Time Structures

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.