The Origin of the World
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The Origin of the World
The project is an investigation into the reproduction and regenaration of bacteria and fungus which are the origins of life on earth. The title refers to bacteria as the origin of the world whilst alluding to Gustave Courbet’s L’Origine du Monde as my work symbolises the sexuality of bacteria with that of humanity.
Decay exists also as the loss of the natural and the distancing between humans and nature. Within the constructed setting, bacteria and mould are rejected, thereby we deny the origin of our existence. I explore the Fungal Kingdom, and aim to celebrate it, and to fossilise the metamorphic process of decay.
The project revolved around material investigation, whereby the material becomes a symbol and performer itself. Latex, typically used for condoms to prevent reproduction, a suffocating material, symbolises our choking of the natural world and the reduction of other species. Plaster enables the fossilisation of mould, creating a relationship where both materials battle to display their colour and form.