This visualisation communicates the many layers, unwieldy infrastructures and various technologies that petrochemical companies rely on to assmble their phyiscal structures in particular places. It points to the megaprojects spanning the globe that are behind the idea of a single 'company.'
I'm not sure how one would extend the ethnographic message of the caption. I think the strength of the caption, also in relation to the overall point of this photo essay, is that it contextualises what at first glance is an almost incomprehensible image, with the scale being beyond the human in a way. The caption does a really nice job of showing how actually for some people this part of their everyday work life, and how it is also part of economic strategies with consequences affecting people far beyond the company, in the form of tax breaks, job availability, etc.
This si a found image. I really like how the image was originally supplied by an industry actor themselves and how it has been repurposed multiple times to critique rather than sell, which it seemed intended to do.
I don't see any way to enrich this image. I think any kind of editing or addition would take away from the scale it represents.
This visualisation communicates something about different scales of toxicity: the concrete pollution that the petrochemical industry generates, but also the toxic political and economic dimensions of these global networks in a particular place.
This visualization and caption advance ethnographic insight by revealing a piece of a methanol plant isolated from its complex. This out of context perspective allows the viewer to more fully reflect on both the scale of the production process, as well as the entire supply chain infrastructure required. The un-natural aesthetics of the structure in this format also communicate or foreshadow the toxicity of petrochemical production and emissions.
The caption may consider elabourating slightly more on the overall extent of this process- how many pieces such as this are required for a typical petrochemical plant? Is this work considered dangerous or precarious for either the workers involved in transport? Does this type of construction of plants add any additional risks to their function, i.e. less toxic reduction devices as they are pre-assembled? How much fossil fuels are required for this type of transport?
This found image is of a part of a methanol chemical plant being transported on a rail car. The image is compelling, as the proportions of the cargo and the infrastructure supporting it do not seem to match. The image almost conveys a sense that the bridge might collapse at any moment, and definitely an affect of unease.
One possibility would be to juxtapose this piece of a petrochemical plant with the finished petrochemical plant. This image is already very powerful however. Another option would be to slightly lighten the shadows so a little more detail is visible.
The visualization and caption demonstrate the extreme form of infrastructure required for the methanol production process, questioning the taken-for-granted nature of the entire supply chain, as well as the economies required to support this massive engineering feat.
