Lithium: States of Exhaustion
(May 2021)
Francisco Díaz, Anastasia Kubrak & Marina Otero Verzier (eds.)
Paperback 17 x 24 cm | 272 pp.
Spanish + English
ISBN: 978-956-9571-88-6
Since its discovery, the chemical element lithium has promised to cure states of exhaustion to which bodies—human and otherwise—are subjected under capitalism. Prescribed for mania and depression since 1817, lithium is today known as the power behind electric cars and a cornerstone of renewable energy transition. Yet the growing dependence on its extraction exacerbates the burnout of entire ecosystems. Spanning Bolivia’s salt flats, Chile’s Atacama evaporation ponds, and European spa pools, Lithium: States of Exhaustion explores subjects and objects driven by this extraordinary element. This bilingual, two-sided book—published by Ediciones ARQ and Het Nieuwe Instituut—brings together architects, scholars, lawyers, philosophers, astronomers, biologists, journalists, and activists to share insights on lithium extraction, pharmacology, mental health, and their intertwined economies.
Contributions by Pedro Alonso, Cristina Dorador, Francisco Förster, Daniel Matamala, Byung-Chul Han, Marina Weinberg, and Unknown Fields—the research collective led by Kate Davies and Liam Young—among others.