Living Candida albicans on agar containing the artist’s blood
2100 x 150mm
Encased in a series of acrylic boxes, living Candida albicans grows in a pattern adapted from the first drawing of the organism by Charles Philippe Robin in 1853 and reminiscent of those popular on the wallpaper of parlours and art galleries in Europe at the time. The Candida grows on blood agar, a nutrient source that contains the blood of the human artist. The acrylic containment frames the artwork as an un-still-life and minimises the risk of contamination or infection. Within this containment, the living Candida escapes the constraints of the patterning during the exhibition, disrupting attempts to discipline it.
Tarsh Bates 