Probiotic Microbial Cellulose
Jane held a demonstration of probiotic microbial cellulose at the gallery, Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Cornwall in 2023.
There was great interest and engagement from colleagues at the Royal Society of Sculptors, fellow artists and members of the public in the living cellulose as a sustainable material for sculpture.
People were keen to handle and experience the qualities of the microbial cellulose. Several sections of the microbial cellulose were cut, examined and positioned on one of the sculptures by particpants.
Here you can see various sections of the fresh microbial cellulose placed onto the sculpture by participants.
Participants were able to compare the fresh sheets of microbial cellulose samples (at 2 weeks and 8 weeks age at fermentation) with the older cellulose on the sculptures – up to 15 months old.
The Future Materials Bank, Jan Van Eyck Academie, Maastricht has accepted the probiotic microbial cellulose into their library of sustainable materials. This is a global achive of natural materials for artists, designers and makers.
https://www.futurematerialsbank.com/material/scoby-3/
Jane Fox has an article published in Planet – The Welsh Internationalist magazine/ Welsh and International politics and culture called, ‘Becoming Probiotic – Health, ecology and our second brain’. ISSN 0048-4288. This 2023 edition marks the NHS at 75.
https://www.planetmagazine.org.uk/planet-online/251/jane-fox