Rock Beings: Does the Rock Have a Soul?

Abstract

This article proposes ways to investigate whether a rock has a soul. Thinking through portraiture and utilising these classification methods, I question whether we can apply the same methods to rocks to discover their personhood and, in turn, their essence.

‘Rock Portraits’ is one such investigation (a series of screen prints of rock portraits created using rock pigments). I will share the thought processes and outcomes that revealed unexpected results. Firstly, from what appears to be a mountain of beige or grey rock, we reveal an array of the softest pinks and yellows in multiple shades. Secondly, the process of making, through grinding rock and printing, becomes a collaborative event with the mountain itself.