DESERTMED a Project About the Deserted Islands of the Mediterranean

DESERTMED A project about the deserted islands of the Mediterranean The islands, and all the more so the deserted island, is an extremely poor or weak notion from the point of view of geography. This is to it’s credit. The range of islands has no objective unity, and deserted islands have even less. The deserted island may indeed have extremely poor soil. Deserted, the island may be a desert, but not necessarily. The real desert is uninhabited only insofar as it presents no conditions that by rights would make life possible, weather vegetable, animal, or human. On the contrary, the lack of inhabitants on the deserted island is a pure fact due to the circumstance, in other words, the island’s surroundings. The island is what the sea surrounds. What is deserted is the ocean around it. It is by virtue of circumstance, for other reasons that the principle on which the island depends, that the ships pass in the distance and never come ashore.“ (from: Gilles Deleuze, Desert Island and Other Texts, Semiotext(e),Los Angeles, 2004) DESERTMED A project about the deserted islands of the Mediterranean Desertmed is an ongoing interdisciplina- land use, according to which the islands ry research project. The “blind spots” on can be divided into various groups or the European map serve as its subject typologies —although the distinctions are matter: approximately 300 uninhabited is- fluid. lands in the Mediterranean Sea. A group of artists, architects, writers and theoreti- cians traveled to forty of these often hard to reach islands in search of clues, impar- tially cataloguing information that can be interpreted in multiple ways. A pool of photographs, drawings, and au- dio and video recordings was the result. It is an inquiry into or an attempt to create something akin to maps through sound recordings and images. Such maps exa- mine the myriad ways in which the indi- vidual islands are used and, accordingly, their significant political, economic and historical interrelationships. The notion of the deserted island as a place of retreat still functions today as the quintessen- tial vacation dream and myth for those seeking refuge from society—a place of yearning, of the production of desire, which has little to do with reality. Desert- Italian deserted islands charted on med attempts to confront this mythos with Google Maps an unsentimental cataloguing and factual description of the mostly unknown islands International Bathymetric Chart of the of the Mediterranean. Mediterranean (IBCM) 1987 Historical map, Arab-Byzantine trade As it turns out, the reality of the islands is relations in the Mediterranean, 12th much more a reflection of the forms and century, Bodleian Library, Oxford concepts of state- and non-state-based DESERTMED Deserted islands in the Mediterranean Through research, we have identified Isola dei Cavoli IT Maslinjak HR Gornja Aba HR approximately 300 islands where the Soffi IT Sveti Grgur HR Veli Buc HR natural development of a social fabric Isole Le Camere IT Tramerka HR Borovnik HR is not viable. At present, human sett- Mortorio IT Obljak HR Kurba Mala HR lement is impossible for a variety of Serpentara IT Tramercica HR Mana HR reasons. Isola dell‘Ogliastra IT Prvic HR Vela Balabra HR Tavolara IT Lagan HR Bisaga HR Alboran ES Molara IT Goli Otok HR Brusnjak HR Chafarinas ES Gorgona IT Golac HR Rasip Mali HR Rechgoun DZ Pianosa IT Brscak HR Maslinjak HR Habibas DZ Ile Cani TN Skrda HR Veli Rasip HR Ile Plane DZ Ile Pilau TN Planik HR Sitsko-zutska Otocna Skupina HR Cabrera ES Montecristo IT Tun Mali HR Šćitna HR na Conillera ES Ile Plane TN Mezanj HR Piskera HR Illes Medes ES Zembra TN Tun Veli HR Gustac HR Fort de Brescou FR Zembretta TN Maun HR Mala Dajna HR Ile du Planier FR Gremdi, Kerkennah TN Magarcic HR Klobucar HR Ile d‘If FR Lampione IT Silo HR Kasela HR Ile Riou FR Palmarola IT Veli Planatak HR Vodenjak HR Port Cros FR Zannone IT Sparusnjak HR Veli Pnsjak HR Saint Honorat FR Santo Stefano IT Utra HR Gominjak HR Isola di Mal di Ventre IT Vele Skrakane HR Otocici Tri Sestrice HR Lunga HR Asinara IT Zeca HR Mrtovnjak HR Jancar HR Archipel des Sanguinaires FR Male Skrakane HR Veli Otok HR Kameni Zakan HR Galiton TN Plavnik HR Idula HR Prdusa HR La Galite TN Vele Orjule HR Srednji otok HR Skulj HR Iles Lavezzi FR Grujica HR Glurovic HR Garmeniak HR Spargiotto IT Lutrosnjak HR Luskj Otok HR Okljuc HR Spargi IT Trstenik HR Maslinovac HR Lucmarinjak HR Razzoli IT Oruda HR Fulija HR Kurba Vela HR Budelli IT Veli Laganj HR Knezak HR Capraia IT Iles Cerbicale FR Veli Dolfin HR Krknata HR Sknzanj HR Corcelli IT Otocici Grebeni HR Tomesniak HR Mrtovnjak HR Barrettini IT Vodenjak HR Lavdara HR Cavlin HR Giraglia FR Morovnik HR Aba Vela HR Tetoviusnjak HR Isola delle Bisce IT Duzac HR Velo Silo HR Kukuljar