Fern Orchestra / Vespa Laine: Breath

Bio Light Art installation, 2019

Photosynthetic bacteria and their microalgal descendants produce half of the oxygen on our planet. In other words, we can thank the microorganisms in the ocean for every second breath we take. Breath is a bio-light installation where the dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii creates the phenomenon of bioluminescence when exposed to mechanical stress. Even though the algae itself is not visible to the naked eye, its light is. This installation was created in collaboration with Environmental and Marine Biology at Åbo Akademi University and the Marine Research Centre at the Finnish Environment Institute.

Fern Orchestra / Vespa Laine

Lighting designer, b. 1977, lives in Parainen, Finland

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Information

Artwork finished in: 2019

Dimensions of the work:

2m x 2m x 2m

Spaces suitable for exhibiting the work:

Semi-heated space, Heated space

Work’s durability:

Humidity

Requirements for the space:

fully dark, dark (gleaming exit-lights etc. allowed)

Colouring requirements:

dark coloured

Electricity consumption:

Standard mains current (10A/16A)

Support and other structures:

The work includes all the necessary structures

Required technology:

Dark room, 10A electricity

Sound:

ambient sound

Minimum height of the space:

2,1 m

Minimum square meters of the space:

Building time and people required (estimate):

3 h, 1 people

Artist's presence:

Artist or their representative must be present during building

On-site building:

Built on-site