On May 27, 2006, the plaque Nature of the Waters was installed in San Marcos, Texas. Nature of the Waters is one of many plaques detailing events that take place in the fictional Kcymaerxthaere, an alternate universe created and sustained by Eames Demetrios. Demetrios is the architect (or Geographer-at-Large) behind the world-wide, multi-dimensional art project, Kcymaerxthaere. Kcymaerxthaere is an alternate universe that corresponds to our “linear” world by specific points across Earth, all of which are marked by plaques to commemorate an event that happened at each specific points.
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The Bizarre San Marcos Monument from a Parallel Universe
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Demetrios tells the story of Kcymaerxthaere through multiple forms of media, including books, embroidery, performance, and the bronze plaques. He often refers to the project as a novel, with every page in a different place. Demetrios contemplated the world of Kcymaerxthaere for twenty years before the first plaque was installed in 2003. Each plaque explores an event that occurred in Kcymaerxthaere but corresponds to our world, as if the parallel universe were bleeding through.
Demetrios has installed plaques across the United States (Kymaerica). In 2006, Nature of the Waters was installed in San Marcos, Texas. Some plaques tell the story of epic battles, others of mass exodus, but some tell stories of individuals. Nature of the Waters covers a murder and the geographical situation of San Marcos (and its Kcymaerxthaere counterpart) at the time of the event. It references a language comprised solely of onomatopoeia; for instance, the language itself is referred to as Deralkohn, which is pronounced by making the sound of a small quartzite falling into a pile of crushed marble.
The focus on the environment in this plaque is a perfect example of the art project as a whole. Demetrios wants people to experience Kcymaerxthaere, not just consume it. Plaques installed in different environments have the benefit of being tied to their surroundings (or the surroundings in their corresponding Kcymaerxthaere coordinates). This lends a unique credibility to the project as Demetrios uses the geographical texture and location of each plaque to shape the story. The idea that each plaque is a page of a novel creates a singular story-telling experience for those interested in discovering Kcymaerxthaere.
There is obviously no specific order to visiting the plaques, since they are scattered across the world, and each plaque will be experienced differently by individuals. The weather or social situation of a specific plaque can dictate how much a viewer participates. This makes Kcymaerxthaere one of the most ambitious works of all time, inviting fans of Demetrios’ work to become part of the story. If you stop by the Hill Country Humidor (the plaque is in front of this charming cigar store) in San Marcos, you too can discover Kcymaerxthaere and become part of the global phenomenon.
