Photography: Michael Nagl
Interactive living oxygen generator, here part of ON THE ROAD AGAIN in Künstlerhaus Vienna
from Febr. 18th to May 21st, 2023
https://www.k-haus.at/besuch/kalender/ausstellung
<< Soundcloud link >> Fragment of sounds of photosynthesis by Karl Stirner
Paul Gründorfer made the reactive sound design for the interactive oxygen generator >> more info below
Below as part of THROUGH OOZE and SLIME
SOLO exhibition in Galerija Na Katu, Zagreb, HR
LIVE PHO2TOSYNTHESIS PERFORMANCE
interactive living oxygen generator
Above and below you see an interactive living oxygen generator. It is filled with microscopic
marine algae and seaweeds from the North Sea coast of the Netherlands: diatoms and
other phytoplankton, Bladderwrack, Sea whistle, Devil’s Apron, Green Hair Weed.
Full installation with:
upper aquarium: bladderwrack, gutweed, green hair weed, water, marine salt, LED lights
in the middle: diatoms and nannochloropsis salina > micro algae, marine salt, loudspeaker,
microphones, cables, tubes, pump, oxygen masks, paper mouthpieces, LED lights
below: bladderwrack, toothed wrack, water, marine salt, wood, LED lights,
recycled bottles and framing of galvanised
waterpipes (steel, party recycled)
Algae (micro- and macro algae) produce over fifty percent of our atmosphere’s oxygen. Statistically every
second breath you take is produced by alga. In turn, they metabolize the carbon dioxide you exhale.
There is a continuous cycle of matter between your lungs and algae
in the oceans and waterways of the planet.
You and algae are inseparably connected!
The sound you hear is the fizzing and fizzling of photosynthesizing algae otherwise inaudible to
the human ear, each sound an encounter between your breath and the chlorophyll-containing algae
cells, the transformation of light into chemical energy and the crescendo of gas metamorphosis.
Video for a sound impression (best in HD)
Blow out in the machine and sing with the algae!
By blowing out CO2 in the tank the visitor becomes part of the algae's
Live photosynthesis performance - the participation effects the sound of
this biochemical process, that we made audible for the human ear
Bioreactive Sounddesign:
Paul Gründorfer
Karl Stirner
Interactive objects
for interspecies communication
________________________________________________________________________
Details in the aquariums:
Right - lower aquarium in the installation
with Bladderwrack, condensation
Below - inside the upper aquarium:
Bladderwrack, Gutweed and Green Hair weed
Seaweeds that I collected July 2022 at the North Sea coast - Vrouwenpolder and Neeltje Jans, Zeeland NL
Below
the algae after transport to Zagreb
Algae for in the aquarium tank (after transport): diatoms and other photosynthesising marine
micro-algae - Nannochloropsis Salina - that I cultivated for the exhibition in a small Bioreactor