AMONG THE FIRST ORGANISMS TO COLONIZE LAND 510 MILLION YEARS AGO, LICHEN MARRIES AN ENERGY-HARVESTING ABILITY WITH GREAT NUTRIENT ADN WATER ABSORPTION. CONTINUALLY ABSORBING PARTICLES IN THE ATMOSPHERE - FROM NUTRIENTS TO POLLUTANTS - LICHEN IS AN AIR QUALITY MONITORING MECHANISM. AS WE DEVELOP NEW MATERIALS IN LIGHT OF OUR PLANETARY CRISIS, HOW COULD WE ACCELERATE OUR CAPACITY TO TUNE INTO OUR BIOCHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS OF OUR ENVIRONMENT? HOW MIGHT HUMAN CULTURE SHIFT IF OUR MATERIALS WERE ALIVE, BIOMONITORING AND FOSTERING OUR FUTURE? HOW MIGHT THIS DYNAMIC FEEDBACK SHAPE THE NATURE AND PACE OF OUR RESPONSES?

THIS FOREST FAUX-FUR PIECE OF 1300+ LICHENS SERVES AS AN IMAGINATION OF A FUTURE STATE WHERE HUMANITY IS FLUENT IN THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN HUMAN AND FLORA FOR THE BENEFIT OF BOTH.

MATERIALS | WOLF LICHEN, SECONDHAND COTTON SHEET, SECONDHAND VELVET, SECONDHAND RECYCLED POLYESTER LINING, SECONDHAND FOAM EXERCISE MAT, FOAM BOARD, DUCT TAPE.

LOCATION | CENTRAL OREGON, UNITED STATES

CONCEPT, DESIGN AND PHOTOGRAPHY | JESSIE CURRY