HR DESERTMED Deserted islands in the Mediterranean Jabuka HR Strofades GR Skantzoura GR Chamili GR Çelebi TK Borovniak HR Drakonera, Echinadi GR Makronisos GR Kinaros GR Kara TK Drazemanski HR Modio, Echinadi GR Grammeza GR Glaros GR Antitilos GR Kakan HR Makri, Echinadi GR Gioura GR Elasa GR Orak Adasi TK Bavljenac HR Karlonisi, Echinadi GR Psathoura GR Kara Ada TK Alimia GR Misjak HR Provatio, Echinadi GR Antimilos GR Mavra GR Yilancik TK Mazirina HR Pontikos, Echinadi GR Piperi GR Zaforas GR Imrali TK Svetac HR Oxia GR Skyropoula GR Levitha GR Sivriada TK Pianosa,Tremiti IT Sapientza GR Erinia GR Divounia GR Yassiada TK Logorun HR Agia Mariani GR Piperi, Cicladi GR Kounoupi GR Kizil Adasi TK Zmajan HR Schiza GR Serifopoula GR Anidro GR Ramkine LB Tijat HR Venetiko GR Gyaros GR Buyuk Ilyosta TK Ile du Palmier LB Brusnik HR Platia GR Kardiotissa GR Buyuk Maden TK Sanani Island LB Maslinovik HR Psili GR Panteronisi GR Ciplak TK Biševo HR Evraios GR Christiana GR Khelia GR Orud HR Spetsoupola GR Dia GR Syma GR Stipanska HR [NO NAME] LY Rinia GR Grillousa GR Otocic Stipanska HR Prasonisi GR Delos GR Balik TK Palagruža HR Agios Ioannis GR Tragonisi GR Fragkos GR Susac HR Kyra GR Antipsara GR Buyukada TK Pod Kopište HR Trikeri GR Ktapodia GR Plakida GR Mrčara HR [Isola di sabbia] LY Kato Koufonisi GR Hekim TK Sazan AL Dokos GR Keros GR Archaggelos GR Vardiani GR Ypsili GR Kato Antikeri GR Pirnali TK Arkoudi GR Stachtorroi GR Ano Antikeri GR Kizkulesi Adasi TK Madouri GR Platonisi GR Anidros GR Astakida GR Sparti GR Platia Nisida GR Macheres GR Tavsan Adasi TK Skorpionidi GR Stavronisi GR Chrisi GR Kandelioussa GR Skorpios GR Velopoula GR Pachia GR Pergoussa GR Kythros GR Lagousaki GR Makra GR Pachia GR Atokos GR Modi GR Tavsan TK Kalolimnos GR Formikoula GR Falkonera GR Koufonisi GR Yali GR Marathonisi GR Agios Georgios GR Ofidoussa GR Cavus TK Pelouzo GR Peristera GR Megalo Livadi GR Büyükkiremit Adası TK Vromonas, Echinadi GR Adelfoi GR Gianisada GR Catal TK Sofia, Echinadi GR Kira Panagia GR Pontikousa GR Gaidaros GR DESERTMED visited islands The aim of Desertmed is to investigate the essence of the deserted condition of islands of the Mediterranean. NatURAL ISLANDS NATURAL PARK ISLANDS MILItarY ISLANDS Khelia GR Pelouzo GR Galiton TN Grillousa GR Capraia, Tremiti IT Zembra TN Archaggelos GR Pianosa, Tremiti IT Zembretta TN Tragonisi GR Montecristo IT Mrčara HR Levitha GR Gremdi, Kerkennah TN Sušac HR Kythros GR Ile Pilau TN Sazan AL Atokos GR Ile Plane TN Svetac HR Formikoula GR Ile Cani TN Arkoudi GR La Galite TN Echinades GR Habibas, DZ INDUSTRIAL ISLANDS Rechgoun DZ Yali GR Ile Plane DZ PRIVate ISLANDS Sparti GR Madouri GR PRISON ISLANDS Skorpionidi GR Pianosa IT Goli Otok HR Gorgona IT Asinara IT Santo Stefano IT Ile d‘If FR Makronisos GR Gyaros GR Natural Islands Natural Islands are situated off the routes of trade and tourism, and are usually eit- her difficult to access or lacking in potable water. Often they are used for grazing live- stock, beekeeping or fish farming. Many of them are minor constellations of the larger Greek and Croatian archipelagos, left deserted due to their rugged topography or lack of resources. The size varies from little more than a rocky outcropping to mountains emerging from the sea. Some of them were inhabited before the wave of emigration in the early 20th century. Natural Park Islands Natural Park Islands are islands desig- nated for wildlife conservation, where human presence is monitored scientifically. On these islands the condition of deserti- on is desired and monitored by man. Only park guards live on such islands, defen- ding their artificial “emptiness”. Their wild state is planned and protected. Private Islands Islands privately owned by individuals or social entities. Access and stays are subject to the same constraints and privi- leges as any other private property. Prison Islands Prison Islands are islands whose features make them ideal for penitentiaries or cor- rectional institutions. Prison-like structures strictly regulate life on these islands. The different reasons for confinement have generated various architectural and urban typologies. With its specific geography, the island naturally imposes a border, preventing escape. Today certain prison islands have been abandoned entirely and only the peniten- tiary structures remain. On other islands, though the facilities have been shut down, they are still inhabited by the last remaining prisoners, awaiting the end of their sentences. Sometimes prisoners are “rehabilitated” through ecological edu- cation programs, conducted in partially self-organized communities. Military Islands Military Islands function as strategic outposts due to their location and the complex provisions concerning territorial waters and rights.

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