The artist welcomed extremes in her work, so employed bacterial assistants. They see differently, she said. She said the bacteria were very helpful. They bring a new intelligence, she said.
Is that them? We wondered. But it was the slime mold, which had recently arrived to help with the next project.
What is that?
We’re doing an adaptation of The Book of Changes.
***
Adapted from this BOMB interview with Jenna Suelta, for whom collaboration with non-human intelligences is a central feature of artmaking. Pond Brain is the title of a 2023 sculpture she created with bronze, water, sound, and light.
The title Pond Brain is fantastic. Reminiscent for me of bad 70s horror films like Swamp Thing. The kind of thing Stephen King would have grown up with, and been inspired by: Pond Brain. Ha ha! Lovely photo too.
Hah! Thank you, Bill! I had the same feeling : )