Bactereature

Against the backdrop of expanding applications in bio-dyeing technologies and the untapped potential of human biological imprints, this project employs microbial pigmentation and digital biomaterial simulation to generate a series of biopolymers. It explores the central question: What forms of life can be defined by microbial communities?

Through algorithmic modeling, the project visualizes how human-associated microbiota can shape non-human entities—infusing inorganic matter with organic vitality—and situates this capacity within a broader natural context. A custom-built 3D printer capable of printing with biological materials was developed to realize these concepts physically, resulting in a collection of objects defined by microbiome-derived colors and forms.

The work reveals the inherent generative potential of the human microbiome while critically examining the ethical boundaries of human–microbe relationships.