Antidote is a group show at Oriel Canfas, Cardiff. It is on from 29th November until 21st December. https://www.orielcanfas.co.uk/antidote
Jane Fox is exhibiting a prototype sculpture called CONNECTED/ BREATHE-IN/ BECOMING PROBIOTIC/ BECOMING PLASTIC
REMEDY and PREVENTION Jane is researching ecological materials for sculpture: principally, probiotic microbial cellulose and mycelium. She is writing a book on probiotics, inflammatory states, Covid-19 and post-acute Covid-19 syndrome (PACS).
Is it feasible we might inhale and absorb life-enhancing probiotics from health-emitting sculpture, clothes, design or architecture? In an era of “superbugs”, antibiotic resistance and the recent pandemic; probiotics are familiar dietary supplements and treatments supporting immune systems and health.
Jane’s article ‘Becoming Probiotic – Health, ecology and our second brain’ was published in Planet, The Welsh Internationalist magazine, 251, 2023, ISSN 0048-4288 https://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/planet-online/251/jane-fox
The sculpture CONNECTED/ BREATHE-IN/ BECOMING PROBIOTIC/ BECOMING PLASTIC is made using probiotic microbial cellulose and recycled plastics. The microbial cellulose is grown by fermentation using Symbiotic Colonies Of Bacteria and Yeast. Microbial cellulose is alive and on removal from the fermentation culture it remains active for days. Once visceral, it drys displaying qualities like translucence, wrinkles and leather-ness.
In 2023 Jane’s microbial cellulose project was accepted into the Future Materials Bank, Jan Van Eyck Academie, Maastricht as a Smart, biodegradable material for art and design. https://www.futurematerialsbank.com/material/scoby-3/
The microbial cellulose clings to the plastic armature of the sculpture, which raises the question does it regard the plastic as potential food source? A bacterial strain has been identified which is evolving to dissolve plastics in the oceans and soil. (1) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/dec/14/bugs-across-globe-are-evolving-to-eat-plastic-study-finds
Instagram handle @janefoxsculptor