Autopoiesis is a video installation that simulates algae bloom phenomenon in optimal conditions, which uses glowing patterns and ambient sounds to create a vigorous and immersive experience.

Most of algae blooms are formed by cyanobacteria, the first ancient organism that perform photosynthesis on Earth. These green patches spreading across water bodies often portrayed as environmental hazards, yet the causes of algae blooms are frequently linked to industrial waste, which leads to water eutrophication. Under favorable conditions, cyanobacteria are able to double their population in a single day, demonstrating their remarkable reproduction ability, the very essence of autopoiesis. The more they reproduce, the fast they photosynthesis, absorbing carbon dioxide, and releasing oxygen, contributing to update the ecological system and rebalance the atmosphere. This work presents an alternative narrative of algae bloom, who playing a significant role as photosynthesiers and oxygen producers.

The installation’s soundtrack is composed of individual faint sound pieces produced by cyanobacteria’s oxygen-containing bubbles. Through computation with abstract representation, this work makes it possible to interact with this invisible and rarely heard action, inviting the viewer to contemplate humanity’s essential reliance on oxygen and its circulation within Earth’s system.

#algae #oxygen #audiovisual #projection #greenaesthetics