Nadine Schmoll
my friend the cyanobacteria

30 x 30 x 30cm

An ephemeral homage to a vast, hidden world entwined with our own, these sculptures explore the interrelationships between microorganisms (microbes) and the human-made problem of plastic pollution. At this moment in time, humans are creating more extreme environments across the globe at an alarming rate. Microbes have found ways to adapt and thrive in extreme environments - blooming in acidified water, and capable of digesting polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most common plastic found in water bottles and packaging. Waste polyethylene is sculpted with heat, water and sand into biomorphic forms and textures. Painted with cyanobacteria, this photosynthetic microorganism changes colour through exposure to ultraviolet light, from green to blue until it finally disappears. While science and human intervention is crucial in creating real change for our environment, nature too offers its own solutions for the future.