Cécile B. Evans, Prop for a Future Adaptation (microbial fuel cell prototype for giselle) II, 2021

2021

Medium

Acrylic case, water, Bristol BioEnergy Lab microbial fuel cell, preserved plants, MacConkey agar, petri dishes, bacteria, epoxy, voltmeter part, wires, birch wood and sealant tape

Dimensions

30 × 22 cm

Status

In Gallery Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-156277

"Prop for a Future Adaptation (nomadic microbial fuel cell prototype for giselle)" (2021) is a film prop that occurs in the series of the ecofeminist thriller adaption of Giselle. In the narrative of the adaptation of the classical ballet, the protagonist Giselle and her community have established a micronation called "Carcinellox," powered solely by energy derived from the metabolic process of a superbacterium native to the region. Incorporating elements of both the real and fictional worlds, the artworks on display are the prototypes for a series of "cells" - wild batteries designed to power a promising but difficult future full of change. In "Prop for a Future Adaptation (nomadic microbial fuel cell prototype for giselle)," Evans actually incorporates microbial fuel cells developed by BristolEnergy Lab to convert organic activity into energy. In an acrylic box, Evans places real moss and a petri dish of active microorganisms alongside preserved plants that affect the climate in the enclosed space and hint at the battery's function. In Evans' version, Giselle's story, transposed from industrialization to the near future, emerges as an exploration of mutability and multiplicity as a breakout strategy, with the natural force of bacteria emerging as an unexpected ally.