Biomaterials
Materials of Life
A thin layer of membrane floats quietly on the surface of the cellulose culture solution. The translucent fibers, created by the biological activities of the microbes, emerge slowly and gradually expand until it fills the entire container. The installation celebrates the beauty of life and explores new methods of artwork production with microorganisms. The cellulose is pressed, dried, and processed to explore their potential applications, and combined with bioplastics, mycelium, and other biologically generated materials to create a new form of symbiosis with nature.
溶液の中でゆらめく薄い被膜、セルロース。静置された培養液の中で、乳白色の繊維の膜がゆっくりと表面に現れ、拡大していきます。
ミクロの生命活動によって生成された繊維は、いくつもの層へと増殖し、空間を埋めつくすまで広がり続けます。その様子からは、生命のみずみずしい美しさと、未来の芸術表現の可能性を考えさせられます。また、発生した繊維をプレス、乾燥、加工し応用の可能性を探り、バイオプラスチックやキノコの菌糸体など生物学的な手法で生成した様々な素材と組み合わせながら、自然との新しい共生の形を考えます。
Materials: Bacterial cellulose, bioplastic, mycelium, nutrient solution, laboratory equipment
Years: 2017 – Present
Exhibitions: BioBAT Art Space (2022-2023), Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (2020-2021), NARS Foundation (2019), India Design ID (2019), Berlin Science Week (2017), LAD GALLERY (2017)
Bio Speakers
バイオスピーカー
Materials: Bacterial cellulose speaker units, amplifier
Years: 2017 – Present
Exhibitions: BioBAT Art Space (2022-2023), Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (2020-2021), NARS Foundation (2019), India Design ID (2019), Berlin Science Week (2017), LAD GALLERY (2017)
Music:
Like a Cloud in the Water (2023)
A musical piece generated from the DNA sequence of a species of Komagataeibacter, a type of acetic acid bacteria known for the production of cellulosic biofilms. Shimizu converts the DNA sequence (ATGCs) to music through python code and music editing software. The title refers to how the cellulose starts to form like a cloud in the nutrient water solution.
BIOMATERIAL PRODUCTION & TESTS
