INVISIBLE PROTECTION
2024
Research, Garment, Publication
Agar-agr, PVC
Artificial chemical materials have deeply penetrated our lives, and we use them daily. We know they are harmful to the environment, but to what extent? The impacts are often invisible. Perhaps my immediate concern is staying clean. Moreover, convenient materials also support our health. For instance, Gore-Tex hiking boots are comfortable. The dilemma between what is harmful and beneficial, or between protecting nature and immediately protecting ourselves, will persist. These issues are entangled with complex interests and cannot all be quantified. The pollution in Biesbosch affects our daily lives. Eggs harvested near Dordrecht are distributed to local supermarkets, and although swimming near Biesbosch is discouraged, the water keeps flowing somewhere. Even if non-stick baking paper and pans no longer contain PFAS, we have used pans and baking paper with PFAS for decades. On rainy days, we still need waterproof materials.
Therefore, this project transforms the mud texture of Biesbosch Swamp into natural materials like agar-agar and SCOBY to show bacterial growth. Clothes we wear daily, such as underwear and shoes that protect our bodies, are made by mixing agar and PVC. Agar is a plant-based, edible material that contains nutrients suitable for bacteria. Additionally, agar petri dishes display the collection of body bacteria from human-being gathered from Biesbosch.