Latest news

Dasha Plesen is an artist with a love of microbiological mapping. Her love for microbial art began when she was studying her foundation art and design course.

The idea began as a microbiological map, showing all the organisms we come into contact with throughout the day including every surface within our homes and when being around others. She collects microorganisms from all around her, including the air, and everyday objects, sometimes even from her own body. They are generally placed on a Petri dish filled with a nutrient solution.

Dasha’s work focuses on "the process of plating". These are then swabbed onto her nutrient canvas, usually in the form of a Petri dish. These swabs are rubbed onto the medium and then each one is allowed to grow freely from anywhere between two to six weeks. Controlled environments are key to optimal growth. It is important to keep temperatures the same as where the organisms would naturally grow.

As the organisms are allowed to develop, the results vary depending on how the different micro-organisms interact with each other and react with the environment.