Marissa Lee Benedict and David Rueter

In this science fiction–inspired multichannel video, artist team Marissa Lee Benedict and David Rueter trace energy through its residue: dust. The piece examines the byproducts of carbon-based fuels as they enter the atmosphere as dust, and considers a future where undetectable particulates might be used to carry information. Benedict and Rueter document dust blowing upward and outward, from deserts and industrial sites to places all over the globe. In the process they suggest a strange world where particulates can convey both mysterious uses and caustic effects. This work was shown as part of MoCP’s Petcoke: Tracing Dirty Energy exhibition in 2016.