You are invited to participate in a mysterious new immersive art experience that is part performance, part experiment. You will encounter the ancient light of bioluminescent bacteria A. Fischeri and have a chance to contemplate how the living colony has evolved this extraordinary light over eons through a symbiotic relationship with the Hawaiian bobtail squid. You’ll be asked for feedback on your perception of living light.

This project is a collaboration between bioengineer Matt Faria, biomathematician Stuart Johnston, and artists Robert Walton, Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey. The group are conducting one of the first studies of human perceptions of beauty in bioluminescent light with the aim of developing sustainable lighting sources in collaboration with living systems.

Presented as a part of Melbourne Design Week.
Funded by Bioinspiration Hallmark Initiative Seed Funding, University of Melbourne.

Image credit: ‘Sacrifice’ (2022) by Robert Walton (AU/UK). Image courtesy the artist.