Soft Earth
Work in progress
The Soft Earth project is an alternative photography process that embraces the unpredictable. By utilising UV light to kill yeast and transform the images, a living artistic medium emerges. Each image created through this technique is a unique organism.
In this intriguing process, yeast arranged on a medium forms the image foundation. UV light selectively eradicates the yeast, leaving an imprint. In this project, I utilise either my personal photographs or insulation tape as stencils.
Yeast is a true testament to the enduring nature of life on Earth, a pigment that has witnessed the ebb and flow of generations, ecosystems, and civilisations. In the Soft Earth project, yeast takes on a new role as an artistic tool while exploring the intersection of science and art. It's a bit like a bridge to our distant past, while also leading us into uncharted territory.
Through this project, I explore our intimate relationship with the microbial world. With each breath we draw, fungal spores enter our bodies, where these hardy particles often settle and play a vital role in maintaining our health. This symbiotic existence emphasises the constant interaction between humanity and the microbial realm. Soft Earth also encourages us to ponder the deep connections between the ancient and the modern, the micro-world and the macro-world, and the enduring presence of life in all its forms.
The technique was originally shared by Bioart Club pavillon_35 in Vienna, Austria, during a workshop organised by the Finnish Bioart Society. This groundbreaking method challenges traditional photography, inviting viewers to engage with living organisms as the canvas for artistic expression.
Click on the images to read the descriptions underneath to find out more.