Paweł Grzelak

For the first time in history, a human expedition reached the Mariana Trench ocean floor at a depth of 10,916 metres in 1960.
Scientists assumed that no multicellular organisms would be able to live in these harsh environments.
But there was life, and it was abundant. Many species are still awaiting to be discovered 60 years later.

"Specimens" is a collection of five procedurally generated and animated imaginary creatures.
The artist combines deep-sea organisms' patterns, behaviours, and structures with the peculiar appearance of microscopic imaging, culminating in the creation of new, digital living forms.

Specimen

Alive, yet static. Symplasma, also known as glass sponges, are the oldest living organisms on Earth. Their core, created from silica, is both rigid but also very brittle, making them easily damaged by human seafloor activity.

The artist explores the unexpected results of preserving Symplasma by creating ideal living conditions for them in the lab. The lack of struggle for food and the absence of adversaries encourages each specimen to grow freely. In isolation, they achieve a variety of forms, limited only by the space available.

*Experiment* is the first of a number of Symplasma series. Other peculiarities of the phylum will be explored in subsequent series.

*Symplasma: Experiment* is part of the group exhibition *Imperfections*. 


Symplasma: Experiment

Zancan

Entangled Others

Geoffrey Pugen

Phaust

MuseumWeek

Reconciliation with the Living

Symplasma: Experiment —  Imperfections

Ferdinand Dervieux

Matthew Plummer-Fernández

Reconciliation with the Living - Part II

Paweł Grzelak on Creating ‘Forced Evolutions’

Artist for the living: Museum Week presents Zancan, Entangled Others, Geoffrey Pugen, Phaust, and Paweł Grzelak

Paweł Grzelak

Featured works

Verse exhibitions

From the Journal

Paweł Grzelak on Creating ‘Forced Evolutions’

Artist for the living: Museum Week presents Zancan, Entangled Others, Geoffrey Pugen, Phaust, and Paweł Grzelak