Mold Symbiosis

This question started the exploration of this project. Over time and after many experiments, the result is taking shape through the observation of mold. After observing the growth of mold in three different spaces, the project has led to an experimental outcome that combines the shapes and growth process of the mold with digital preservation. Inspired by the randomness in the growing process and the shapes that it can take, the result is a digital experience that asks the user to take action – by being able to generate new patterns and save them, emphasising the active role that we play in preservation. After a long process of controlling and observing the mold, my role in the preservation process offers a new perspective to explore and highlights the importance of someone taking action to preserve even something as simple as mold. At the same time, the shape of the mold keeps changing even in a controlled environment and every image captured during the process will show a slightly different version of the constant growth and change. This experiment aims to capture this interaction. It allows to capture and preserve change in a brief and fleeting moment. The imagery is inspired by classic still-life paintings, reinterpreting the age-old motif of decay in a digital context.