Plankton to Constellations

1000 sq. Feet Installation
Montalvo arts Center, Project Space Gallery
June 2017

Material: black paper, construction paper, reflective stickers, black lights.

This immersive installation explore the microscopic world of plankton and the infinite world of constellations. 

in Montalvo’s Project Space Gallery, Michele Guieu worked with a group of young campers. They looked at scientific documentation and watched videos about plankton and space. 

This installation is the occasion for the campers and the visitors to think about our relation to the infinitely small and the infinitely large. Plankton is drifting in the darkness of the ocean. Constellations are drifting in the darkness of space. All are luminescent. Their beauty make us dream, they inspire us. The fragility of plankton reminds us that all things on Earth are connected. Plankton’s balance can be disrupted and when it is, it has consequences on many marine species and beyond. Phytoplankton, in particular, contributes up to 50% of the world’s oxygen to the atmosphere. As humans, we are largely unaware of the world of plankton and the critical foundation it serves for our present and future. Plankton needs our attention: climate change is disrupting these foundational organisms, endangering the marine food web and beyond. When we look at the sky at night we get a glimpse of the infinite universe we belong to, the possibilities of explorations and future discoveries. It reminds us that planet Earth is small and fragile and we need to take care of it the best we can.

Plankton to Constellations is on view and open to the public at the Starry Starry Night festival Thursday, June 22. That night, the public is invited to participate in the installation: each visitor gets the opportunity to create a drawing made of reflective stickers on black paper and to add it to the installation.