The 11-minute video installation is accompanied by a dead tree adorned with a cross and artificially grown algae on a chalk stone. This installation is part of a larger research project called 'La Mérule Pleureuse,' which was developed during an artist residency at La Chartreuse de Neuville.

 

The project revolves around studying the natural interplay and coexistence of organisms such as algae and fungi within a human-inhabited enviroment. The focus lies on examining a specific fungus ( La Mérule Pleureuse ) that thrives in the conditions found within human-constructed habitats. Merule, scientifically named Serpula Lacrymans, commonly known as dry rot, grows in the timbers and sometimes walls of buildings. It have successfully adapted to and thrive in human constructed environments, taking advantage of the resources and opportunities provided by humans.

 

However, a complex dynamic emerges as this organism and humans engage in a struggle. Tensions arise as humans strive to preserve the aesthetic of their constructed spaces and the structured routines they have established, often conflicting with the natural inclinations and behaviors of these organisms. This creates an ongoing battle between human desires for order and symmetry and the dynamic presence of resilient organisms that challenge and disrupt established norms.