administrative purposes. This is done by giving names to periods of
time, typically days, weeks, months, and years. Giving names is a
system for identifying and rendering identity recognizable. Following a
definition of identity as ‘constant deformation’, we see that its
structure does develop in time through continuity and fragmentation.
The identification of segmentation within the time element is an
attempt to render tactile a matter of collective imagination. Thus, the
possession of imaginary domains, be that time or URL, be that codified
tempo or be that a virtual location, it can only be achieved through
the constitution of an imaginary system of description, measure,
identification, and fragmentation. Another example are the Units of
Measurement for the description of quantity, quantity as abstract and
material value which can be possessed through an imaginary system to
divide, fragment and make determinate the substance of a certain
constituted and proved matter.
