By Biennale of Sydney
23rd Biennale of Sydney: rīvus
The Myth of Nature –agaG1 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
About the participant
Jessie French
Born 1988 in Naarm / Melbourne, Australia
Lives on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country, Naarm / Melbourne, Kulin Nation
Jessie French is an artists and experimental designer who explores speculative futures through algae-based bioplastic and water-based ecologies. Her practice invites others to engage with the possibilities of a post-petrochemical world.
‘Why is it that objects which leave a geological mark lasting an epoch are so readily available, with prices not accounting for their enduring environmental burden?'
'We are living on a damaged planet. There is hope in imagination — this work is a field trip to another world.’
—Jessie French
Jessie French Interview (2022) by Motel Picture CompanyBiennale of Sydney
A Matter of Matter – agaG1; Growthcentrism – C15H18NO12 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
A Matter of Matter – agaG1 and Growthcentrism – C15
The algae-based polymer developed by the artist and used in these works is made from organic materials. It can be completely recycled in a process as simple as boiling pasta, enabling reuse of 100% of the material without need for a high-energy recycling system.
A Matter of Matter – agaG1; Growthcentrism – C15H18NO9 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
If disposed in the environment, the polymer degrades without risking the lives of other species.
The Myth of Nature –agaG1 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
On the desk, sit three vessels of live Athrospira platensis microalgae. These are the first organisms known to have produced oxygen on Earth, and still produce between 50-80% of the oxygen in each breath we take.
A Matter of Matter – agaG1; Growthcentrism – C15H18NO10 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
They are the oldest organism to be found in fossils and have existed on this planet for at least 3.5 billion years.
The Myth of Nature –agaG1 (2022) by Jessie FrenchBiennale of Sydney
French's work imagines the beings as having survived humanity’s destruction of the world, commenting on the absurdity of human culture’s failure to respond to crisis.
Tap to explore
Navigate around to explore Jessie French's work inside The Cutaway...
Liquid Languages – Jessie French | New Materials (2022) by Ankit MishraBiennale of Sydney
...or step inside Jessie French's studio to hear more about her practice.
